Picking a major seems like one of the toughest decisions of your life. Many people pick a major based on how much money they make or just because it sounds easy. If you hate your job and are only in it for the paycheck, you will not be happy. Selecting a major isn’t as difficult as you may think! Say you’ve picked a major that wasn’t all that you thought it was cracked up to be or realized it wasn’t what you wanted to do in life—you may want to consider changing your major.
Here are a few tips on how to change your major and sticking with something that you’ll love in the long run:
? Before you do anything you may want to declare yourself as undecided and fulfill all of your liberal studies requirements. Most of the majors offered at IUP have the same liberal studies classes that must be taken before graduating.
? Talk to your advisor to make sure your grades and standards are good enough to make the switch. Say you want to go from English to Computer Science. If your grades aren’t up to par they can turn you down from making the switch.
? Do a little soul searching! Compile a list of your skills, favorite subjects, hobbies and interests. After you make a list—RESEARCH! RESEARCH! RESEARCH! Look up classes that interest you and start from there. Test the curriculum in potential majors.
? Look into the market for the field you’re considering. If the job outlook seems to be non-existent in the future look for the next best thing related to the field you want to get into.
? Talk to as many professionals in your field as possible! There are plenty of opportunities to talk to someone in the field you would like to tap into! They could be professors or advisors and sometimes if you ask, professors may be able to redirect you to someone that can help.
? The Career Development Center offers students the chance to go to plenty of career fairs! Many students don’t understand the opportunities available to them. The Career Development Center can also help you find a major if you need guidance.
? When you finally make a choice, visit the registrar’s office to apply to change your major. They will give you all the info you need to make your transition a success!
This a vital time in your life and it shouldn’t be taken too lightly. You have to be patient and do research and planning. If you have one bad course in your major, that is not a reason to quit. This is also a great way to get to know you! Take it from someone who changed their major four times (don’t judge). This is how I learned my strengths and weaknesses and use them to my advantage.