Choosing a major | What can I do with my major?
Your major is important, but you are much more than just your major! Once you start seeking a post-grad job, employers will look at your extracurricular activities, your experience related to your career interests, and much more. Major alone won't get you hired. The sum-total of your experience, in and out of the classroom, will help determine your opportunities. Keep the big picture in mind as you explore majors:
- Some common myths about choosing a major
[Penn State]
Straight talk that debunks some common myths.
For example: Choosing a major and a career are not the same thing! - Choosing a college major: How to chart your ideal path
[Quintessential Careers]
First piece of advice: Don't Panic!
The process of discovering your career path is a journey of many steps! - Changing majors: No big deal if the timing is right
[Chronicle of Higher Education]
Research on when and how often students declare or change major, and correlation with graduation rates.
- Undergradute majors A-Z
[Admissions]
For each VT major, overview and career-related information - Major info sessions
[Advising Matters @ VT] - Colleges and departments at Virginia Tech
Read the websites of academic departments offering majors that interest you. Many offer excellent information about careers associated with the major. - Fall majors fair
Sponsored by University Studies
- Academic advising for major-transitional students: University Studies
[University Studies, Virginia Tech]
Information and advising about majors and minors. Academic advising to students who are considering or need to make a major change.
- Explore Engineering
[Engineering Education, Virginia Tech]
In-depth information about each engineering major, related majors and minors, transfer information, advising, and more.
- Undergrad majors
[University Registrar] - Undergrad degree titles
[University Registrar]
- Graduation checksheets
[University Registrar]
We survey all graduates to learn their first destination after the undergraduate degree.
This tells us graduates' first career steps immediately following the undergraduate degree.
This does not tell us the longer term career path that each graduate takes!
Results are published in the Post-Graduation Report, which includes the following.
View by undergrad major:
- Continuing education after undergraduate degree:
Graduate degrees, programs, institutions — list by undergrad major.
- First jobs after undergraduate degree:
Employers, job titles, and locations — list by undergrad major. - First salaries for those employed following the undergraduate degree:
Starting salary data reported by new grads who stated they are employed
Median and 25th and 75th percentiles shown where sufficient data exists
- Pre-Education Advising Program
- Shows undergraduate majors and graduate-level teacher education programs for various teaching subjects. Explains licensure programs for teaching. Most teaching licensure requires graduate education after the bachelor's degree.
- Health Professions Advising [HPA] is housed in Career and Professional Development and provides detailed information and support on undergraduate coursework and other preparation for many health professions that require education beyond the bachelor's degree.
- Books in our Career Resource Center
- What can I do with my liberal arts degree?
[U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Office of Occupational Statistics and Employment] - Careers by college major | browse careers
[Princeton Review]
Enter your college major to find careers. Browse careers for detailed information. - Match majors to occupations
[Florida State University]
Pick a major and see sample occupations and additional sources of information. - Major resource kits
[University of Delaware]
Career options associated with majors. - What can I do with a major in...?
[University of North Carolina at Wilmington]
Job titles, skills, and job and internship sources. - What can I do with this major?
[Rutgers University]
Learn about career options related to college majors.
Of course no one else can make decisions for you, but they can offer you valuable advice and perspective so that your decisions are based on more complete information. You'll formulate the best questions, and people will be better able and willing to assist you, if you do your research first.
Advising in the university:
- Career and internships advisors in colleges for undergraduate majors
Faculty and staff in the colleges and academic major departments whom you can consult about career options associated with majors. - Career and Professional Development advising
We can help you sort out the decisions you need to make, and help you find and use resources that will help you.
We cannot advise you on course requirements for majors and minors; you must consult the department offering the major or minor.
Working world information sources:
- Virginia Tech LinkedIn site to explore alumni by careers
- More about using LinkedIn.
- Arrange informational interviews with people you know to learn about their career paths and fields.
- Job fairs and career fairs
Note the purpose and sponsor of each event. Some focus on certain career fields. Note that the employment world is not organized by major!
Do your homework before going. Read each event website to see who's attending and the types of jobs they offer; employers are impressed by students who show up prepared. Then go to learn more first-hand from employers about internships and entry-level career options.