Career Services
Career choice and choice of major field are related. They should not, however, be thought of as identical. Many of Fisk's pre-professional programs are organized within traditional arts and sciences disciplines, which the faculty believes are apt to provide the best professional preparation. Students seeking help with the exploration of career options should consult their Faculty Academic Advisors and/or personnel in the Office of Career Services and Leadership. Students are advised to get to know the Office of Career Services and Leadership staff early in their college years, and not to wait until the senior year to begin exploring career options. The Office of Career Services and Leadership is also an excellent source of opportunities for co-curricular experiences during the summer.
A few examples of major-field choices, and possible careers to which these majors are related, are given below. These examples are intended only as a guide. Many of the professional fields may be entered from a variety of academic disciplines, and there are options in each professional field that are not listed below.
Arts Careers
Careers in the arts, for instance, have attracted many Fiskites throughout the University's history. Students interested in careers as writers often major in English, but other fields are also useful for these students. Nikki Giovanni, the distinguished author and poet, was a history major at Fisk. Others have majored in social sciences, or in virtually every other arts and sciences discipline. An art major is available for students with career interests in the visual arts, and majors in music (for either the B.A. or the B.Mus. degree) are available through the Department of Arts and Languages.
Business Careers
Business careers are the usual objective of students who major in business administration but are open also to majors in other disciplines. Majors in these other disciplines who are considering business careers may consult faculty members in the Department of Business Administration for advice about recommended elective coursework in management, accounting, and economics. In addition to its business administration major at the undergraduate level, Fisk offers a joint program with Belmont leading to a Concentration in Music Business.
Computer Science Careers
Careers in computer science and information technology are available to students majoring in computer science or, with proper elective coursework in computer science, to students selecting other majors as well. Business administration majors and majors in the natural and social sciences are typical alternatives for students interested in careers in the growing computer field. The computer science program itself may lead either toward an entry- level computer science position upon graduation or toward graduate study in computer science, engineering, business, or science.
Engineering Careers
Engineering careers are relatively technical, and students interested in this field should consider the dual degree programs offered by arrangement between Fisk and selected other institutions (Vanderbilt University, and Case Western Reserve University) in science and engineering.
These programs involve a five-year course of study and are designed to increase the number of minority engineers and scientists. Students select one of the natural science disciplines (chemistry, physics, biology, mathematics, or computer science) at Fisk and the engineering discipline of interest at the collaborating institution. Students are assigned to faculty academic advisors on both campuses. By working closely with these faculty academic advisors, students may plan a course of study, which facilitates pursuit of two baccalaureate degrees in a period of approximately five years.
Legal Careers
Legal Careers have traditionally attracted many Fisk graduates. The American Bar Association (ABA) and the Law School Admission Council (LSAC) do not recommend any particular major for those interested in a career in Law. An edition of the ABA-LSAC Official guide to ABA-approved Law Schools makes the following statement: “As undergraduate students, some have majored in subjects that are traditionally considered paths to law school, such as history, English, philosophy, political science, economics, or business. Other successful law students, however, have focused their undergraduate studies in areas as diverse as art, music theory, computer science, engineering, nursing, or education.” Rather than learning any particular body of knowledge as undergraduates, the ABA-LSAC recommends that undergraduates master certain “CORE skills and values” that include the following: analytic and problem-solving skills, critical reading abilities, writing skills, oral communication and listening skills, and the values of serving faithfully the interests of others while also promoting justice.
Besides these CORE skills and values, undergraduates should acquire a knowledge base in several specific areas:
- A broad understanding of history, particularly American history, including the social, political, economic and cultural factors that have influenced the development of the current pluralistic society of the United States;
- A fundamental understanding of political thought and theory, and of the contemporary American political system;
- A basic understanding of ethical theory and theories of justice;
- A grounding in economics, particularly elementary micro- economic theory, and an understanding of the interaction between economic theory and public policy;
- Some basic mathematical and financial skills, such as an understanding of basic pre-calculus mathematics and an ability to analyze financial data;
- A basic understanding of human behavior and social interaction; and
- An understanding of diverse cultures within and beyond the United States, of international institutions and issues, and of the increasing interdependence of the nations and communities within our world.
