UMKC offers 194 majors and minors, each with its own culture and stereotypes. Students weigh in on the assumptions about their degrees and whether they’re true or just labels.
Alejandro Hernandez, a senior business administration major, said he deals with the stereotype that people who major in business are “soulless finance bros,” who only care about money.
“I think there’s a considerable amount of people who fit that description.” Hernandez said, “I also know there’s a group of people within that department that do have a soul.”
Hernandez said most people he knows intend to use their business degrees for the good of others.
When asked about stereotypes that Hernandez held, he went straight for the Political Science majors. “Egotistical. Love to debate and love to hear themselves talk, need to be right.”
Briar Kraft, a freshman political science major who responded to the generalizations, said, “ I can see how for some, it could be true.”
Kraft said people choose the political science major not because “we think we’re better than other people,” but rather, “because we are not happy with what’s going on, not just in America, but in the world right now.”
Kraft said that it’s true that political science majors can come off as debaters, but only because they have lots of knowledge on the topics they debate.
“The know-it-all stereotype comes from people who don’t care enough to do their own research, and whenever we point out those flaws of not having the background,” Kraft said.
Senior mathematics and statistics major Macyn Schwada says mathematics holds a multitude of over-generalized stereotypes.
“They definitely think I’m some type of nerd,” Schwada said, “Obviously, with math, I love computers. I’ve played video games since I was a kid with my siblings.”
Schwada was the high school cheer captain and was just crowned as UMKC’s court-warming queen.
“I definitely love to be in the light,” Shwada recognized that some people like being more behind the scenes, math major or not. Shwada says most assume her classes must be male-dominated and that if you study math, you are destined to be a teacher when you graduate. Both are myths about the degree, according to Shwada.
“People assume communications is the easiest degree,” said junior communications major Spencer Sobek. “I plead the fifth.”
Sobek is a full-time student and works 40-hours a week as a server in Leawood.
“In reality, it’s nice having a fluid balance between my education and working a full-time job,” said Sobek.
