Major Key

Some students enter college knowing what they want to study, while others take time to explore their options. Sometimes students may start on one path and then end up on a completely different one. Each journey to choosing a college major is unique and that is OKAY!

If you are still considering your options, we are here to offer some thoughts on the major decision process:

• Educate yourself on all of UMBC’s academic programs - majors, minors and certificates.
• Consider your strengths and interests - what subjects do you enjoy studying? What type of classroom setting do you prefer? What have you been skilled at academically in the past?
• Discuss your options with an academic advisor in The Office for Academic & Pre-Professional Advising - the go-to advising office on campus for students exploring majors or transitioning between majors.
• Create a few academic plans to determine which program will help you get to your graduation goal faster or will best provide you with the overall college experience you are seeking (for example, if you know you want to study abroad, perhaps seeing which majors would be best aligned with your study abroad goals would help choose your path).
• Don’t assume that your college major has to align with a specific type of job. Many majors offer pathways to various when you consider the actual skill set you are gaining from a particular major.
• If you are really stuck, ask for input from those who know you best, but ultimately make the choice yourself.
• If you have family pressures to pursue a specific major, what other ways you can bring your interests into your academic pathway? A minor? An extracurricular activity?
• Explore parallel paths when your chosen major isn’t working out academically. For example, if you are struggling with the math and science components of Computer Science, perhaps Information Systems, another technology-focused major, might be a better fit.

**SHAMELESS PLUG ALERT** 

One timely way to explore UMBC's diverse majors is to attend our upcoming Major Event the week of October 30th.

While we certainly support students taking their time to make this important decision, we do encourage students to decide on a major no later than the end of their sophomore year. This will help ensure you are on track for a timely graduation.

Happy Exploring!

Helpful Links

Advising Contact List

FOCUS2 and other self-assessment tools via the Career Center