What Are The Hardest College Majors to Challenge Yourself - Top 10+

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Hardest College Majors

Before going over the 10+ most difficult majors based on how many hours students typically spend each week preparing for classes, we take a look at the various factors typically used to determine whether a major is hard.

1.Architecture

Average Hours Spent Preparing for Class Each Week: 22.20

Chemistry is the hardest major, as determined by the program's average Grade Point Average of students.

Architect majors are at the top of this list of the toughest college majors, spending an astounding 22.2 hours a week on average on studying for classes—more than two hours a week than chemical engineering students do!

Architecture majors study the theory and history of architecture as well as how to design and construct buildings. Calculus, physics, design theory, design processes, history of architecture, urban design, and art history are required courses for this major.

Graduates of chemistry programs can pursue a variety of professions, including those in education, research, medicine, pharmaceuticals, nursing, and law. A graduate degree can help some students advance their education in the area by allowing them to hone their writing and public speaking abilities for presenting their research.

2. Chemical Engineering

Average Weekly Study Hours: 22

Chemical engineering might be a great fit for you if you enjoy using your scientific knowledge to change materials. Expect to work long hours but also to earn a sizable salary after graduation in this high input, high output field. If chemical engineering is your passion but becoming an engineer is not what you want to do, think about a career in academia or patent law. Graduate study, in the form of a Ph.D., J.D., or both, is necessary for these career paths.

Potential Career Paths and Median Salaries for Chemical Engineering Graduates:

Chemical Engineer: $109k

Environmental Engineer: $99k

Lawyer (requires further education): $127k

3. Electrical Engineering

Average Weekly Study Hours: 19.5

Of all college students, electrical engineering majors put in some of the most grueling hours. This could be a great career choice for you if you enjoy working with circuitry, maintaining machinery, and coming up with new ways to accomplish tasks. With an engineering degree, you can succeed as an engineer or, later in your career, as the manager of an engineering team. Although it is not necessary for success in this field, advanced study is encouraged.

Potential Career Paths and Median Salaries for Electrical Engineering Graduates:

Electronics Engineer: $103k

Aerospace Engineer: $117k

Communications Engineer: $110k

Computer Hardware Engineer: $120k

4. Aero and Astronautical Engineering

Average Hours Spent Preparing for Class Each Week: 19.24

Typically, astronautical engineering students prepare for class for about 19 hours and 15 minutes each week.

The two subcategories of aerospace engineering are aero and astronautical engineering. Aeronautical engineering deals with the creation of aircraft for use inside the Earth's atmosphere, while astronautical engineering deals with the creation of spacecraft for use outside the atmosphere.

Aerodynamics, gas dynamics, aircraft/spacecraft structures, aircraft/spacecraft propulsion, and space system design are typical courses taken by students in these majors.

5. Biomedical Engineering

Average Hours Spent Preparing for Class Each Week: 18.82

Biomedical engineering majors at the undergraduate level typically devote about 19 hours per week to studying.

Creating high-quality products specifically for use in medicine and healthcare requires the application of engineering and biological principles, which is what biomedical engineering entails. Chemistry, calculus, physics, engineering design, electric circuits, thermodynamics, and statistics are among the subjects studied by biomedical engineering majors.

6. Cell and Molecular Biology

Average Hours Spent Preparing for Class Each Week: 18.67

Majors in cell and molecular biology spend roughly 18 hours and 40 minutes per week preparing for classes.

Cell and molecular biology is an interdisciplinary field that combines biology and chemistry, enabling us to study cellular processes and comprehend the structure and behavior of living things. Chemistry, biology, math, biochemistry, ecology, marine molecular ecology, and immunology are frequently required courses.

7. Physics

Average Weekly Study Hours: 18.5

Physics majors devote slightly more than 18 hours and 30 minutes per week to studying, similar to astronomy majors.

Physics is a highly conceptual field, so if you enjoy thinking speculatively about how forces and objects interact, it might be the right choice for you. Remember that getting an advanced degree after graduating from college is frequently required if you want to work in physics.

