Writer Traditional majors like biology and English remain popular among Boston College undergraduates, but enrollment statistics indicate that relatively new fields such as communication and finance are attracting increasing numbers of students. A report published this fall by the Office of Student Services found that for the first time, communication is the top choice as a major at BC, with 865 undergraduates currently enrolled. There are 863 students majoring in English, a perennial top finisher on the list, and the Carroll School of Management's undergraduate finance program is the third most popular major overall with 732 students enrolled. But by 1985, finance had become CSOM's most popular major, with 527 students enrolled, and its numbers have climbed steadily. The rise in communication majors has been more recent, and more dramatic, from 542 in 1997 to 734 last year.
Administrators also note that English has been in an upward trajectory during the past two decades.
University administrators and faculty say there may be several explanations for this transition. The Boston College of 2000 is a significantly changed institution from the Boston College of 1980, they point out, its reputation and recruitment having taken on a far more national profile. But as with most any other college and university, they say, the shifting interests and potential career goals of BC's student population are often reflected in the majors they choose. At a time when the Internet and Wall Street have become hotbeds, it is hardly surprising that undergraduates would want to study World Wide Web technology even as they read the works of Aristotle or Longfellow. Fortunately, say administrators and faculty, Boston College is able to maintain its commitment to the classic Jesuit liberal arts tradition while helping students explore these new vistas.