CHOOSING AN ACADEMIC PATH?

As a beginning college student it is natural to feel at least somewhat uncertain with your intended major because you have not yet experienced the variety of subjects on fields of study that make up the college curriculum.

The vast majority of students entering college are truly undecided about a college major and often do not make a final decision before starting college; instead they reach a final decision during their college experience (Cuseo, 2005).

Typical reasons students give for degree choice include:

interest in and enjoyment of the subject
expectation of career opportunities with not necessarily inherent desire to learn the subject area
accepting the advice of others

Myth: there is a corresponding major for every career. Of the thousands of job titles listed in the US Department of Labor's Dictionary of Occupational Titles, very few of them require a specific academic undergraduate background. Remember: choosing a major is not necessarily the same thing as choosing a career nor does choosing a major limit your career options.

Choosing a major is only one step toward exploring a number of career paths

Many careers are not mapped one-to-one to academic majors

Almost every career includes people who majored in diverse academic fields

Things to consider when choosing a field of study

Handout:
Undecided About Your Major? (pdf)

DID YOU KNOW?

Whether you have or have not decided on a major, here are some research findings related to student decisions about college majors that may be worth keeping in mind:

3 out of 4 students are uncertain about their career choice upon college entry (Titley & Titley, 1980; Frost, 1991)

Among first-year students who enter college with a major in mind, less than 10% feel they know "a great deal     about their intended major" (Lemoine, cited in Erickson & Summers, 1991)

Between 50-75% of all students who enter college with a declared major change their mind at least once before     they graduate (Foote, 1980; Gordon, 1984; Noel, 1985)

75% of entering students are undecided about their academic/career plans (PC, The First Year of College, 2003)

Over 2/3 of new students change their mind about their major during the first year of college (Cuseo, 2005)

Many employers are more concerned with the person they are hiring, rather than the name of that person's     major

Make sure that your first choice is your best choice - the one that is most compatible with your personal abilities, interests, and values. as a general rule of thumb, you should reach a fairly firm decision about your major during your second (sophomore) year in college. However, in order to reach a good decision within this time frame, the process of exploring and planning should begin during your first year in college.

Quote: "All who wander are not lost."
            J.R.R. Tolkien
            Lord of the Rings

Handout:
Building Skills for Success (pdf)

Why Are You Undecided?

Identifying reasons why you are undecided is an effective way to begin your exploration process. As a beginning college student, it is only natural to feel at least somewhat uncertain about your intended major - you may be undecided for a variety of reasons.

Choose one or more of the following reasons that best describe your situation:

I would like to review all of my options available at UHA before making a commitment/decision

I have narrowed down my options to two or three possible majors but do not feel I have enough information to     make a decision

I feel overwhelmed by all of the options available and I don't know where to start the decision-making process

I have a career in mind, but I'm not certain what major would provide the training and preparation

I have a major in mind, but would like more information on related career paths

I have important people in my life who have a certain major/career in mind for me but I'm not sure that's the best fit

I am undecided for other reasons not mentioned above

-Adapted from the Ohio State University's Exploration Program

I would like to review all of my options available at UHA before making a commitment/decision

Reviewing the available options is a great way to begin.

Review the Undergraduate Bulletin for a complete listing of all the academic options available to you. Some subject areas may be new to you and you will have little to no information about them, don’t skip over the unknown majors – make notes on those that sound interesting based on the required coursework and practical training opportunities built into the program.

Once you have identified one or more majors of interest you can either:

Make an appointment with your academic advisor to discuss your choices.

Make an appointment with a faculty member in an academic department of interest to ask detailed questions about an individual major of interest.

Be cautious about skipping a major due to misconceptions or misinformation. For example: did you skip over Psychology because you don’t want to attend graduate school in the future or become a Psychologist?

Remember: choosing one major over your other options does not mean ignoring your other interest areas. Consider major/minor combinations and/or supporting your other interest areas through electives and/or general education requirements, research projects, involvement in clubs/organizations, participation in study abroad, volunteer or internship opportunities.

There are some careers that “favor” or even require one degree over another. If you’re interested in a particular career, research which majors are required or recommended/preferred prior to making a decision. Conducting research early into your academic career allows you the opportunity to be able to develop the skills that will make you more marketable.

Important Tip

Be honest with yourself about what truly interests you – don’t "pretend" to be interested because someone else wants you to pursue a certain direction or because you think you "should be" interested.

I have narrowed down my options to two or three possible majors but do not feel I have enough information to make a decision

For each major you are currently considering, schedule time to continue the exploration process. It is important to determine your level of commitment and investment. How much time do you have? When is the best time to continue exploring your options? How committed are you to this process?

Your next steps will consist of:

• Analyzing what you know about your choices

• Assessing what information you still need to gather

• Determining whether you meet the academic requirements for entry

• Matching your level of interest for each choice

• Ranking your choices in order of “best fit”

Remember: choosing one major over your other options does not mean ignoring your other interest areas. Consider major/minor combinations and/or supporting your other interest areas through electives and/or general education requirements, research projects, involvement in clubs/organizations, participation in study abroad, volunteer or internship opportunities.

There are some careers that “favor” or even require one degree over another. If you’re interested in a particular career, research which majors are required or recommended/preferred prior to making a decision. Conducting research early into your academic career allows you the opportunity to be able to develop the skills that will make you more marketable.

