If you want to have a bevy of job options when you graduate, you might want to avoid these degree programs.
College is all about choices, and chief among them involves picking what to study. Yes, it's important to enjoy the major you choose. But it's also crucial that you select something that's versatile, so you can pursue different avenues with your degree once it's time for you to hunt for a job."Employers want to hire versatile workers who are able to learn quickly, write effectively, analyze large amounts of data, think critically, and are effective problem solvers," says Alane De Luca, executive director of the center for experiential learning at Saint Anselm College in Manchester, NH.
De Luca explains that it's not one course of study that illustrates these skills, but a more wide-ranging educational plan that challenges students over a variety of course disciplines. In other words, there are some majors that simply appear to potential employers as too limited.
So if you think you know exactly what you want to study and what you want to do, think again, and maybe consider leaving yourself some extra options. Here are five degrees that may limit your options, and five alternatives that are a bit more versatile.
Limiting Degree #1: Bachelor's in Fashion Design
| Career Options* | Projected Job Growth 2012-2022** |
|---|---|
| Fashion Designer | -3% |
Why It May Limit Your Options: Getting a fashion design degree doesn't really prepare you for anything other than pursuing a fashion designer job, according to Peter Berner, an executive coach, career advisor, and president of Pilot Workplace Advisors, Inc., a Pennsylvania-based human resources development firm.
Worse, he says often the actual degree isn't integral to landing a job. It's who you know, not what you know, so might not want to invest time and energy here unless you've got an "in" into the fashion industry already.
"Luck, creativity, connections often are more relevant than a fashion design degree," he says, adding that there is tremendous competition for the few jobs that do exist in this field.
Versatile Degree #1: Master's in Business Administration
| Career Options* | Projected Job Growth 2012-2022** |
|---|---|
| Financial Analyst | 16% |
| Computer and Information Systems Manager | 15% |
| Securities, Commodities, Financial Services Sales Agent | 11% |
Why It May Be More Versatile: "MBA degrees are generic in that they can be applied in most business environments," Berner says, pointing out that not just financial industries, but liberal arts organizations, tech startups, and engineering firms seek MBAs to help build and strengthen their businesses.
Next step: Click to Find the Right Business Administration Program.
Moreover, he adds that, "People with MBA's are often perceived to be better qualified."
Limiting Degree #2: Bachelor's in Journalism
| Career Options* | Projected Job Growth 2012-2022** |
|---|---|
| Reporter, Correspondent, Broadcast News Analyst | -13% |
| Editor | -2% |
| Writer or Author | 3% |
Why It May Limit Your Options: Berner identifies an alarming trend in the world of journalism - a journalism degree isn't necessary for the few jobs that still exist in this field.
"There are network news 'personalities' reporting on national newscasts who do so without journalism degrees," Berner says. "The anonymity of the online format makes degree-less reporting even more accessible." So what's the point if it won't set you apart or make you more competitive to do this type of work?
Berner adds, "While the need for professional journalism has never been greater in the arena of public discourse, news-as-entertainment is where the jobs are heading," he says. "A degree in personality, if there were such an animal, would probably open up more opportunity."
Versatile Degree #2: Bachelor's in Computer Science
| Career Options* | Projected Job Growth 2012-2022** |
|---|---|
| Software Developer | 22% |
| Computer Support Specialist | 17% |
Since virtually all companies now need web presence and computer pros to both create and troubleshoot their sites, this degree offers a lot of appeal.
Why It May Be More Versatile: This once 'nerdy' field has become mainstream over the last decade, says Kate McKeon, CEO of Prepwise.com, an educational consulting firm that helps students prepare for school admissions and plan career paths.
Next step: Click to Find the Right Computer Science Program.
She says the loss of stigma in this field just may have something to do with the bevy of careers out there that this degree will allow you to pursue, even outside of tech.
"Computer science can be used in many, many fields," says McKeon. "These students can also contribute to research teams that are not obviously technology-related such as water research. A comp-sci grad may find herself designing a process to crunch through a massive data set to identify sources of below surface water in sub-Saharan Africa."
Limiting Degree #3: Bachelor's in Philosophy
| Career Options* | Projected Job Growth 2012-2022** |
|---|---|
| None Available | N/A |
Why It May Limit Your Options: According to Berner, a philosophy degree really only prepares you to teach, and there's not a lot of opportunity to do so, especially without an advanced degree.
As far as regular companies and businesses go, the skillset that goes hand in hand with studying philosophy, he says, isn't always well-understood by employers or directly applicable to an exact job or position. "Most organizations do not have a CPO (Chief Philosophy Officer)," he says.
Versatile Degree #3: Bachelor's in Engineering
| Career Options* | Projected Job Growth 2012-2022** |
|---|---|
| Cost Estimator | 26% |
| Petroleum Engineer | 26% |
| Environmental Engineer | 15% |
On top of that, an engineering degree can open you up to a wide range of potential career pursuits.
Why It May Be More Versatile: For McKeon, engineering is a highly versatile degree because the problem solving skills taught in this major can be applied to so many industries.
Next step: Click to Find the Right Engineering Program.
"Engineering students are trained to think through problems systematically so they can create implementable solutions," she says. "The degree itself focuses on real world problem solving through a mix of coursework and in-field study."
McKeon points out that since some ideas that look good on paper tend to fall apart in practice, engineering students are trained for real-world situations, giving them skills that can appeal to a wide range of employers, even outside the engineering world. An engineering student's ability to assess and distill large amounts of data enhances their attractiveness to employers, McKeon adds.
