Shift course

But don't despair. "We can say woe is me, or we can say that this environment is the perfect time to flourish," says

Len Schlesinger, president of Babson College. Despite the recession, Boston-area academics from engineers and entrepreneurs to educators and health practitioners all agree: This is a great time to launch -- or relaunch -- your future.

If that starting point is in front of a blackboard, whether you're an undergraduate weighing a major or graduate program or unemployed and looking to retool your skill set, you'll need a degree that's relevant now, and that will stay that way. We examined five popular fields -- education, healthcare, engineering, law enforcement, and business -- to find out which career tracks show promise and which ones have lost some luster. There's no silver bullet, of course; getting one of these degrees does not lock in a job. But it may position you for better times when the recession ends.

BUSINESS

Be the Company

Rethink any degree that will prepare you to work for somebody else.

Consider a program that trains you to work for yourself.

With some of the nation's largest companies brought to their knees by the recession, it's a good time to take destiny into your own hands. From Bentley College to Suffolk University, Boston-area business schools are offering degrees in entrepreneurship. "The explosion of entrepreneur programs across the US has been staggering," says Babson College president Len Schlesinger.

The school's MBA in entrepreneurship was named number one by Entrepreneur Magazine last year; its undergraduate entrepreneur program ranked second.

Course offerings at various schools tend to be similar, and all of the programs appear to attract individuals with a wide variety of professional backgrounds. In addition to learning business fundamentals, students find out how to go after venture capital money, polish a business proposal, and gauge product demand. At Emerson College, an undergraduate minor in entrepreneurship (they call it E3) teaches students how to launch an arts or communication venture. A one-year master's in technological entrepreneurship at Northeastern University helps individuals launch technology-related ideas. And this fall, Northeastern will offer an online master's in technological commercialization, designed for mid-career professionals. "Our intention is to start companies," says Paul Zavracky, the dean of Northeastern's School of Technological Entrepreneurship.

According to the US Small Business Administration, President Obama's economic recovery plan is making it easier for entrepreneurs to get government loans to start or grow small businesses. "Many companies in the Fortune 500 started in down times," says George Moker, director of entrepreneurship programs at Suffolk University. "When you look at what gets us through economic downturns, it's innovation."

Nikhil Bhandari, 23, will complete the master's program at Northeastern in August. "I was not looking for an old-fashioned MBA that would teach me to manage stuff," he says. "I had a lot of ideas." He's working on a business devoted to improving the next generation of e-book readers. "You're playing with risk," he says, "but you're also controlling your own future."

EDUCATION

The Virtual Classroom

Rethink teaching.

Consider education technology.

Imagine this: Fifth-graders in a classroom are instructed to take out their textbooks, so they all reach into their backpacks and pull out an iPhone. The costs of the device aside, the concept isn't too far off, says Phillip Harris, the executive director of the Association for Educational Communications and Technology (AECT). "We're seeing more and more people expanding the scope of what education means, and how you access it," he says.

Teaching will always be a rewarding career, but educators are the first to admit that it's also one of the most exhausting. Nearly a third of all new teachers leave the classroom after just three years. Education or instructional technology degree programs, which teach individuals how to incorporate technology into educational settings, may offer the perfect antidote. Educators don't have to stand in front of a blackboard to have an impact. They can design software to strengthen curriculums or work with teachers as a technology specialist.

Framingham State University offers a part-time master's of education degree concentration in curriculum and instructional technology, which can be earned entirely online. (Walden University and the University of Phoenix also offer online curriculums that have been approved by the AECT.) Many of the applicants are career changers from the education, computer, or business sectors. Like most education technology degrees, Framingham's requires a mix of techie- and education-focused course work. At the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, students enrolled in a master's in learning, media, and technology program come from a variety of backgrounds -- artists, biologists, even a nurse.

Erin Brighton, 32, a former middle school teacher, is completing her instructional technology degree at Framingham State. She already has a job as a curriculum writer for an educational software company, where she designs entire courses for students to take online. "It's so rewarding," she says. "I know that I can reach so many more students in this work, hundreds of thousands of kids and parents and teachers across the country."

ENGINEERING

A Wider View

Rethink any single engineering discipline, such as electrical or mechanical.

Consider environmental engineering or any multidisciplinary energy-oriented program.

The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching says that undergraduate engineering programs are outdated at just about every university in the nation. They're not teaching students the analytical skills needed to solve society's biggest problems, the group adds, citing curriculums that are often too narrowly focused.

We all know the climate is warming, the energy crisis is deepening, and worldwide access to clean water is diminishing. To tackle these issues, the nation needs a new generation of thinkers trained to pull knowledge from a variety of disciplines. The good news? Many colleges nationwide are adding interdisciplinary programming.

This fall, engineering students at Boston University will be able to enroll in one of two "cross-cutting" concentrations; they can major in a traditional engineering track -- chemical, civil, even mechanical, etc. -- and then take classes in energy studies. "The traditional degrees don't have the flexibility to train students in all aspects of green technologies," says Kenneth Lutchen, dean of the university's School of Engineering.

