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The University of Wiscon-sin-La Crosse senior has spent years fishing in his native Blue Earth, Minn. When it came time to go to college, he chose La Crosse in part because it reminded him of home.
But like 15 percent to 20 percent of UW-L students, Northwick didn’t know what he wanted to study when he arrived. A science class opened his eyes to the major he decided to pursue — biology, with an aquatic science concentration.
He’s in good company. Biology has been one of the most popular majors at UW-L in the past 10 years.
As college students start a new academic year, many are majoring in the same programs students did 10 years ago. But while some of the most popular majors are the programs local colleges are historically known for — education at UW-L, nursing at Viterbo University and Western Technical College — some are losing steam as enrollment increases in others.
At UW-L, seven programs have been on the 10 most popular majors list for the past decade, with biology and education usually vying for the top spot. Four business programs usually make the cut, as does exercise and sports science. Therapeutic recreation has disappeared from the top 10, while communication studies has held steady since 2000.
Nursing has been the No. 1 major for the past 10 years at Viterbo, although 100 fewer students have it as a declared major now than in 1995. Education, management and psychology also usually make the top 10, with social work emerging as a new stronghold. Just a handful of students major in English now.
Popular programs at Western include marketing and degrees in health science.
Student interest is what keeps enrollment in popular programs expanding, according to school officials.
Majors like psychology and communication studies often are chosen for their versatility, said Charles Martin-Stanley, associate dean of UW-L’s College of Liberal Studies. Psychology graduates can enter a number of fields, including business and social services, he said.
For the student unsure of what to do, communication studies provides skills most employers are looking for, said Rick Rodrick, the outgoing communication studies department head.
Some students are attracted to several programs. Two popular majors — biology and accountancy — drew Viroqua, Wis., native Caitlin Koons to UW-L. “I like science and math, but I decided I liked dealing with money better,” she said of her choice to major in the latter.
It doesn’t hurt that UW-L has ranked in the top 10 of undergraduate schools in the nation for accountancy nine of the past 11 years, she added.
High placement rates have kept three other UW-L College of Business Admini-stration programs — finance, management and marketing — popular for the past decade, according to Associate Dean Bruce May.
Karen Palmer McLean, interim dean of UW-L’s College of Science and Health, chalks the biology program’s success up to the five concentrations offered: aquatics, biomedical, cellular and molecular, environmental or general biology. Having a specific focus can give students a leg up for graduate or medical schools, she said.
Viterbo added a social work major in the late 1990s to fill area needs in that field, said Program Director Debra Daehn Zellmer, after UW-L dropped. It started with just 24 students, and 62 are expected this fall, she said.
Western’s graphics program also has seen steady growth. Program Chairman Lane Butz said it attracts artistic students who know they can find design jobs, especially in Minneapolis.
Positive word of mouth also helps programs grow.
“Once a campus is known as having an excellent program, success begets success,” said Diane Schumach-er, UW-L’s executive director of enrollment services.
Students from Las Vegas and Texas have attended Viterbo specifically for the music theatre program. A good reputation has propelled the number of majors from the six students Music Theatre Chairwoman Susan Rush taught when she arrived 10 years ago to the 36 she is expecting this year.
Rush would prefer to have closer to 30 students, so each can perform in productions but understands why so many audition for her. “(Musical theatre) was always my drug of choice,” she said. “Musicals are grand fun if you are a singer, musical or like to move and dance. It’s a place to put them all together.”
At UW-L, the physics program has grown from 59 majors in 1995 to 138 last year. Physics Professor Mike Jackson said a dual degree in physics and engineering — in which students attend UW-L for three years, then transfer to an engineering school — was the catalyst for increased enrollment.
As that program grew, the department added specialties in astronomy, optics, biomedical, computational physics and business.
There are limitations to being a popular major: faculty, money for supplies, space and hours in the day.
Senior nursing students also must have clinical experience, said Western nursing instructor Judy Limberg. But with four nursing programs in the region, placing students can be difficult, she said.
“We’ve seen some reluctance to take in students with budget cuts,” said Viterbo’s Daehn Zellmer. “Their workers have a larger case load, and having a student to train hands-on is time consuming.”
Kate Schott can be reached at (608) 791-8226 or Kate.Schott@lacrossetribune.com.
