The best way to select a major is to identify a course of study that matches your interests and aptitudes. Additionally, though, you will no doubt want to know how various academic majors relate to actual employment.  Actually, about 50% of all graduates enter professions different from what they have studied immediately upon graduation.

Academic majors can be classified as being either vocational or avocational.  Examples of vocational majors at SRU include Education, Accounting, Computer Science, and Nursing.  The content of vocational majors is usually directly linked to specific occupations.  

Examples of avocational majors may include English, History, Communication, Sociology, Geography, and Environmental Studies.  The content of avocational majors is not usually directly linked to specific careers. However, problem-solving and communication skills (oral, written and interpersonal) can be developed in any major.  

The advantages and disadvantages of each course of study are dependent upon your interests and skills as well as how clear you are about your career goals.  The primary advantage os studying a vocational major is that the relationship between your course work and a chosen occupation is more readily understood by employers.  However, learning late in your academic career that your chosen occupation is not what you really want becomes a primary disadvantage.  The resulting problem is narrow specialization with limited opportunity to redirect your course work to other more satisfying careers.

On the other hand, choosing an avocational major can open up a wide range of career options through careful planning.  A primary disadvantage is that employers are typically unclear about how an avocational major's credentials fit the available job opening.  So clarifying career goals tends to be more critical for avocational major than for vocational majors.

The key issue will be how interested you are in the job.  Unless the position is highly technical, aptitude and ability to perform the job will not be the main concern of most employers who use academic majors as part of their sorting process.  Employers are most concerned about hiring employees who are genuinely interested in their organization and position.  They are usually cautious about selecting candidates who do not show interest and enthusiasm in the field in which they are seeking employment.

In summary, it is probably best not to think of your major as the sole measure of your aptitude and career options.  Prior experience, extracurricular activities, enthusiasm and positive attitude will play a larger role than  your major in convincing an employer that you are the "right" candidate for a particular job opening.  Developing self-confidence, persistence, and good interpersonal skills (social and communication) will be invaluable in helping you to find the job that gives you the greatest amount of satisfaction.  Above all, follow your instincts.  What do you really want to do?  In what type of occupation do you feel you would be most satisfied and happiest?  Be honest.  Only you can make the choices that are right for you.     

Choosing A Major

The best major is the one that will challenge and stimulate you....the one that will keep you interested throughout your college career.  The best steps you can take to improve your career options include selecting a major that matches your skills and interests so you will remain enthusiastic and excel in your course work.  

Career and life planning becomes the integration of concepts, ideas, dreams, opportunities, education, and experiences.  This integration makes plans come alive.  Five aspects of life--occupational, educational, social, personal, and leisure time activities---must be interwoven in making career and life plans.

To do so you must gain a better understanding of self, the world of work, the options available and the advantages and disadvantages, the hurdles between where you are and where you want or expect to be, and the means for overcoming the hurdles.  Learning the process will enable you to grow more independent, gain more control over your own future, and look forward to tomorrow with a positive attitude.  Career Services has the resources and the personnel to assist you as you choose your major.  

A major consists of at least 25% of the degree program and shall be a minimum of 30 hours.  Bachelor of Arts Degrees shall consist of a maximum of 40 hours and Bachelor of Science Degrees shall consist of a maximum of 60 hours.  There are no specifics for professional programs except that they are limited to 67 credits by default.

The Most Important Factor in Choosing a Career

Do you know what the most important factor is in choosing a career?  Parents?  Important, yes, but not in the first place.  Career counseling?  That's also valuable, but not the top reason.

First prize goes to experience---part time and summer jobs, volunteer activities, hobbies, and interests. Whenever young people are asked why they selected a certain career, some previous experience is cited as the major reason.  Experience is valued by employers as well.  In fact, the second question an employer will ask---after your name---is "What have you done?"  When you have a choice or when you go looking for experiences which will have a payoff later, consider the follwing:

Is the Experience Transferable?

Are there elements of the activity that will likely be useful in future opportunities?  Serving on a debate team, for example, teaches you to think on your feet, discover how to be concise and to the point, how to research information, how to communicate effectively as a public speaker, and how to work as part of a team.  Those traits will "transfer" to other opportunities later.