There are so many amazing areas of study to choose from in college and for many students, it can be difficult to make a decision on what to study. Because college is both an investment of time and money, choosing areas of study that you’re most interested in and/or can help jumpstart your career is key.
In addition to their major(s), many students also choose a minor–a shorter series of courses in a specific subject that are usually 30 or fewer credits (vs. up to 64 with a major) that don’t culminate in a degree, but still provide a thorough education in that subject. A minor can allow you to take classes you will enjoy that might not be offered as part of your major. Some colleges even allow students to choose more than one minor! If you’re thinking about choosing a minor in college, here are some strategies to help you decide.
What should I minor in?
Take some time to brainstorm and consider what you’d like to minor in. Explore your school’s catalog of minors and the required courses and time commitments for each to get a better understanding of what’s doable for your schedule. Here are some questions you can ask yourself as you brainstorm:
Will my minor help me gain transferrable professional skills? Certain minors can help you gain professional skills that complement your major and suit potential careers you’re interested in. For example, if you major in communications and minor in graphic design, those graphic design skills can help you land a job in communications!
Can my minor deepen my understanding of my major? A minor can allow you to focus on a specific area of your major that you want to learn about more in-depth. For example, if your major is biology, you might choose a minor in genetics.
Will I have fun? Your minor doesn’t have to complement your degree or help you land a job – it can just be in a subject that interests you! For example, your major might be in business, but your minor might be in something totally unrelated like guitar performance. College is the time to try new things and explore your interests!
Talk to your academic advisor
It’s important to be aware that sometimes choosing a minor might involve taking some extra classes. If these classes fit within your schedule to graduate on time, that’s great! However, if you feel like adding a minor may delay your time to graduation, or add extra stress to your studies or your schedule, it’s generally not worth pursuing. Be sure to talk to your academic advisor to help you decide whether or not you should declare a minor. They can help you make a plan that will allow you to accomplish your goals in a timeframe that works best for you.
Declare your minor
Typically, students declare their major or minor through their college’s online student portal. Some schools may have you apply to your minor rather than be automatically accepted to it, so be sure that you meet all of the minor’s requirements, or are prepared to write about your reasoning for pursuing that minor in order to be accepted.
What is an academic success center? It's an amazing, free resource available to students in college. We share what you should know about your school's academic success center!
Choosing a major is one of the most important decisions a student will make in college. Double majoring–studying two majors simultaneously–is a great way to broaden your academic experience and maximize your studies. If you’re considering double majoring, there are a few important things to know first to set yourself up for academic success. Read our double major tips below to learn more!
Talk to your academic advisor
Before committing to a double major, talk to your academic advisor. They can help you determine whether you realistically have time to complete both majors and outline a roadmap to ensure you’re taking the right classes and amount of credits. Once you declare a second major, you may be assigned to, or will need to request, an additional academic advisor from that department. Be sure to do this ASAP so you can walk them through your plans for double majoring.
Start early
College students typically declare their major(s) at the end of their sophomore year or at the beginning of their junior year. If you’re considering a double major, aim to declare around then to give yourself plenty of time to take all the required classes for each major. While double majoring can be a rewarding academic experience, it may not be worth it if one of your majors will require more time (and money) spent in school than you had originally planned.
Consider any financial implications
Be sure to consider any financial implications of pursuing a double major. For example, taking on a second major may require you to take additional classes, which can increase your overall academic costs. You may need to find additional sources of financial aid to cover these costs. If spending more money doesn’t make sense in the long run, it may not be worth pursuing a second major.
Plan well
Studying two majors will likely lead to a heavier academic workload, so it’s important to plan your terms well and balance your courses to avoid overloading yourself. It’s also important to take other factors into consideration when doing your academic planning, such as jobs, clubs, and other extracurricular activities. Good time management skills will be key, so take advantage of resources like planners, apps, and calendars to keep all of your responsibilities organized and on track.
Consider career relevance and passions
While your college major doesn’t necessarily need to be perfectly aligned with your desired career, it can be helpful for them to be related. When choosing one or both of your majors, reflect on whether they’re relevant to the career you want to pursue.
If you got to college and realized that the major you planned on pursuing no longer interests you or aligns with your career path, it’s totally okay! Changing your major is normal–about one-third of college students do so during their time in school. Before making any decisions, however, there are a few important things to consider first. Here’s what you need to know about changing your college major!
Changing your mind about what you want to study is completely normal. You likely chose your major when applying to your college during your senior year of high school, and since then, you may have had new experiences or gained perspectives that changed how you view your academic and career interests. It would make sense that changing your major can help you better align with your hopes for the future! This is especially true when considering the time and money you’re spending on college. It’s ideal to study something you’re passionate about and that can open the door to careers you’re interested in!
Meet with your academic advisor
Before making a decision about changing your major, meet with your academic advisor for support. They can help you decide if changing your major is the best course of action for your goals and assist in creating an academic plan that ensures you graduate on time.
Research your school’s process
Each college has its own process for changing majors, so make sure you understand your school’s specific requirements beforehand. For example, some colleges may allow you to change majors through your student portal, while others will require you to submit a formal request to your desired department or major. If you’re not sure what will be required of you when changing majors, look on your college’s website or ask your academic advisor in your next meeting.
Consider important academic and extracurricular factors
Changing your major can be complex depending on your situation and timing. Consider the following factors in your decision-making process:
Would I have enough time to complete my new major requirements in the years I have left in school?
Depending on when you decide to change your major, it could extend your time in school. If completing your degree in four years is important to you, consider this possibility and whether changing your major would ultimately be worth the extra time and money.
Is it okay if I take longer than I expected to complete my degree?
It’s totally okay to complete your degree in a timeframe that works best for you– but remember, you’re spending both time and money. If changing your major can extend your time in school by multiple terms or years, and you’re attending college with the help of financial aid like loans, it may not be worth it. Taking on a significant amount of debt just to study your desired major is usually not advised.
Will changing majors impact my ability to pursue my current extracurriculars (jobs, internships, clubs, etc.)?
Changing majors can impact your class schedule in a term or year, which could change the amount of time you have in a given week to work, hang out with friends, or attend club meetings. If your extracurriculars are an important part of your college experience, consider how changing your major could affect them.
Would I be able to handle the increased workload if I needed to take more major-required classes in a shorter amount of time?
Changing majors later in your college career might impact the amount of classes you have to take each term to complete your degree requirements on time to graduate. Be certain that increasing your academic workload to accommodate your major change will work for you.
Would changing majors impact my financial aid?
Chat with your academic advisor or someone in your school’s financial aid office about the potential impact on your financial aid if you were to change your major. For example, if you switched to a major that freed up your schedule and allowed you to take less classes, you would still want to ensure that you’d at least be taking full-time credits, since many forms of financial aid are only awarded to full-time students. Additionally, if you received a scholarship for pursuing a specific major, contact the scholarship provider about how changing your major might affect your award.
If I don’t get into my desired major, would I consider transferring?
How important is pursuing a certain major to you? If you didn’t get accepted to your new major, would you still pursue your current one? Or would you transfer to another college? This is a huge decision to make, so be sure to talk to your advisor and a trusted family member about your options.
Understand how your credits may or may not transfer
When changing your major, some of the credits you’ve already earned may count toward your new degree requirements, while others might not. This depends on how closely your previous coursework aligns with your new major. If many of your completed courses don’t apply, you may need to take additional classes, which could extend your time in school. Check with your academic advisor to see how your credits will transfer and whether there are ways to fulfill requirements efficiently. Planning ahead can help you avoid unnecessary coursework and stay on track for graduation.
Consider the impacts to your intended career path
If your major is tied to the career you hope to pursue, it will be important to think through the impact of switching to another major. For example, if you are hoping to pursue a career in computer science, it will not make sense to switch to a major that doesn’t teach you skills in that industry. However, there are some career paths that will offer flexibility in major choice. You can always get an internship or apprenticeship in the field you’re interested in to gain valuable hands-on experience!
Choosing a college major is a big decision that can shape your academic and professional journeys! In this article, we’ll break down what you need to know about college majors–how they work, how to choose one, and how to navigate issues that may come up along the way.
What is a college major?
A college major is a specific area of study that a student specializes in. Students must take a specific number of credits in their chosen major to be able to graduate with that degree. Students typically don’t begin taking major-specific classes until their junior year, after they’ve completed their general education requirements. Examples of college majors include sociology, business administration, Spanish, communications, and computer science.
A student’s major is typically related to what they plan to pursue professionally after graduating. For example, a student studying journalism may want to be a reporter for a local newspaper, or a pre-med major may plan to continue their education to become a surgeon.
How to explore majors
If you’re in high school or are a first-year college student, you have time to explore majors, since you typically won’t need to declare your major until your sophomore or junior year of college. Here are a few ways to start exploring your academic pathway:
In high school
When building your college list, it can be helpful to explore the majors offered at each school–even if you’re not sure what you want to study. Taking some time to reflect on subjects or extracurriculars you enjoyed in high school can help you identify things you may want to study in college. It can also help you decide where you end up applying. For example, if you know you’re interested in computer engineering, but a college on your list doesn’t offer that major, it’s probably not a great fit for you!
Through extracurricular activities
Joining clubs, working jobs and internships, and volunteering can help you identify things you’re passionate about! For example, volunteering for a local animal hospital may inspire you to study biology and become a veterinarian, or hosting a DJ show for your college’s radio station could introduce a passion for music production.
Taking diverse elective classes
Once you’re in college, try taking general education requirement courses in a subject you’re not familiar with but may be interested in. Similarly to extracurricular activities, exploring different classes can help you narrow down what does and doesn’t interest you.
The Way
Learn about careers and industries directly from people working in them through our career video series, The Way! Watching professionals share their journeys from college to the career that they love can help you identify what interests you. You may be surprised to find how many people found their passions and pathways through trial and error!
How to choose a college major
Talk to your academic advisor and professors
Once you have a sense of potential majors you’d like to explore, talk to your academic advisor about your options. They should be familiar with many different academic programs offered at your school, so take advantage of their knowledge and ask questions about the majors you’re interested in. They can also refer you to another advisor or professor who can answer more specific questions you may have about a major or program. You can also utilize a professor’s office hours to get insight into majors that interest you and the types of careers people can enter with a degree in that major.
Declare your major
Different colleges will have their own processes for declaring majors. Some may allow students to declare through their student portal, while others will require students to formally apply. Regardless of the major you declare, you will likely need to have already taken a certain number of general education credits. In general, be sure you know beforehand what will be expected of you when declaring your major.
Didn’t get accepted into your major? Here’s what to do
Depending on the size of your school, it may be possible that you don’t get accepted into your major. If this happens, be sure to talk to your advisor to troubleshoot and plan your next steps. Here are some other things you should do:
Reapply to the major (if possible)
If it’s an option, we recommend reapplying. You can try asking students currently in the major what they did to stand out in their application, or speak to an advisor or professor in that department for any advice or tips.
Choose a different major
While many students choose a major related to their professional goals, it’s important to note that a major is not the end-all-be-all. Your major doesn’t necessarily limit you to what you can or can’t pursue professionally after college. If there are majors similar to your first choice, or if there are other majors that interest you, it’s worth exploring those. As long as you have the drive to learn new things, it’s possible to get a job in any field–regardless of what you studied! For example, maybe you’re passionate about writing novels or plays, but your school doesn’t offer a fiction-writing major. Be sure to look into communications, English, or creative writing as pathways.
Explore transferring
It’s important to note that transferring should be a last resort once you’ve explored all of your other options. If you are absolutely certain that you want to pursue a specific major, and transferring makes the most sense for your academic and career goals long-term, be sure to weigh all the pros and cons carefully, and talk to your academic advisor about your options and next steps. Read our ultimate college transfer guide here to learn more.
You can change your major!
Changing your major is normal! After exploring classes and extracurriculars, while learning more about themselves along the way, many students realize that the major they had in mind isn’t what they want to pursue anymore. If you’re considering changing your major, be sure to start the process as soon as possible. It’s important to give yourself enough time to complete the major in the timeframe you’ve set for yourself to attend college. Ideally, changing your major should not significantly impact the amount of time (and money) you’re spending in college.
Double majors, minors, and combining your interests
If you’re passionate about more than one subject, you don’t necessarily have to choose just one! Many colleges offer options like double majors and minors that allow you to explore multiple interests at once. A double major means you complete the requirements for two different majors, while a minor is a secondary area of study that requires fewer courses than a major. For example, you might major in business and minor in psychology, or double major in computer science and mathematics.
Combining areas of study can open the door to unique career paths. For instance, pairing computer science with art could lead to a career in game design, while combining political science and economics might prepare you for work in public policy. Keep in mind that adding a second major or minor may require careful planning to ensure you can complete all your requirements on time. If you’re interested in this option, talk to your academic advisor early to map out a plan that works for you.
