Athletes And Majors
Athletes are more than just jocks. See which majors they studied in college.
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Tiger Woods: Economics - It was probably a good thing Tiger Woods studied Economics at Stanford University considering the amount of money he has made as a professional on the PGA Tour. During his two years as a student at Stanford, Woods had a 3.0 GPA.
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David Robinson: Mathematics - Arguably one of the smartest players to play in the NBA, former San Antonio Spurs center David Robinson studied Mathematics at the United States Naval Academy. Education was Robinson’s first priority as he scored a 1320 on the SAT.
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Michael Jordan: Geography - To all you future geography majors out there, Michael Jordan majored in Cultural Geography while attending the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Jordan has to easily be the coolest Geography major ever.
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Kareem Abdul-Jabbar: History - Former UCLA and NBA star Kareem Abdul-Jabbar made use of his History degree after he retired from professional basketball. The Hall of Fame center (formally known as Lew Alcindor) co-authored the book, “Brother In Arms: The Epic Story of the 761st Tank Battalion, WWI’s Forgotten Heroes.”
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Venus Williams: Fashion Design - If you ever wondered why Venus Williams has such fashionable tennis outfits, it might have to do with her associate degree in Fashion Design from the Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale. Williams graduated in 2007 with Cum Laude honors and a 3.5 GPA.
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James Blake: Economics - Tennis star James Blake was inspired to pursue the sport after hearing Arthur Ashe speak, but that didn’t prevent him from attending Harvard University in Cambridge, Mass. While Blake didn’t graduate, he did study Economics for two years before turning pro.
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Barry Bonds: Criminal Justice - It’s ironic that an athlete who finds himself in the middle of a pending legal trial studied Criminal Justice in college. But that’s the case for former Major League outfielder Barry Bonds, who earned his degree in Criminal Justice at Arizona State University.
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Shaquille O'Neal: General Studies - Despite leaving Louisiana State University early for a career in the NBA, Shaquille O’Neal made a promise to his mother that he would finish college. O’Neal lived up to his word and earned a degree in General Studies from LSU in 2000. Shaq wasn’t done as he later earned his Master’s in Business Administration from the University of Phoenix.
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Chad Ochocinco: Physical Education - Before he was known as Chad Ochocinco, Chad Johnson studied Physical Education at Oregon State University. Everyone can’t study astrophysics, right?
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Lisa Leslie: Communications - When it was time for Lisa Leslie to decide on college, the Morningside High star stayed close to home and attended the University of Southern California, graduating with a degree in Communications. Leslie eventually earned a master’s degree in Business Administration from the University of Phoenix.
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Allen Iverson: Fine Arts - NBA guard Allen Iverson’s first love before basketball was Fine Arts, which is what he studied during his two years at Georgetown University.
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Vince Carter: African-American Studies - Orlando Magic guard Vince Carter returned to the University of North Carolina three years after leaving for the NBA to receive his degree in African-American Studies. Carter was actually criticized for attending his college graduation hours before a playoff game.
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Tim Duncan: Psychology - David Robinson wasn’t the only brain on the San Antonio Spurs. Forward Tim Duncan graduated with honors from Wake Forest University with a degree in Psychology.
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Danny Granger: Civil Engineering - Indiana Pacers forward Danny Granger graduated from the University of New Mexico with a degree in Civil Engineering. For Granger, he knew as a kid what he wanted to study. “I always wanted to be a civil engineer,” said Granger. “That was my goal. I’m still passionate about it.”
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Shane Battier: Comparative Religion - Leave it to a Duke guy to not skate by in studying Physical Education and instead create a challenge. That’s just what Shane Battier did during his time at Duke, earning a degree in Comparative Religion.
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