No surprise, then, that interest in environmental engineering, which for years was considered a "softer" science, is increasing on Boston-area campuses. At the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the number of students majoring in environmental engineering has doubled in the last few years. Environmental engineers study the impact of the man-made world on the natural world, and their course work encompasses more engineering disciplines than any other concentration.

According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, environmental engineering jobs will grow by 25 percent from 2006 to 2016, much faster than other engineering sectors. Emily Moberg, 20, a sophomore environmental engineering major at MIT, was looking for an undergraduate degree that would allow her to take on the big environmental issues. She studies water security and water quality issues in developing countries. "The world isn't delineated," she says. "You're not going to see a problem and say this is an environmental engineering problem and this is a civil engineering problem. It's essential to know a little bit about everything."

LAW ENFORCEMENT

Clear Evidence

Rethink criminal justice.

Consider forensic science.

A criminal justice major can lead to many types of jobs, from a paralegal to a claims adjuster. But if you're thinking about pursuing one of its more popular career tracks -- police work -- keep in mind that as admirable as it is in terms of public service, it's not for everyone. In December, U.S. News & World Report called policing one of the most overrated careers, in part because of the stress and danger involved.

One alternative for anyone considering a criminal justice major is forensic science. That field is surging, says Edward Bartick, director of Suffolk University's undergraduate forensic science program. Enrollment has quadrupled in the two years it's been offered. MassBay Community College in Wellesley Hills features a two-year program in biotechnology and forensic DNA science. Students study chemistry, molecular biology, and genetics and work on real cases; 52 percent of those entering the program already have baccalaureate degrees in the sciences. A bachelor's degree can lead to a job as a technician; to be considered a scientist, you'll need a master's or doctorate.

But don't think these jobs are anywhere near as exciting or glamorous as CSI. You're not rushing to a crime scene or solving a case. "We test the evidence and return the data," says Kelsey Ruddick, 22, a recent graduate of MassBay's associate's degree program in forensic DNA science. Still, she's drawn to the field because she likes the idea of using forensic science to help people.

Starting in 2006, the field was expected to add about 4,000 jobs over the course of 10 years. Although there are well-known problems in the profession -- many labs are underfunded, and instances of mishandled evidence have led to scandals -- that only underscores the need for more talent.

HEALTHCARE

Something to Smile About

Rethink medical school. Consider dental school.

When it comes to prestige, there's little question that being a doctor is tops. But according to a 2008 survey by the Physicians' Foundation, about 150,000 physicians -- 49 percent of those polled -- said they were considering reducing their patient load dramatically or leaving medicine entirely in the next three years, and for most of them, retirement wasn't the reason. How that will eventually affect that field is unclear, but one thing is certain: That's a lot of unhappy docs. With many of their practices squeezed by HMOs and insurance companies, they're spending less time with patients and more on paperwork, and the hours aren't exactly family-friendly. Sixty percent of the doctors polled said they wouldn't recommend medicine as a career.

They may be kicking themselves for not going to dental school. Catherine Sarkis, the assistant dean of admissions at Boston University's dental school, says she's had several applicants say they were considering medical school until they started talking to dentists. "They'll tell me that the dentists just seemed happier," she says.

While most people can't imagine digging around in people's mouths for a living, dentists may have the last laugh. The advanced degree, which typically requires an undergraduate science background, is finished in four years, and according to the American Dental Association, fetches an average salary of $198,350 for those who own their own practice.

It's not easy to get into dental school -- and it's getting more competitive. (In 2007, 13,742 students applied for 4,770 spots nationwide.) Still, if you can land a slot, the advantages are many; most dentists work between 35 and 40 hours a week. And while dentistry may not be entirely recession-resistant -- many fees are paid out of pocket, causing some people to skimp on treatment -- it's certainly poised to weather the economic storm. If you have a toothache, you're going to pay to make the pain go away. (Disclosure: My husband is a dentist -- not that he's looking for competition.)

Adam Silevitch, 27, who wanted to be a pediatrician but decided against it after taking a managed-care class, is now a fourth-year student at BU's dental school. "I didn't grow up loving teeth," he says. "But I sat back and thought about what I wanted out of a career. I didn't want to be on call on holidays, and healthcare is in my blood. I love that you can build a relationship with every patient."

Another way to work in the medical field without going to medical school is through a physician's assistant degree, which allows individuals to practice medicine under a doctor's supervision. A local option is the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Services, which offers a 21/2-year master's program. The job outlook for the field is strong -- it was projected to grow by about 27 percent between 2006 and 2016. ª

Brooke Lea Foster, a former editor at the Globe Magazine, is a freelance writer in New York. Send comments to magazine@globe.com.

Correction: Because of a reporting error, an article in Sunday's Globe magazine about career paths incorrectly identified Bentley University by its former name, Bentley College.