Limiting Degree #4: Bachelor's in Agriculture
| Career Options* | Projected Job Growth 2012-2022** |
|---|---|
| Farmer, Rancher | -19% |
Why It May Limit Your Options: Berner thinks you might be more competitive for jobs in this sector by pursuing other avenues of study, especially if you want to branch out at all in your job search and qualify for more positions once you've earned your degree.
"As agribusiness continues to consolidate into mega-businesses, there will be a need for more specialized degrees and business orientations in this field," he says, rather than a bachelor's in agriculture.
Versatile Degree #4: Bachelor's in Elementary Education
| Career Options* | Projected Job Growth 2012-2022** |
|---|---|
| Elementary School Teacher | 12% |
| Kindergarten Teacher | 13% |
Think about it, virtually every school age child needs a teacher, and according to the U.S. Department of Labor, in teacher education programs, students are taught to work with young students with a variety of backgrounds and abilities.
Why It May Be More Versatile: According to Berner, earning a bachelor's in elementary education can open up doors to lots of teaching professions such as kindergarten teacher, elementary school teacher, or even a middle school teacher.
Next step: Click to Find the Right Elementary Education Program.
Furthermore, once you've got the right foundation for teaching and meet the certification requirements, it's a job, he says, that you can take anywhere geographically, where you might pursue both public or private positions for a variety of age groups. "There are lots of different levels and environments for teaching jobs," says Berner.
Limiting Degree #5: Bachelor's in English Literature
| Career Options* | Projected Job Growth 2012-2022** |
|---|---|
| None Available | N/A |
Why It May Limit Your Options: Even though an English Lit degree can provide you with a well-rounded education, Berner says employers often look for degrees that are related to work a person will do, and there aren't really any jobs out there where you can get paid to read books and write about your reactions to them.
In essence, English Literature is a highly specific degree, and unfortunately, "the more specific the degree, the more limiting will be one's job options," Berner says.
Versatile Degree #5: Bachelor's in Criminal Justice
| Career Options* | Projected Job Growth 2012-2022** |
|---|---|
| Security Guard | 12% |
| Private Detective | 11% |
Even better, once you graduate, you could be eligible to pursue a variety of correctional positions, as Berner points out.
Why It May Be More Versatile: Criminal justice degree holders can pursue a wide range of occupations with their diplomas, starting with security guard positions and up to police officer and detective jobs, says Berner.
Next step: Click to Find the Right Criminal Justice Program.
In addition, he says this field is also experiencing an uptick in jobs due to population growth. "The need for criminal justice services will always grow as a population increases," he says, and that means many more job opportunities for you to throw your hat in the ring for.
Coming in hot at number two on WalletHub's list is another
entry-level career that focuses on computers and the Internet, but in
another capacity. As an information security analyst, you would protect
an organization's computer network and systems by monitoring for
security breaches, installing firewalls and data encryption programs,
and researching the latest IT security trends, reports the U.S.
Department of Labor. 
We're rounding the bases on the WalletHub list with another tech
career: web designer. If you pursue this career path, you would be
responsible for how a website looks, notes the U.S. Department of Labor.
As a web designer, you would create the site's layout and incorporate
graphics, applications, and other content into the site.
Tied for number three in WalletHub's rankings, we're moving away from
tech and into the world of law. As an attorney, you would advise and
represent clients in court, before government agencies and in private
legal matters, says the U.S. Department of Labor. You'd also be
responsible for interpreting laws, presenting facts in writing, and
acting as both an advocates and an advisor.
Back to the world of tech on the WalletHub list. As a software
engineer, you would research, design, and test operating systems and
network software for applications in various fields, from the aerospace
to business industries, reports the U.S. Department of Labor**. 
We're nearing the end of WalletHub's best entry-level jobs ranking,
but not nearly the end of the possibilities. Placed sixth on the
WalletHub list is financial analyst. In this job, you'd give financial
advice to people on everything from investments to insurance decisions.
Last but not least, market research analyst comes in at number seven
on the WalletHub list. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, you
would spend your days monitoring and forecasting marketing and sales
trends to help companies understand what products people want, who will
buy them, and for what price. 
Are you most at home with a physical or digital canvas and the tools
to turn your creative vision into real world images? Multimedia artists
and animators design visual effects and animation for movies, video
games, television, and other media, according to the U.S. Department of
Labor.
Have you always had a way with words? It takes a special talent to
explain complicated things in an easy-to-understand manner, but it's
something technical writers do on a daily basis, preparing instruction
manuals, journal articles, or other technical documents, according to
the U.S. Department of Labor. 
Do you love reading "Wired" or "Popular Science" and sharing the cool
technical or scientific details with your friends? A career as a sales
engineer could be a great fit for a tech-savvy people-person like you.
The U.S. Department of Labor says these workers need to be able to
understand complex technological products and sell them to businesses.
Do you love getting lost in baseball stats, or enjoy relaxing by
solving math problems when you've got some time to kill? A career as an
actuary could give you time alone to think. Using mathematics and
statistics to estimate the likelihood of things like natural disasters
or accidents, is what actuaries do, according to the U.S. Department of
Labor.
Are you a detail-oriented person who prefers interacting with people
one-on-one without a lot of outside distraction? In a career as a dental
hygienist, you might spend most of your day working with individuals to
provide preventative dental care and educate people about maintaining
good oral health, says the U.S. Department of Labor.
You want to build things, but you want to build them out of 1s and 0s
instead of wood or bricks - that's right, you love computer
programming. This is another career that could give you plenty of time
to sit and work in peace, using programming language to bring new
software to life. Creating software programs by writing code is what
these workers do, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. You might
even be able to find a position that lets you do what you love on your
own schedule or from home, as the Department of Labor also tells us that
many programmers are telecommuters.