Psychology is the number one major at CSUN and it comes as quite a surprise to some.

A CSUN admissions and records officer said her prediction of top ten majors would be (in order of popularity) Business, CTVA, Engineering, Computer Science, Music, Biology, Pan African Studies, Chicana/o Studies, Kinesiology and Health Science.

The officer, who has been working in the department for 30 years, did not want to be identified.

While her estimation for CTVA and biology were close, her predictions were wrong.

Pan African studies and Chicana/o studies both failed to make the official top ten list which is based on enrollment numbers.

The Mike Curb College of Arts, Media and Communication offer majors in TV and radio broadcasting. These concentrations are two of the most popular at CSUN.

Broadcast professor Rick Marks said that the proximity to Hollywood, affordable tuition and the department’s excellent reputation is what makes these majors so popular at CSUN.

‘USC offers similar programs for around 12 times the price but I don’t think you are getting 12 times the education,’ he said.

Despite communications being part of the same school as TV and radio broadcasting, it failed to make CSUN’s top ten list.

Junior communications major Sean Opteyndt said his major is not as popular as others since people underestimate it.

‘Many people think that communications is an ‘athlete’ major, meaning that you really can’t do much with it,’ he said.

While political science and government ranked number eight on the Princeton Review’s top ten list, it didn’t make the top ten at CSUN.

Senior political science student Nick Thomas said he believes his major is not as popular at CSUN as it’s nationally because of the political culture of the area.

‘In Southern California more people are worried about Brad Pitt and ‘octomom,’ than elections or policy,’ he said.

Thomas said he chose political science for the wide variety of topics it covers.

‘Political science involves psychology, sociology, journalism, economics and history all in one field.

Thomas said, like most political science students, he plans to go to law school after he graduates in May.

While the Spring 2009 top ten major figures are yet to be calculated, CSUN Director of Institutional Research Bettina Huber said there is no reason to think Spring’s figures would be any different than those of Fall 2008.

CSUN
1. General Psychology
2. Liberal Studies’ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘
3. Radio/TV/Broadcasting
4. Organizational System Management
5. Business Administration
6. Sociology
7. Marketing
8. Biology
9. Accounting
10. Other Majors
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*Figures from Fall 2008. Director of Institutional Research Bettina Huber said there is no reason to think Spring’s figures would be any different.
Cal State Fullerton
1. Business Administration
2. Accounting
3. Finance
4. Art
5. Business Communication
6. Music Education
7. Marketing
8. Fine Art
9. Management
10. Music
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*Figures from Cal State Fullerton Office of Analytical Review. 2007-2008
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Princeton Review
1. Business Administration and Management
2. Psychology
3. Elementary Education and Teaching
4. Nursing
5. Biology
6. Education
7. English Language Literature
8. Political Science and Government
9. Economics
10. Marketing/Marketing Management
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*Figures from the 2009 Princeton Review. The Princeton Review conducts an annual survey of schools across the country.

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