Students who major in physics study the ideas of force and energy as well as the motion and characteristics of matter through time and space. Quantum physics, electricity, magnetism, waves and vibrations, thermodynamics, and gravity are typical course topics.

Potential Career Paths and Median Salaries for Physics Graduates:

Physicist: $129k

Biophysicist: $94k

Physics Professor (requires further education): $104k

8. Astronomy

Average Hours Spent Preparing for Class Each Week: 18.59

Astronomy majors, currently ranked #8 for hardest college majors, spend slightly more than 18 and a half hours a week preparing for class.

The study of celestial objects, such as planets, asteroids, and stars, as well as associated phenomena like supernovae and black holes, is referred to as astronomy. Physics, calculus, computer science, astrophysics, cosmology, and planetary geology are typically required courses for this major.

9. Chemistry

Average Weekly Study Hours: 18.5

Each week, chemistry majors prepare for class for about two and a half hours per day.

These students research how various types of matter interact with one another as well as how matter functions, behaves, and is composed. Moreover, they consider energy. Ordinarily, general chemistry, physics, biology, organic chemistry, calculus, and statistics are needed for the major.

A chemistry degree requires a lot of work, but once you have one, you have a lot of career options. After college, obtaining an advanced degree is typically required to pursue a career in chemistry.

Potential Career Paths and Median Salaries for Chemistry Graduates:

Chemical Manufacturing: $91k

Physician (requires further education): $185-271k

Pharmacist (requires further education): $129k

Chemistry Professor (requires further education): $92k

10. Biochemistry or Biophysics

Average Hours Spent Preparing for Class Each Week: 18.49

Majors in biochemistry or biophysics rank as the tenth-hardest majors, requiring an average of 18 and a half hours per week to prepare for classes.

Students with a biochemistry or biological chemistry major pay close attention to the chemicals and chemical reactions that take place within living things.Similar to physics, biophysics involves studying living things and biological phenomena using fundamental physics concepts. In essence, the main distinction between the two fields is how they approach problems.

You'll probably need to take classes in biology, chemistry, physics, and math as a biochemistry/biophysics major, as well as specialized classes that cover subjects like genetics, cell biology, physiology, neurobiology, evolutionary biology, and computing.

11. Petroleum Engineering

Average Hours Spent Preparing for Class Each Week: 18.41

Students who major in petroleum engineering put in roughly 18 hours and 24 minutes per week on study and homework.

Students who major in engineering learn everything there is to know about the production and extraction of oil and natural gas. Properties of petroleum fluids, energy and the environment, reservoir geomechanics, calculus, geology, chemistry, physics, and petrophysics are some of the courses needed for a program in petroleum engineering.

12. Mechanical Engineering

Average Hours Spent Preparing for Class Each Week: 18.11

Mechanical engineering, whose students spend 18.11 hours per week preparing for class, comes in at number twelve.

Mechanical engineering is a field of study that deals with designing, producing, manufacturing, and analyzing mechanical systems, or more broadly, anything that moves. Physics, calculus, chemistry, dynamics and controls, thermal sciences, design, and manufacturing are some of the topics covered in this major's courses.

13. Neuroscience

Average Hours Spent Preparing for Class Each Week: 18.08

Students majoring in neuroscience devote 18 hours per week to studying, which is only marginally more than students majoring in chemistry.

The brain and its cognitive abilities are the main focus of this academic field, which is all about the human nervous system, including its development, structure, and function. You can anticipate taking courses in biology, calculus, chemistry, and physics as a neuroscience major.

In Conclusion

Yes, there will be difficulties with these toughest college majors. Although earning a degree in these fields may require long hours in the lab analyzing data and compiling reports, challenging math and science courses, and general hard work, graduates from these fields frequently earn top salaries.

Avoid choosing one of the hardest majors just because it has a reputation for being difficult. For instance, if you're determined to pursue a career in architecture, declare architecture as your major instead of something else because you're worried about how difficult it will be. You probably won't feel as fulfilled and happy with another major as you would have if you had chosen the one you initially desired.

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