Introduction
Throughout the world, different people choose a degree program based on various factors such as their interest in the field, their future career choices, monetary components, time commitment, and personal values. However, what most of us fail to take into account is our learning style.
Today, there are millions of degree programs available to us for learning. They not only shape our future career choices but also have a strong influence on our personality and overall development. That’s why picking a major based on your learning style is one of the best things that you can do to succeed in your life.
In this article, we will explore different types of learning styles and some fool-proof ways for you to choose a degree program based on your learning style.
What Is Your Learning Style?
The best way to describe learning styles is by thinking about our senses. The way we take in information, express our thoughts, and remember things that we’ve learned can be equated to how we learn. Essentially, there are four different types of learning styles influenced by our senses.
While most of us learn by using more than one of our senses at a time, there’s always a predominant sense that shapes our learning experience, making it our predominant learning style. While there can be unlimited learning styles, just like there are unlimited types of intelligence, these four learning styles are often found in students:
Visual Learning Style
While most of us perceive information for the first time through our eyes, many students rely on this sense to not only perceive information but also to learn it. People with a visual learning style, also known as spatial learning often learn by seeing things in a visually logical way.
For example, someone with a visual learning style might not understand the relationship between different parts of the brain by just reading it in a textbook. However, if they’re shown a diagram of the brain with different parts of the brain marked, they’re more likely to understand and remember this information in the long run, instead of if they had just read the information.
These types of students can benefit from highlighting the important information with different colors, using charts, diagrams, and pictures to reiterate what they have learned, as well as taking notes by using symbols and initials instead of words.
Auditory Learning Style
As the name suggests, the auditory learning style is associated with hearing information in order to remember it. When these types of learners are involved in group discussions and lectures, hear things playing out in a recording, explain things to a fellow student, read their notes out loud to themselves, and actively listen to the speaker, they are more likely to remember information and can easily recall it later.
For instance, a student with an auditory learning style can learn far more from paying attention in the classroom while listening to the lecturer rather than reading the book or presentation provided by the lecturer later. In fact, if they pay attention to the way the lecturer is explaining something, they can easily remember the important information and can enrich their notes with more information.
Kinesthetic Learning Style
While some people prefer to learn things by looking and listening, others can learn much more and faster if they use a combination of their senses. Kinesthetic learners usually fall into this category. Instead of relying on their visual and auditory cues, these learners prefer doing things, that is, using tactile experiences to learn new information and remember it.
They may want to touch a 3D model of the human body to understand how humans function or may find themselves doing a chemistry experiment from scratch rather than just looking at their teacher showing it to the entire class. For a kinesthetic learner, it’s important to make use of all their senses in order to learn new information.
For example, if a kinesthetic learner wants to remember how to perform a science experiment, attending the lab and then noting down their own experience in the form of an example is most likely to make them understand the process better and explain it in the examination later.
Reading And Writing Learning Style
Last but not least, the reading and writing learning style is one that’s best suited for universities. Students with this type of learning style often find it easy to score higher in the examination since most of the things that they learn in their degree program are often in the form of written texts that they can simply read to understand.
A student with a reading and writing learning style often thrives in a classroom when they make their own notes based on the reading in the class. They also find it easier to learn and memorize important information, which they can then utilize in their assessments. For instance, if a student with a reading and writing learning style wants to score more in their upcoming history examination, making short notes of the chapters in their own words after re-reading the chapter after class will give them clarity on the important information.
If these types of students use the note-making method to study, it also allows them to know where they are lacking, and they can revise those topics before moving on to the next chapter.
Ways To Choose A Degree Program Based On Your Learning Style
Once you’ve got a basic understanding of which learning style is your predominant style of learning, the next step is to find and choose a degree program that matches your learning style. If you’re wondering how you can do that, the following tips will help you make a sound decision.
If You’re A Visual Learner…
If you’re a visual or spatial learner, you can pursue a degree program in:
Visual Arts
A bachelor’s degree in visual arts opens up opportunities for young students to explore fields such as animation, graphic designing, texture designing, game designing, and video production. Since visual learners have a knack for understanding minute details of the various types of visual stimuli, they go on to have a successful career in whatever creative field they choose after graduation.
Aviation
A degree in aviation management is perfect for visual nerds who love flying aircraft. The degree focuses on the maintenance of aircraft. A person with a degree in aviation can go on to become a pilot after completing their graduation and other related professional courses. The keen sense of depth and height that visual learners possess makes them a perfect fit for this degree.
Architecture
People with a visual learning style are naturally gifted with the ability to create things. Earning a degree in architecture equips them with the theoretical and practical skills that are necessary for the planning and construction of physical structures. Along with architecture, many students also opt for a minor in interior design if they wish to pursue a career in that field after graduation.
Software Engineering
A degree in software engineering is perfect for visual learners as it requires a lot of application designing and development skills. A software engineer needs to have technical skills along with a strong attention to detail. Visual learners usually possess the skills to bring an analytical mind along with a creative approach to the field of software engineering to improve user experience giving them a lot of success in this career.
