Choosing a major | What can I do with my major?
Your major matters, but you are much more than just your major!
- When you seek a post-grad job, employers will look at your extracurricular activities, your experience related to your career interests, and 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. - 7 tips for choosing a college major you'll love
[Huffington Post]
- Guide to VT majors with sample careers for each:
View: Majors listed alpha | Majors by college | Majors by interest
[Advising Matters @ VT] - Virginia Tech undergradute majors
[Admissions] - Colleges at Virginia Tech
With areas of study within each. Read the websites of academic departments offering majors that interest you. Many offer excellent information about careers associated with the major. - Majors fair
[Hosted by University Studies and the SGA] - Transitional academic advising for major-transitioning students
[Advising Matters @ VT] - Explore Engineering
[Engineering Education, Virginia Tech]
In-depth information about each engineering major, related majors and minors, transfer information, advising, and more. - Undergrad degree titles
[University Registrar] - Graduation checksheets
[University Registrar]
We ask all new VT grads to tell us their first destination after the undergraduate degree. [This does not tell us the longer term career path that each graduate takes!]
- Continuing education:
Graduate degrees, programs, institutions — list by undergrad major.
- First jobs and salaries:
Employers, job titles, and locations — list by undergrad major.
Median starting salaries for colleges, and majors (if 4 or more reported).
- Pre-Education Advising Program
Advising for undergraduate students who wish to pursue teaching or school counseling. Includes undergraduate majors and graduate-level teacher education programs for various teaching subjects, and teaching licensure information. Most teaching licensure requires graduate education after the bachelor's degree.
- Health Professions Advising [HPA] is located 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
- Putting your liberal arts degree to work
[U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics]
Studying liberal arts can prepare you for a range of careers. - Find careers
[Princeton Review]
Look at careers, learn more about, and see related college majors. - Match majors to occupations
[Florida State University]
Pick a major and see sample occupations and additional sources of information. - Majors and career communities
[University of Delaware]
Learn about career communities related to 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 with some advance research.
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 how students can use LinkedIn.
- Arrange informational interviews with people you know to learn about their career paths and fields.
- Career fairs
Some focus on career fields. Note that the employment world is not organized by major! Do your homework before going. See 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.