Most people have heard of the popular TV show Suits, a story about a man named Mike Ross who gets a job as a lawyer even though he has no college degree or bar certification. He gets taken on as an associate under Harvey Specter, Pearson Hardman’s best lawyer in all of New York.
Now, even though all of the characters in the show are interested in or practice law, if they were still college students, what would their degrees be? The show never specifies, so we have complete creative freedom in categorizing them based on their personalities, their actions, and their overall characters.
To avoid any spoilers, let’s focus on the main six characters: Mike, Harvey, Jessica, Louis, Donna, and Rachel. Also, multiple majors will be associated with each character to include as many people as possible and to consider each character’s multifaceted personality.
So, without further ado, which Suits character are you based on your major?
- English and Human Rights: Mike Ross
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It only makes sense that the star of the show, with his photographic memory making him able to remember any and everything he reads, is an English or Human Rights major. Mike Ross has a capacity for empathy that most of the other lawyers at Pearson Hartman lack, and his authenticity makes Harvey attracted to him. Mike Ross is a king of persuasion and he uses that to help others. After all, the whole reason Mike wants to be a lawyer is to help others when they can’t help themselves.
- COMMUNICATIONS and the Social Sciences: Donna Paulsen
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Our secretary Queen Donna knows this cast of characters better than they probably know themselves. From memorizing Harvey’s coffee order to sensing and figuring out his emotions before he can himself, Donna is a professional people watcher and communicator. She knows who to talk to and how to get them to do what they want. If she isn’t busy communicating with others to do something for Harvey, then she’s busy analyzing the office romances between Mike and Rachel or managing Louis so he doesn’t do something stupid. All the while, she’s able to maintain her personal and professional relationships inside and outside of the firm. Her emotional intelligence is off the charts and that’s why “she’s Donna.”
- Business: Louis Litt
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If Louis Litt is known for any trait, it’s his ambition. From his ambition to get a Senior Partner and then later on Name Partner in the firm, to his expertise and knowledge of accounting and economics, Louis is the perfect fit for Business majors. Business majors, regardless of their specific department, aren’t afraid to get their hands dirty to get what they want and are goal-oriented people whether they’re in a leadership position or not. He may be the butt of the joke sometimes, but when it comes to fighting for himself and his friends, Louis will do whatever it takes to get what he needs.
- Nursing and Human Development and Family Sciences: Rachel Zane
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Rachel Zane is arguably the most caring character in the show besides Donna. She takes the time to get to know Mike like nurses get to know their patients, and she puts her family first whenever the firm is in trouble. She gets to know people like Donna, but not just to read them in order to get things done; she does it to get to know them on an even more personal level similar to how HDFS majors learn to understand family dynamics and development on a deeper level.
- Organizational leadership: Jessica Pearson
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Jessica Pearson, Managing Partner of Pearson Hardman leads with a firm hand and direct approach. However, what makes her leadership so impactful is that she tailors it to whomever she’s leading. She knows that Louis needs to be dealt with more sensitively at times and that Harvey needs a stern yelling or push to get what needs to be done finished.
There’s a reason Pearson Hardman is the top firm in New York, and that’s because Jessica is a great leader. Viewers can see how everyone in the firm knows their roles and the expectations those roles have. Organization Leadership majors have a goal of getting this type of environment in their workplaces. If everyone knows what to do and why they’re doing it, the tasks will get done and everything will run smoothly.
While she may have gone into law, Jessica Pearson exhibits an expert ability in organized leadership and constantly learns from her mistakes to better manage her team.
- Education: Harvey Specter
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Last but not least, and also the hardest to categorize, is Harvey Specter. Now, I know what you’re thinking: education? He’s not patient like a kindergarten teacher or capable of making lesson plans! He’s too focused on his clients.
But I’d have to disagree with you. While Harvey is focused on his clients, he spends the majority of the show teaching Mike how to be a great lawyer versus a good one. Teachers take chances on students others would overlook, just like Harvey took a chance on a kid who didn’t even have a law degree.
Harvey also learns from Mike exemplifying how teachers are always learning from their students. He checks in on Mike at his apartment and knows when to give him praise and when to push him.
Maybe he wouldn’t be a kindergarten teacher, but a college professor in academia would totally fit him.
While not an exhaustive list, we’ve covered the big 6 pretty well. Obviously, there are a slew of other characters I could go over (which maybe I will in a part 2), but the most important thing to remember is that these are just opinions. All of these characters could cross into each other’s categories just like those of certain majors have skills and traits associated with others.
In the end, the most important thing to remember is:
Harvey Specter is the GOAT.