If You’re An Auditory Learner…
If you’re an auditory learner, you can pursue a degree program in:
Journalism
The world of journalism is quick to act, which means not a single piece of information is to be missed. People with an auditory learning style are focused listeners and strong communicators, making them a perfect fit for this fast-paced degree program. They can go on to become news reporters, journalists, podcasters, or even public relations executives.
Music
Auditory listeners are gifted with the ability to listen to what others can’t and make sense of information even when it seems like a chaotic noise to everyone else. This is exactly why these people succeed in the field of music. After finishing their degree program in music, these students can go on to become musicians, composers, record producers, audio engineers, music teachers, and instrument technicians.
Clinical Psychology
Auditory learners are good listeners and great observers, making them a perfect fit for a serious field such as clinical psychology that demands strong listening skills. While a degree in clinical psychology can be a straight path to becoming a clinical psychologist, combining a clinical psychology degree with online accredited counseling degrees can also open up opportunities for students in the fields of child psychology, learning specialists, academic advisors, and career counselors.
Criminal Justice
A criminal justice degree is perfect for people who pay attention to details, making auditory learners the front runners for this degree program. While enrolled in a criminal justice major, a student learns about criminal psychology and behavior, law enforcement, and corrections. Even if you opt for the cheapest online criminal justice degree, you can go on to become a lawyer, correctional officer, forensic psychologist, criminal profiler, or even a social worker.
If You’re A Kinesthetic Learner…
If you’re a kinesthetic learner, you can pursue a degree program in:
Acting
Kinesthetic learners prefer to express themselves through movement, making acting one of the best degrees for people with this type of learning style. There are many segments of acting, such as fine arts, drama, film studies, and cinematography. After completing the degree program, a student can go on to become an actor, theater manager, playwright, screenplay writer, and even a radio personality.
Physical Therapy
Physical therapy is another degree option for people with a kinesthetic learning style who prefer not to be the center of attention. A Doctor of Physical Therapy or DPT degree gives a license to individuals to practice physical therapy. After successful completion of their degree, students can pursue a career as a physical therapist assistant, physiotherapist, personal trainer, healthcare recruiter, and clinical liaison.
Hospitality
A degree in culinary and hospitality management demands students to have a curious approach to life and a deep understanding of interpersonal relationships. Kinesthetic learners are naturally more expressive and can fit easily into the career options that this degree offers. For instance, after finishing their hospitality degree, a student can become a hotel or event manager, concierge, private chef, and even travel agent.
Construction Management
A degree in construction management can equip kinesthetic learners with multiple skills as the nature of the work demands it. The use of multiple senses as they try to understand the technical details of the job and use critical thinking to solve complex problems makes it an exciting career option for kinesthetic learners. With a degree, you can become a construction project manager, a construction superintendent, or a safety manager, among others.
If You’re A Reading And Writing Learner…
If you’re a reading and writing learner, you can pursue a degree program in:
Sociology
Students who learn through reading and writing truly thrive in majors that focus on theory. Sociology teaches students the relationships between society and human behavior through theory and practical work. A student studying sociology can become a social worker, social researcher, community development worker, higher education lecturer, or civil service administrator.
Philosophy
Like sociology, majoring in philosophy can be rewarding for students who learn by reading and writing. As a philosophy major, you’ll get to know the intricacies of the world around you. You’ll also sharpen your critical thinking skills, analytical reading skills, and evaluation of ideas, as well as engage in moral and ethical reasoning. This can open up multiple opportunities for you, such as a policy analyst, cultural affairs officer, lawyer, professor, publishing executive, and more.
Linguistics
A linguistics major studies everything that there is to know about the origin and evolution of language. With a specialization in linguistics, a student can make a career in practically any field. Whether you want to become a translator, lexicographer, speech pathologist, translator, ESL teacher, accent coach, or computational linguist, all of these career options become viable with a degree in linguistics.
Marketing
Marketing is the art and science of persuading people to buy your product or service through the use of words. People who are naturally good at reading and writing, as well as using words in a persuasive manner, can really benefit from a marketing degree. After earning their degree, many marketing majors go on to become brand managers, SEO specialists, digital marketers, corporate communications specialists, and content marketers. The field of marketing is vast and offers a great opportunity for people with a knack for reading and writing to succeed in every field that they’re interested in.
Wrapping Up
Choosing a degree program is an important decision that can’t be rushed. There are many factors to consider while opting for a degree, such as personal interest, monetary value, career progression, and job satisfaction. However, choosing a degree program based on your learning style can make it easy for you to pick a major that you can succeed in. The tips given above are meant to help you figure out what degree is right for you based on your learning style. Remember, using your natural skills to your advantage will always help you go farther in your career and your life, so make an informed decision after careful evaluation of your goals, strengths, weaknesses, and interests.
And, we are here every step of the way! The experts at WorldWise Tutoring can assist you at any stage of the process toward finding a degree and career you are passionate about. Research research, to applications, to interviews, and more – we are here to help. Hire a tutor today!
