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Factors Involved with Choosing a Major

• Am I Choosing a Major or a Career
  Not all life plans have a single or specific academic major that leads directly to them.
• Understanding the World of Work:
  Sometimes just knowing what is out there and available can help.
• Self Exploration:
  Understanding who we really are is a lifelong process. Having a good picture of whom you are presently and where you want to go is a great tool in the decision making process.
• Decision Making:
  Not everybody has taken time to look at the components of decision making. By doing so you may be able to identify just where it is that you are stuck.
• Understanding Major Requirements:
  A close examination of the requirements of a degree may help you identify if a major is going to be congruent with your interests.

Choosing a Major

The World of Work

Knowing what options are out there may be a valuable tool in making a major decision. If it is such that you are focusing on a career as well as an academic major it may be of some help to find some jobs or career areas that you are interested in and find out what kind of training or area of study would best prepare you to move in that direction.

There are a number of great research options to assist you with exploration of careers. SUU Career Services is a great place to start. They have a library, Choices software application, and professional staff members all to assist you in the process. You can also check the Sherrat Library reference section for a wide variety of publications. Finally the World Wide Web has many opportunities for career research. Below are a few links that have been identified as useful. Remember, reading and research can only take you so far. Experiencing the world of work can give you first hand experience. Information interviewing is also a valuable way to get information, If you observe a career or job that looks interesting do what you can to speak with somebody in that field.

- CareerInfoNet
- JobBank
- Occupational Outlook Handbook
- O*Net Online

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