Exploring Majors

Not sure what you want to study? You’re not alone. Many students start out undecided and many more change their minds.

Read more to explore majors and choose an academic path that is right for you.

Forget the Major Myths

If you’re like most students, you already have ideas about choosing a major. You may even have notions about how this choice will affect your life after college like the:

Work you’ll do
Money you’ll earn
Impact you’ll make

You might think:

The best way to learn about a major is to take courses in it.
You should finish your University Studies courses before focusing on a major.
Choosing a major and choosing a career are the same thing.
Choosing one major means giving up all others.
Your major will determine what you do for the rest of your life.

Turns out all these ideas are false. On average, students change their majors three times before graduation, and most majors prepare you for a variety of careers.

Use Proven Strategies to Explore

How do you choose a major? We've recommended strategies to help guide you through the process.

Step-by-Step Strategies that Work

Step 1: Start with Self-Assessment

Begin by taking stock of your:

Interests: What do you most enjoy learning and doing?
Skills: What are you good at?
Values: What’s most important to you?
Goals: What do you want to accomplish?
Personality traits: How do people describe you?
Career interests: What kind of work do you see yourself doing?
Preferred work environment: What kinds of settings keep you motivated?

Step 2: Collect Career Information

Next, research potential career directions. Check out these resources:

UNCW Career Center roundup of job info associated with each major
Occupational Outlook Handbook from the Bureau of Labor Statistics
O*Net Online, a career exploration and job analysis tool from the U.S. Department of Labor
Tools for researching employers collected by the UNCW Career Center
Google video searches for job titles you’re interested in

You can also start learning more about requirements and prerequisites for different UNCW majors — see the undergraduate catalog.

Step 3: Discuss Your Options

As you narrow your interests, talk to people — you’ll get answers and learn to network. Start with:

Your academic advisor
Career counselors at the UNCW Career Center
Faculty in the programs that interest you
Alumni and other working professionals

These conversations will offer insight into what different majors and careers are really like.

Step 4: Test Drive Careers

Now it’s time to get some first-hand experience. By the way, UNCW is famous for helping students discover opportunities for real-world training. You can do so by: