Freshmen Information

How Do I Choose a Major?

General Information
Choosing a major is the most important, and sometimes most difficult, academic decision you will make during your college career. Many students enter the university undecided about which major is best for them--others change their major 2 or 3 times during the first two years. We believe you should take the opportunity to "explore" different options before deciding what your major will be. Connecting to a major by your second year, however, is the best way to ensure success and persistance to graduation.

Thinking about some of the questions below may help you as you narrow your choices to the right major for you. Before you start, think a little bit about yourself. Decide whether you enjoy working with people in groups or individually or whether you prefer to work "on your own" with little or no interaction with others.

Are you interested in human beings as they relate to each other in social groups?

Are you interested in applying a knowledge of human beings as they relate to each in social groups to making a change in society?

Then you might consider majoring in

International Studies (an interdisciplinary major including economic literacy, foreign language, cross-cultural communication, international relations, development studies, and contemporary belief systems)
Anthropology (with an emphasis in comparative cultures, biological, sociocultural, or linguistic anthropology)
Sociology (with a concentration in Deviance and Social Control, Interaction and Group Relations, Social Change, or Global Issues)
History (with an emphasis in two or three areas: Africa and the Middle East, Ancient and Medieval Europe, Asia, British, Latin American, Modern Europe, or United States history)
Geography with a Certificate in Urban and Regional Studies
Political Science (with an emphasis in comparative politics, political theory, public law, or American government and politics)
Black Studies
Asian Studies (with an emphasis in Area Studies or Asian American Studies)
Chicano and Latino Studies (with an emphasis in Cultural Studies or Social Inquiry)
Women's Studies (with an emphasis in Feminist Aesthetics and Cultural Studies, Social Change and Social Policy, or U.S. and Global Ethnic/Gender Diversity)

Then you might consider majoring in

Criminal Justice
Social Work
Political Science (with an emphasis in Public Policy)
Family and Consumer Sciences with an option in Child Development and Family Studies
Family and Consumer Sciences with an option in Consumer Affairs
Dietetics and Food Administration with an option in Nutrition and Dietetics
Human Development
Liberal Studies
International Business
Business Administration with an option in Human Resources Management
Recreation and Leisure Studies with a Certificate in Administration of Volunteer Services
Recreation and Leisure Studies with a Certificate in Administration of Outdoor Recreation Resources
Health Science with an option in Community Health Education
Health Science with an option in School Health Education
Biological Sciences with an option in Ecology and Environmental Biology
Geography (with an emphasis in urban geography which includes land use planning in cities, constructing and interpreting maps that inform about the city, or travel and tourism that emphasizes learning about the development and existence of tourism resources of the world and their value to visitors and hosts.

Are you interested in human beings as individuals and their biological characteristics?

Are you interested in applying a knowledge of the biological characteristics of human beings to helping others?

Then you might consider majoring in

Biology with an option Physiology
Biology with an option in Cell and Molecular Biology
Biochemistry
Microbiology
Psychology

Then you might consider majoring in

Health Science with an option in Radiation Therapy
Kinesiology with an option in Fitness
Kinesiology with an option in Adapted Physical Education
Kinesiology with an option in Exercise Science
Kinesiology with an option in Kinesiotherapy
Recreation and Leisure Studies with a Certificate in Therapeutic Recreation
Nursing
Dietetics and Food Administration with an option in Food Science
Engineering with an option in Biomedical and Clinical Engineering
Biology with an option in Biology Education
Psychology
Human Development with a Certificate in Gerontology
Sociology (with a concentration in Medical Sociology)

Are you interested in the ways human beings relate to each other culturally through oral, visual, and written communication?

Are you interested in applying a knowledge of the ways human beings relate to each other through oral, visual, and written communication?

Then you might be interested in majoring in

Communication Studies with an option in Rhetorical Studies
Art with an option in Art History
Comparative World Literature (with an emphasis in Language and Literature, or World Literature, or Cultural Studies, or Language Study and Comparative Literature, or Teaching)
American Studies (an interdisciplinary program which includes literature and history)
English with an option in Language and Composition
English with an option in Language and Linguistics
English with an option in Literacy and Composition
English with an option in Literature
Black Studies (with an emphasis in literature and arts)
French, German, Russian (minor), Italian Studies, Japanese, Chinese
Classics with an option in Roman Civilization or Greek Civilization
Spanish
Music with an option in History and Literature

Then you might be interested in majoring in

Design with an option in Industrial Design
Design with an option Interior Architectural Design
English with an option in Creative Writing
English with a Certificate in Technical and Professional Writing
English with an option in English Education
English with a Certificate in Teaching English as a Second Language
Communication Studies with an option in Interpersonal and Organizational Communication
Journalism with an option in Broadcast Journalism
Journalism with an option in Jounalism Education
Journalism with an option in Print Journalism
Journalism with an option in Public Relations
Business Administration with an option in Marketing
Business Administration with an option in Human Resources Management
Languages like Spanish, French, Chinese, Japanese, Russian, German (with a teaching credential option)
Art with an option in Graphic Design
Art with an option in Art Photography
Art with an option in Art Education
Art with an option in Ceramics, or Drawing and Painting, or Illustration, or 3-D Media, or Printmaking, or Sculpture
Art with a Certificate in Biomedical Art
Art with a Certificate in Museum Studies
Film and Electronic Arts
Theatre Arts with an option in Performance: Acting/Directing
Theatre Arts with an option in Technical Theatre: Scenery/Costume/Lighting Design
Music with an option in Instrumental Music
Music with an option in Choral-Vocal Music
Music with an option in Performance
Music with an option in Composition
Family and Consumer Sciences with an option in Fashion Merchandising and Design
Dance

Are you interested in the physical world around you?

Are you interested in applying knowledge about the physical world to the "real world?"

Then you might be interested in majoring in

Geology
Geography (with an emphasis in the coastal, desert, fresh water and mountain environments, constructing and interpreting maps that inform about natural environments, and resources)
Physics
Chemistry
Biology with an option in Botany, or Zoology

Then you might be interested in majoring in

Chemical Engineering
Mechanical Engineering
Aerospace Engineering
Electrical Engineering
Biochemistry
Physics
Construction Engineering Management
Engineering Technology with an option in Manufacturing Technology
Engineering Technology with an option in Quality Assurance Technology
Engineering Technology with an option in Electronics Technology
Electronics and Computer Engineering Technology
Civil Engineering
Computer Engineering and Computer Science
Geography with a Certificate in Geographical Information Systems (which brings together information on detailed physical environmental factors and details on human use, such as land ownership patters, land use patterns, zoning for planned development, and pollutants into searchable electronic maps)
Geography (with an emphasis in managing natural resources or planning to solve, reduce, or eliminate environmental impact and pollution problems in coastal, rural, and city areas)
Earth Science
Engineering Technology with an option in Environmental Technology
Biology with an option in Ecology and Environmental Biology
Marine Biology

Are you interested in the ways human beings relate to each other culturally through their belief systems?

Are you interested in the leisure activities of human beings?

Then you might be interested in majoring in

Religious Studies (with an emphasis in three of five areas: Jewish Studies, Christian Studies, Asian Studies, Biblical Studies, or Contemporary Religious Studies)
Philosophy

Then you might be interested in majoring in

Recreation and Leisure Studies with a Certificate in Administration of Travel and Tourism
Kinesiology with an option in Athletic Training
Kinesiology with an option in Fitness
Kinesiology with a Certificate in Wilderness Studies
Dietetics and Food Administration with an option Hospitality Foodservice and Hotel Management

Are you interested in the world of ideas?

Are you interested in applying knowledge of the world of ideas to the "real world?

Then you might want to consider majoring in

Then you might be interested in majoring in

Mathematics with an option in Applied Mathematics, Statistics, or Mathematics Education
Economics
Business Economics
Communication Studies with an option in Interpersonal and Organizational Communication
Business Administration with an option in Accountancy
Business Administration with an option in Information Systems (Applications Development Track, or Business Telecommunications Track, or Electronic Commerce Track)
Business Administration with an option in Finance (and a concentration in Financial Management or Investments)
Computer Engineering and Computer Science
Philosophy (with an emphasis in Pre-Law)

Still confused?
There's lots more out there. Did you know that you can create your own major by combining two or three disciplines in Interdisciplinary Studies? Or that you can major in Liberal Studies which would give you a non-specialized, mutidimensional and cross-disciplinary course of studies? Or you can have a major and a minor or a double major to combine two interests.

How about

Recreation and Leisure Studies and a minor or double major in Communication Studies (Interpersonal and Organizational Communication option)
Journalism with an option in Public Relations and a minor or double major in Communication Studies (Interpersonal and Organizational Communication option)
English (Literature option) with Communication Studies (Interpersonal and Organizational Communication option)
Art (Graphic Design option) with Communication Studies (Interpersonal and Organizational Communication option)
Design (Industrial or Interior Architectural) with Communication Studies (Interpersonal and Organizational Communication option)
Psychology with Business Administration (Human Resources Management option)
Social Work with Spanish (Language option)
Criminal Justice with Spanish (Language option)


Need more help?
Why not interview the faculty advisor(s) in the majors you're interested in? Or drop by the Career Development Center and see which majors are recommended for careers you might be interested in?