Rita Neumann

What Should I Major In?

Choosing Your College Major

Picking your major is an exciting process. There really is no wrong choice, and your decision depends entirely on your own strengths, interests, and dreams for the future. Read on to:

  • Use our fun infographic to figure out which major is right for you.
  • Understand more about college majors and how they work.
  • Learn the four most important things to keep in mind when choosing your major.

 

What Should You Major In?

Use this flowchart infographic to figure out what you should major in! Then comment to let us know what you got. 🙂

Click the infographic to enlarge the image:

 

Why Are Majors Important?

A major is an area of study that you will specialize in during your time in college. Most of your courses (about 1/3 – 1/2) will be related to your major.

At most four-year colleges, you must declare your major by the end of your sophomore year, or when you’ve achieved the number of credits typical of an incoming junior. This means that students have two academic years to take prerequisite courses in different disciplines and figure out which areas of study they find most interesting. That’s a lot of time!

In fact, many universities require undergraduate students take general education (GE) requirement courses in multiple disciplines, so that students have a broad understanding of the university’s offerings.

GEs provide a great opportunity for students to experiment with disciplines that they didn’t study in high school (things like cognitive science, anthropology, biochemical engineering, environmental systems, linguistics, regional studies … the options are fairly endless).

Some students opt to double major, or major in two different fields. Some choose to have a major and a minor (a specialization with fewer course requirements), and some even create their own major with the help of university faculty.

College will probably be the first time in your life that you get to choose the majority of your classes. Take this opportunity to learn fun new things, discover more about your own interests, and explore your university’s unique offerings!

4 Things to Do When Selecting Your Major

 

  1. Experiment and take risks
      Take courses that seem interesting and choose topics that motivate you to learn more outside of the classroom. You want to be pretty confident that you can do well in the class, while also being willing to take risks.
  2. Think long-term
      Some majors (like nursing or engineering) teach you how to perform a trade. They’ll prepare you to begin a specific career once you graduate. Other majors (like international studies or English) often teach you more theoretical skills that can be applied in many ways after graduation. Consider which type of major you would prefer, and what type of career you might ultimately like to have.
  3. Remember that you can change your mind
      Most students change majors once or twice during college – and that’s completely okay!
  4. Consider what you love
      People are predisposed to enjoy, and excel at, certain disciplines. Use the flowchart above to see how your interests and skills align with possible majors!

 

Best of luck in college! 🙂

 

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