Once you have narrowed down your options:

Make an appointment with your academic advisor to discuss your academic plan, your progress so far and how it “fits” with your options, as well as, his/her recommendations for next steps.

Make an appointment with a faculty member in an academic department of interest to ask detailed questions about an individual major of interest. You may also want to consider asking for the name of an upperclassman to speak with in order to gain a student’s perspective.

I feel overwhelmed by all of the options available and I don’t know where to start the decision-making process

It’s not always east to figure out where to start as you explore majors and all the choices available – but which choices are realistic options? You might feel pressured to make the right decision now but are uncertain as to how to make the “best” decision with the amount of information you currently have. You may feel overwhelmed by not only the variety of subjects or fields of study in front of you but by what is expected of you.

A possible first step toward gaining a better understanding on where to start is through talking with a Career Advisor. Career Advisors are available by appointment through the Career Services Office. They can assist you in exploring “best fit” fields of study based on your interests, skills, and values, as well as, educate you on the decision-making process.

I have a career in mind, but I’m not certain what major would provide the training and preparation

Many people are going to be able to offer you well-meaning advice – for example: If you want to be a doctor, major in biology or if you want to go into business, major in business. This type of advice reflects the idea that careers require one specific undergraduate major.

Once you have identified a potential career path, consider the following next steps:

• Conduct informational interviews with up to two or three professionals in the career that interests you – preferably from different work environments. An informational interview will allow you the opportunity to learn about their previous education and training that prepared them for their role, as well as, their suggestions for how to develop yourself through your major as well as through extra-curricular opportunities.

• Conduct informational interviews with up to two faculty members within courses that interest you. Ask them if they think a major in their academic area would lead you to your career goal.

• Using the online and hardcover resources available through the Career Services Office, research your career path to learn more about recommended majors and/or degrees as well as other training and education requirements, related career paths and industry options that support your occupational area of interest.

I have a major in mind, but would like more information on related career paths

Consider making an appointment with a Career Advisor through the Office of Career Services. Career Advisors are available to help you explore direct and in-direct relationships to potential career paths. In addition, Advisors will introduce you to the online and hardcover resources available to help you connect your field of interest with possible occupational areas.

Check out the following websites:

• What Can I Do With a Major In...?(Kansas State University)
• Major Resource Kits(University of Delaware)
• Careers For Your Major (University of Kansas)

I have important people in my life who have a certain major/career in mind for me but I’m not sure that’s the best fit

This is a challenging situation. It is always easier when our major/career goals fit the ideas that others have for us. However, it is important to recognize that you will have to live the day-to-day consequences of the choices you make.

The good news is that typically, important people in your life want you to be happy and financially secure.

You may be surprised to know:

• If you describe your strengths and weaknesses you may gain support for your choice of major/career

• Important people in your life may not have the most up-to-date information about majors/careers that interest you

• If you keep sharing your ideas, academic facts, career information, and enthusiasm about your choice of major/career you are likely to gain greater acceptance and support for your decisions.

You are not alone in dealing with this challenging situation. Help and support are available. It is important to keep your Academic Advisor aware of any concerns you may have – an open line of communication is a critical component in the relationship with your Advisor so that he/she may provide you with the services and resources needed to accommodate your situation.

I am undecided for other reasons not mentioned above

Please call the Office of Career Services at 768-4287 to make an appointment with a Career Advisor. Career Advisors are available to assist you with academic, personal and career-related issues.

WEBSITES DESIGNED TO HELP ANSWER THE QUESTION:

What Can I Do With A Major In ______?

What Can I Do With This Major?- helps connect majors to careers

University of Delaware - links academic majors to career alternatives by providing information on career paths and sample job titles

MyMajors.com - provides information about majors - typical courses associated with each major and occupational areas often linked to each major

The Princeton Review - reviews steps in choosing a major and provides basic information on majors, related areas of study and possible career options

University of Kansas - offers insight into a variety of majors - as well as links information to occupational titles and related skill sets

Ashland University - offers tips on how to make career decisions as well as provides information on majors, career options and employment sites

Florida State University - sample career possibilities and work settings are given based on major along with references to appropriate professional organizations

University of North Carolina Wilmington - provides overview of majors and relates information to career titles, work-related skills and web sites for additional information

University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign - helps connect majors with related career paths

Career Voyages - explore career options and learn what it takes to do the job through occupation descriptions

MyPlan.com - explore majors, occupations, industries

In Demand Magazine - insight into careers in science, technology, engineering and math

In Demand Magazine - issue exploring careers in healthcare

In Demand Magazine - information on careers in advanced manufacturing

Careeronestop - America's Career InfoNet; explore careers and occupational/industry information

University of South Carolina - summary of college majors and a list of related occupations

Monster - major to career converter

CareerShip - an online career exploration adventure

Ball State University - explore majors, interests and careers through their online Quest guidance system

University of Missouri - online guide to exploring majors and careers

North Carolina University - major exploration and decision-making

Miami University - learn about the competencies and career opportunities associated with selected majors in Arts and Sciences

Also, consider linking into sites that are industry-specific for detailed profile information. For example, interested in learning more about Chemists, Mathematicians, Chemical Engineers or Civil Engineers? Visit Sloan Career Cornerstone Center

Come visit the library in the Career Services office, GSU 309, to find books to assist you in finding your academic path. Some examples of books we have on hand: