HOW TO CHOOSE A MAJOR
So, you’re Undecided… That might seem like a bad thing – but it isn’t! In fact, some people believe that all freshmen should not declare a major until after their first year of college. Students don’t generally get exposed to the world of possibilities while they’re still in high school. By coming in as an Undecided student, you get a chance to explore the possibilities before you commit to a specific area.
Consider yourself.
To begin the quest for a major (related to the quest for a career), consider what you enjoy doing and what you do well.
- Compare your personality to people in various occupations. The Keirsey Temperament Sorter II is a free on-line test that can give you a little insight. It can be found at http://www.keirsey. com .
- Talk with a counselor at the Career Center. They offer a number of personality tests and interest inventories, which are free or offered at a small cost. Check out their website at http://c areer.olemiss.edu .
Investigate your options.
- The list of undergraduate degrees offered at the University of Mississippi can be found at http://www.olemiss.edu/services/acad_index.html. It is also fo und on pages 5-6 of the Undergraduate Catalog .
- The back of the Undergraduate Catalog lists the courses and gives descriptions, to further explain to you what each major field of study entails.
- The Occupational Outlook Handbook is an excellent resource for information on job outlooks, potential earnings, and daily responsibilities of many occupations. It is updated every 2 years by the Federal Government.
While you’re thinking about it … DO SOMETHING!
- Tell us what you’re thinking so that we can better advise you on how to choose among your options to fulfill your core requirements. For instance:
- If you like math – keep going: 121-123-261-262…
- If you like business – get busy on the math!
- If you like science – take the majors’ courses, not survey courses
- If you like art – sign up for Art 101-111…
- Some courses will satisfy basic requirements and others will satisfy your curiosity and help you rule in/out possible avenues
- We can help you build a schedule that will keep your options open until you decide on a major. You will need to decide by your junior year in order to graduate in a timely manner.
Build your Resume.
Develop job skills to enhance your employability. Consider volunteering. It shows off your work ethic and looks great on your resume! Skills to work on include:
- Budget management
- Interviewing and training
- Customer service
- Designing newsletters
- Event planning
- Public speaking
- Research skills
- Salemanship
Get involved …
Get involved … in the classroom, in your residence hall, on campus, etc. You will need references down the road. Start to establish connections now!
- Get involved in classroom discussions and projects
- Get to know your instructor and fellow students
- Participate in departmental functions and clubs
- Look into internships and research projects
- Join a civic or charitable organization
- Become a mentor for younger students.
Finally, talk to us!
We can help you build a schedule that exposes you to potential areas of interest while at the same time keeps you on track for a timely graduation. We can explain your choices as well as your requirements. If we can’t answer your questions in this office, we will put you in contact with the appropriate office or department that can!
