10 Most Popular Specialties Among International Applicants in the USA

Studying in the USA attracts international students because of high-quality education, a lot of popular programs, and brilliant career prospects. This is an excellent opportunity to live in an economically developed country and build a foundation for a successful future

US universities are leading in international education rankings and are well known worldwide. The Harvard University or MIT diploma will not leave any employer indifferent.

Besides, the country’s education system provides a wide selection of majors. There are more than 2,000 universities in the United States and at least 50 private schools in each state.

In this article, you will find the most popular specialties among international applicants who want to get a degree in the USA.

Medicine

Majors in medicine in the USA are the most popular and prestigious among applicants from other countries. Even though it takes from 11 to 16 years of study and requires significant investments, students all over the world choose the medical field more frequently than other specialties.

For international students, medical school admission is rather complicated. The learners must have academic loads in such disciplines as biology, organic, and general chemistry.

Ivy League institutions are considered the best to study medicine in the USA.

The admission board also evaluates communication skills, computer literacy, volunteer work experience, and application essay. However, writing a great application essay tends to pose a challenge for international students.

Thus, it is no surprise that they use the assistance of professional services like EssayPro. Expert writers make their applications sound confident. Such pieces do impress the admission board. This way, many foreign learners get a chance to stand out from a crowd.

Business and Management

The USA is the forge of the latest business ideas and directions. Many international students come to study business and management here.

Management and business education in the USA is provided in numerous business schools. After receiving a bachelor’s degree, learners can continue their studies by completing an MBA (Master of Business Administration) program. This increases the opportunities for building a successful career in the field.

Among the top US universities with robust business and management programs, there are Dartmouth College, Columbia University, University of California — Berkeley, and the University of Michigan.

Engineering

Along with business, medicine, and computer science, engineering is one of the most popular majors among international students.

In recent years, the engineering industry in the USA has increased by almost 10% and continues to develop. This affects the growing demand for engineers in plenty of areas.

Students learning engineering in the US have a wide choice of specializations. Among the most popular are mechanical, electrical, civil, chemical, and computer engineering.

Despite the wide range of universities where one can study engineering, only a few stand out. According to the US News rankings, Stanford University, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), and the University of California—Berkeley are the top three options.

Computer Science

Computer science is another popular specialty among international students in the USA. A rapid technological development, a high salary, and good career opportunities are top reasons for its popularity.

Moreover, the USA is the home of Google Inc, Microsoft, and Apple. Studying information and computer technologies there is the dream of any IT student. The universities prepare real computer geniuses who are in high demand globally.

If you are going to get an IT education in the US, but don’t know which university to choose here are a few options to consider:

• Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT);
• Stanford University;
• Carnegie Mellon University.

Social Sciences

The US is well known as an advanced country with a developed society. Social sciences have become a part of fundamental education at the universities countrywide.

In the QS World University Rankings in the field of social studies, there are three leading American universities:

• George Washington University;
• Boston University;
• Oklahoma State University.

A distinctive feature of American social education is the ability to combine specialization in social sciences with majors in related disciplines. Those include media, communications, politics, law, history, economics, etc.

Moreover, the US has a developed system of social support and welfare. So if you have received a diploma in social sciences, you can work as a sociologist or consultant in the field of social work. You can also discover the media industry, journalism, politics, culture, and other areas.

Life Sciences

Many international students choose physical and life science majors while studying in the US. The biomedicine and chemistry specialties are popular because of a wide range of prospects.

These are one of the most progressive and rapidly developing fields of science nowadays. Moreover, they open up vast opportunities for career.

American degrees in science and technology are prestigious. Many influential and famous biologists and biomedical scientists are graduates of American universities. Harvard University is among the best places to study neuroscience, genetics, genomics, and bioinformatics, as well as biochemistry and biophysics.

Fine Arts

There are currently hundreds of accredited fine arts colleges in the United States. International students have a wide range of majors to choose from. They can opt for creative writing, theatre, fashion, design, photography, sculpture, etc.

Learners who want to study architecture, fashion and sculpting in the US are more likely to consider the East Coast. There are many institutions in Massachusetts and New York. Animation, acting, and film production programs are widespread on the West Coast. The most popular states are California or Washington.

Specialists holding BFA or MFA are in high demand not only in the USA but all over the world. American art education opens great opportunities for a successful career as an actor, musician, or designer, among others.

Communications and Journalism

In the United States, there are over 450 programs in journalism nowadays. Among the most popular majors are newspaper, television, scientific, and military journalism.

The first thing that you should pay attention to when choosing a university is the availability of ACEJMC. This stands for accredited education in journalism and mass communication. This is an indication that a university or school has provided you with a quality education in an approved program.

Humanities

Economics, political science, sociology, and international relations are the most popular among international applicants who choose to study the humanities in the United States. Graduates find themselves in the positions of financial advisers, analysts, insurance agents.

Humanities have a lot of benefits in professional communication and negotiation. Studying this sphere advances creative thinking, and also in the ability to quickly retrain into a related specialty.

On the Last Note: Legal Studies and Law

Legal education in the US is different from other countries.

The legal education system and law in the United States are a professional-academic area. This means that students can enter the law majors in the USA only after completing a bachelor’s degree. Law undergraduate programs don’t exist there.

The list of best law schools in the United States includes Yale University, Stanford University, Harvard University, and the University of Chicago.