Top 20 Most Unique College Majors (Outisde the US)
- Originally published
Table of Contents
Did you know you can leave the US for college? In some cases, hopping on a plane to study gives you not just a new perspective on life — it also gives you a course of study you can’t get at home.
These unique college majors are all at global top-1500 universities and are taught in English. Besides, in countries like the UK, students can pursue just their area of interest (no Gen Ed courses!) and independent research. Both US And UK students wonder if they can save money (and find unique courses) elsewhere.
Plus, these courses of study are not just uncommon — they’re specially designed with local expertise, landscapes, languages, and know-how in mind. So while you’re exploring the world, you’ll get a career to bring back home.
1. Horology
If clocks have always wound your gears, consider this unique college major from the jewelry department. You can design, repair, and machine timepieces, and you’ll get to make a senior-year “masterpiece” to showcase your skills. Grads may work for employers like Rolex or the British Museum after graduation.
2. eSports
Assess league standings, host tournaments, and broadcast eSports with this degree that takes your love of gaming to the next level. Sure, you won’t take classes to become a better gamer, but you’ll learn the ropes in a nascent industry, and you can spend a year studying abroad with a partner university Finland while you do.
3. Climate Change
If your dream senior project is working with a local organization on a low-carbon strategy that weaves science with Maori worldviews in an impossibly green New Zealand town, you’re in luck. You’ll get a taste of climate change science, but also a poicy and social science perspective here that can set you on a course toward science, politics, or both.
4. Motor Sports Technology
Shift right into your freshman year with “racecar anatomy” in this engineering course focusing on performance cars. From fluid dynamics to math, you’ll get a degree grounded in mechanical and mechatronic engineering, but somehow…cooler.
5. Circus Arts
If you plan to celebrate graduation by running away with the circus, get a headstart with a degree that helps you hone your performance skills. From theory to movement, you’ll learn about the circus industry and top it off with a capstone performance — or just have a part in the next “Bedtime for Bonzo.“
6. Great Books (Humanities)
Curl up for 4 years in a Canadian snowstorm with a good book — no, strike that — a great book. From Plato to Nietzsche, the humanities program takes students from the classics to the Enlightenment and beyond, even allowing them to combine their degree with biology or journalism or add a philosophy concentration studying abroad in Belgium.
7. Maori Studies
Multiple New Zealand universities offer this uncommon degree you won’t find elsewhere, so get on a plane and start learning a new language. You’ll also fine-tune your knowledge of Maori material culture, politics, and traditions.
8. Pacific Studies
Asia and Pacific Rim expertise can help you do business in a growing region. Kill 2 birds with one stone at a program that lets you spend a year in Asia and get experience in Australia. It’s a 2fer you won’t find anywhere else.
9. Brewing and Distilling
If Scotch is your thing, head to Scotland where you can learn brewing and distilling and walk away a brewmaster with experience in yeast sciences, sustainability, and biology. It gets you farther than your home brewery kit can take you!
10. Companion and Performance Animals (Animal Health)
Hang out with Fido and learn physiology, nutrition, and animal behavior so you can have your own successful training company one day and make a difference in the lives of animals.
11. Psychology for the Common Good
Study the psychology behind the behaviors that affect us all. It’s got an emphasis on the individual mental processes by which we make decisions. From social media to political misinformation, the degree offers some timely skills for students who want to go on to change the world for the better.
12. Sustainable Coasts
Feel like your dream of studying coastal climates is hindered by being in the middle of the country? Try New Zealand’s Coastal Climate program, where field locations give you a first-hand view of erosion, climate change, and pollution.
13. White Collar and Corporate Crime
Criminologists who’d like to dig into the latest methods of investigating white-collar crime, from forensic accounting practices to cybersecurity tools. Intern with Western Australia police, or go abroad to help reset the scales of justice in post-war environments.
14. Music Journalism
From the Clash to the Beatles, London has a pulse on the global music scene. Its music journalists are arguably some of the busiest on earth, with access to the biggest clubs and underground music scene around. London’s position in the global media empire is also notewworthy. Why not combine them and get on top of your game from your first day as an undergrad?
15. Island Studies
Malta takes its position in the Meditteranean seriously, and the Islands & Small States Institute helps students get a unique perspective on issues like tourism, climate, health, and representation. Cast yourself adrift to wrap your head around how.
16. Artisinal Food Production
If you’re as into sustainable ethics as you are into lunch, this program’s for you. From baking to dairy and food production, you’ll go deep on the chemistry of the perfect dish.
17. Fashion Knitwear Design
Nottingham Trent continues to rule the landscape of unique, career-focused, cool-sounding majors that students can really see themselves in. Students in knitwear often take work placement opportunities, from London to New York and beyond, in pursuit of fashion caareers.
18. Sports Photography
Once again, Nottingham Trent brings a career focus to popular hobbies, giving career-ready grads experience over those generic “photojournalism” or “sports studies” degree-holders. Nottingham Trent grads are drone and VAR experts, thankyouverymuch.
19. Irish Dance
There’s only one place in the world where you can career-ify your love of Irish dance. Head to the University of Limerick where you’ll get classes like “Irish Muysic and Dance Studies” and “Performance” — along with a crash course in Irish culture. No beginners allowed.
20. Railway Engineering
The days of rail heists and hobos may be over, but train transport chugs forward. Without much rail engineering innovation happening in the states, you’ll have to go to Latvia to get in on the future of rail.
Get Out of the US for a Unique College Major
These universities offer local expertise. So, if you want a unique career with training available from the source, consider getting out of the country to hone your niche skills.
After all, these unique universities have a lot of expertise you just might not be able to get anywhere else.
Related Posts
Jessica Share
Jessica is the writer, Ph.D., and mom-of-an-abroad-student-in-the-UK at the helm of College Abroad Guides. When she's not asking college students where the coolest place to hang out in their city is, she's figuring out how she can make $60 imported Greek oregano potato chips and £50 British bacon potato chips appear on her doorstep for the cost of a local bag of Lay's.
