Major-ly unique: lost in a sea of English major? Not if you graduate from one of these unusual programs.

Quick quiz: What are the two most popular college majors? Answer: Business and psychology. But what if those subjects don't thrill you? What if your interests are more specialized than that? Not to worry. Both two- and four-year colleges offer an enormous variety of special majors. Students graduate with skills and knowledge that will truly set them apart in the job market.

Go Organic

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Over the past 15 years, organic food has become the hottest sector in agriculture and it's only getting bigger. Washington: State University in Pullman is the first, and currently the only, U.S. school to offer a major in organic agricultural systems. (Some schools; such as the University of Florida, offer organic agriculture concentrations within other majors, such as horticulture.) At Washington State, organic agriculture students take classes in biology, chemistry, soil science, and economics. They get hands-on experience working on a school-affiliated, community-supported organic farm.

Recent grad Jewlee Sullivan's goal is to grow her own food and run a small farm of her own. "I took a lot of science classes, like soil science and microbiology, and they were all fascinating," she says. "You get to be outside and work with your hands. ... The farm changes every single day."

Getting a degree in organic agriculture doesn't mean you have to become a grower, though, according to John Reganold, regents professor of soil science at Washington State. "There are so many jobs in this field," he says. "You could work in the marketing and business sector, as a buyer or seller for an organic food company ... [or] for the state Department of Agriculture." Major consumer-products companies, such as Kellogg's, are selling orgnic foods. Botton line? "[Organic agriculture is] here, it's now, and it's mainstream," says Reganold, who predicts that other schools will add an organic agriculture major within the next couple of years. Check out the program online at afs.wsu.edu/organic.htm.

Have Some Serious Fun

Does designing a plush toy, a doll, a toy car, or a game sound like a pretty good homework assignment? It's all in a day's work for a toy design major. Just ask Keith Noordzy. For his senior thesis project at Otis College of Art and Design in Southern California, Noordzy, class of 2007, developed a line of action figures that he describes as "kind of like 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea meets Mad Max."

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Students in the toy-design program at Otis take intensive coursework in drawing, model making, brainstorming, concept development, digital rendering, and child psychology. Although toy designers rely on illustration skills, don't despair if that's not currently your strong suit. "By the time you get out of here, you will draw well!" says department chair Deborah Ryan. "We don't want to discourage creative people from applying, just because they don't think they have the drawing skills yet."

Graduates of the Otis program have gone on to work at big-name companies such as Crayola, Mattel, and Fisher-Price. Because only two schools offer this major--the other is the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York--admission to Otis is highly competitive. But there are other ways to get into the biz. Many art schools offer a major in industrial design with a concentration in toy design. For more info, check out artschools.org.

Ride Into the Sunset

Dell Hendricks always loved horses. One day, a thought hit him: I like horses, so why not make a career out of it? Thanks to the equine studies major at Lamar Community College in Lamar, Colo., that's exactly what he did. At Lamar, students learn about everything from equine anatomy and riding to the business of managing a stable full of horses. According to lead instructor J. J. Rydberg, pros who know how to train and care for horses are in big demand. Case in point: Lamar boasts a 100 percent job placement rate.

Hendricks used his degree in horse training and management to build a successful breeding and training business in Texas. He's also won many prestigious riding awards.

Hendricks loved spending class time riding and training horses. "It was hard work attending classes and doing the program," he says. "But I enjoyed all of it." When considering schools, Hendricks says, look for instructors who have been successful in the industry, and make sure the program teaches horse health care.

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Dozens of two- and four-year schools offer equine or equestrian studies. For more information, check out www.horseschools.com.

And Now for Something Completely Different ... Looking for a major as unique as you? Try on one of these for size!

Adventure Recreation or Expeditionary Studies

Imagine spending a good chunk of your college years backpacking, sea kayaking, and rock climbing--for credit! A handful of schools, including Green Mountain College in Vermont and the State University of New York, Plattsburgh, offer degrees in this field-a great major for aspiring adventure guides.

Puppetry

If you want to get to Sesame Street, you will need to hone your puppet chops. Though theater departments at some schools offer courses in puppetry, only two--the University of Connecticut and West Virginia University offer a bachelor of fine arts degree and training in such areas as puppet production techniques and marionette performance.

Bagpiping

Not surprisingly, only one school in the United States--Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh--offers a bachelor of fine arts degree in bagpiping. And it's not exactly the most popular major on campus. Atone point, only one student was enrolled in the program.

Popular Culture

You have a big exam tomorrow, so you're staying up all night to watch TV. Irresponsible? Not if your major is popular Culture, which is offered at Bowling Green State University in Ohio. A few schools, such as the University of Southern California, offer pop culture as a minor. But it's not just all about TV; along with going to class, reading, and writing papers,you'll have to watch movies and listen to music too!

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Traditional Eastern Arts

If nothing else, you'll graduate from this degree program feeling very mellow. Offered only at Naropa University in Boulder, Colo., the major offers three concentrations: T'ai-chi Ch'uan, yoga teacher training, or aikido. Class work includes meditation and traditional Eastern chanting.

A Singular Major

As an undergraduate at University in Bloomington in the 19 Wilt Shortz came up with a special for himself: enigmatology, the stay puzzles, [His creativity paid off; Shortz went on to become the editor of The New York Times crossword puzzle. Many schools offer tailor made majors, often called individualized-major programs, for those students whose academic interests are truly one-of-a-kind.

Classroom Extension

* Before reading, ask students what major they might choose in college. Then ask them what major they might select if they had no limits on what their choices were. Encourage a lively discussion of "wacky" majors--then point out that students' suggestions may not actually be so wacky.

* Have students find and define three major areas of study of which they had no previous knowledge. Have them share and discuss their findings in class.

Resources

* Majors Search from The Princeton Review www.princetonreview.com/college/research/majors

* Major & Career Profiles from the College Board www.collegeboard.com/csearch/majors_careers/profiles