Thus, to prepare for admission to law schools, students must master the Fisk CORE Curriculum, and develop excellent critical reading, research, writing, and oral skills by taking advanced, rigorous courses in several departments, such as English, history, political science, sociology, economics, psychology and philosophy to name just a few. Any student who is considering a career in law should promptly consult his/her department chair for the assignment of a faculty academic advisor.
Careers in Medicine and Dentistry
Medical and dental careers have long been popular choices for Fiskites. Students considering these options are advised to familiarize themselves with the specific requirements of the medical and dental schools in which they are interested. Among the minimum requirements of most medical schools are such courses as general biology (two semesters), general botany, general chemistry, organic chemistry, analytic geometry and calculus, and general physics. In addition, some medical schools require genetics, cell biology, and biochemistry. Beyond these considerations, the need for understanding basic social problems, the cultivation of sensitivity to cultural values, and the necessity for intensive work in at least one field should be kept in mind while designing an individual program.
Many fields of medicine, particularly medical research, require a greater depth in one or more of the sciences than is gained by meeting the minimum requirements for medical school admission. A prescribed pre-medical course of study is not offered based upon a student’s individual interests and abilities. Many students assume that biology is the most appropriate major field for prospective medical school applicants, and indeed it is a reasonable choice.
Chemistry and psychology, however, are also appropriate fields of study. Medical school admission officers are increasingly interested in the breadth of an applicant's liberal arts education. Conferences with faculty members from various disciplines may be of help to the medical school aspirant choosing an undergraduate discipline.
Fisk offers a joint program with nearby Meharry Medical College that allows the Fisk student who is admitted to the joint program as a freshman to enter Meharry as a candidate for a medical (M.D.), dental (D.D.S.), or research (Ph.D.) degree after three years of undergraduate study, supplemented with summer research experiences at Meharry. Admission to Meharry can be assured in advance for those students who apply to the joint program as Fisk freshmen and who perform satisfactorily in their Fisk studies and on the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT).
Medical technology and nursing careers are also open to Fisk students through cooperative programs with Vanderbilt University, in recognition of the need for broadly trained health professionals with college background to provide quality care for patients and families in a variety of settings. The first two years of academic work for these programs are completed at Fisk and the last two years at the Medical Center in Chicago or at Vanderbilt. Some students prefer to extend courses during the first phase of the program over a three -year period, thus extending the total time for program completion to five years. There is also a joint agreement with the Vanderbilt University School of Nursing, which permits an accelerated program leading to a Fisk bachelor's degree in an approved arts-and-sciences field and a Vanderbilt Master of Science in Nursing. Detailed information on these programs is available in the Fisk Special and Joint Programs section of this Bulletin and from the Coordinator of Pre-Health Professions in the School of Natural Science, Mathematics and Business at Fisk.
Public Service Careers
Careers in public service and public administration often involve majors in political science, where a specialized course of study focusing on public administration is available, in addition to a general political science major. Students from many other major fields also have had successful careers in public service. Fisk alumni currently prominent in public life include U.S. Representatives Alcee L. Hastings and Frederica Wilson of Florida, and John Lewis of Georgia.
Careers in research, scholarship, and teaching are traditional choices for many Fisk graduates, and Fisk for generations has produced leading contributors to the development of African-American scholarship. Students who wish to pursue academic careers will, in all likelihood, select an academic major corresponding to or closely related to the ultimate field of their planned graduate studies. Teaching careers at the elementary and secondary level are among the ways in which Fiskites for many years have made their contributions to social progress. Recently revised Tennessee Department of Education guidelines for teacher preparation, following national trends among professional educators, accent the value of the liberal arts, rather than specialized professional education courses, in preparing teachers for their classroom responsibilities.
Fisk's Teacher Education and Special Education Programs for prospective elementary and secondary school teachers are available to students majoring in a number of arts and sciences disciplines.