Not So Major Decision – The Truth About Picking A College Major
As an Academic Counselor at the University of North Texas (UNT), I see students flow through my office day after day. What classes do I need next semester? I’m studying engineering – Do I really need that creative arts course? Am I going to graduate in four years? Am I even in the right major?
Most of the questions are easy to answer. “You need English, Math, Creative Arts, and Political Science next semester.” “Yes, you really need Creative Arts – it’s part of the university core.” “Follow this four-year degree plan perfectly, and yes you will be done on time.” However, not all questions are so simple. Some of the toughest and most frequent questions are about majors. These questions are brought up by students gathering courage to admit that the majors they excitedly chose right out of high school perhaps weren’t so perfect after all. They are brought up by parents concerned their children will not be able to find work after four years and after thousands of dollars are invested in higher education. And they are brought up by advisors monitoring students who struggle semester after semester to pass pre-requisites, unable to even start their true major requirements.
Regardless of how the topic is broached, the discussion that follows is likely to include anxiety, defensiveness, feelings of loss, or a combination of all three. This is to be expected when considering the importance our society places on choosing a major. After all, this is a deciding factor for the rest of a student’s life, right? This single decision is going to open some doors and close others. Make the wrong choice in major, and that student could be stuck in a career he or she despises forever. Well… yes and no.
Yes, there are some careers that require a specific degree, but trust me, those jobs are now in the minority. When working with students who are undecided about their majors, I often recommend they read the Forbes article “Six Reasons Why Your College Major Doesn’t Matter” by Ashley Stahl. In short, employers are less concerned with whether or not a candidate focused on history, journalism, or criminal justice, and are much more concerned with his or her experiences, skills, adaptability, passions, and work ethic. If two candidates sit in front of an interviewer and only one has demonstrated strong written communication skills through a well-articulated cover letter, the ability to maintain working relationships through a strong network and good recommendations, adaptability through a variety of experiences, and passion and drive during the interview, then the candidates’ fields of study are not going to matter.
It is usually at this point that students ask me, “If I don’t choose my major based on my preferred job, then how do I choose?” – an understandable question as UNT offers more than 100 bachelor’s degrees, and I basically just told the student that it doesn’t matter which one they get. I tell the students to think about their interests, skills, and priorities.
I recommend students consider their interests when choosing a major because, while a major may not dictate what job he or she will end up with after graduation, it is likely to play a role in how he or she approaches that job. I approach my work from both psychology and counseling frameworks because those were my areas of study. I place heavy emphasis on creating my advisor-student relationships to include trust and empathy. I use counseling techniques to foster that trust, help students set goals, and challenge them to grow. In the office next door, my colleague is approaching his work from his educational and professional background in criminal justice. He uses authority to ensure students have a complete understanding of expectations, policy, and consequences for failing to perform. He helps students grow with boundaries and guidelines. Two different approaches; both valuable to the office and students in different ways. As a wise professor once instructed my statistics class – study what you are interested in; it will lead to a career you are interested in.
Next, I recommend considering skills the student wants to foster. His or her major is going to help the student gain skills beyond the obvious. Yes, a major in history is going to mean that a student has an understanding of the past. But it also means the student can think critically, write persuasively, apply theory, recognize patterns, and identify cause and effect – things that can apply to innumerable careers. So, when picking a major, the student should consider what skills he or she wants to develop. In what environments does the student see him or herself working? Does he or she want to be able to process large amounts of data or information? Communicate with the general public? Create cohesive and memorable designs? These skills (and so many more) can come from many different majors.
Finally, I recommend students take into consideration their current priorities and responsibilities when choosing a major. No student is only going to school. Every student has a life outside of school – work, friends, family, home – priorities they have to balance with education. Considering a student can gain many of the same vital skills from multiple majors, it makes sense to choose a major that balances with other aspects of his or her life. It all has to work together to be successful. If the obvious major for a student’s preferred career path only offers classes in person and the student is not available to take classes in person, then choosing an online major that offers growth in many of the same skills will be more feasible and just as valuable.
In closing, I want to say that there is no one right major for anyone. We cannot know what the future holds or what opportunities will present themselves. That theatre degree that you thought was pointless but fun, may actually be giving you the skills you need to pitch new product ideas to teams of developers. That research methods course could allow you to gather feedback on current teaching methods and offer insights on how to improve them, so your students retain information longer. That creative arts core requirement may allow you to appreciate design and the impact it has on an audience, convincing more clients to buy the latest tech product. Approach every learning opportunity with an open mind – you never know when it will come in handy.
Amanda DeVaney earned her BA in Psychology from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) in 2012. While at UNLV, she participated in Dr. Barchard’s Interactive Measurement Group from Spring 2011 to Spring 2012. Following her bachelor’s degree, Amanda completed a MS in Clinical Mental Health Counseling at the University of North Texas (UNT). Currently, she is an Academic Counselor for UNT with the College of Health and Public Service. She works primarily with students who are on academic probation working to return to good standing and those who are exploring alternative majors.