Choosing a Major

Choosing a major is both a milestone and a process. It can be incredibly exciting, and equally scary at the same time.

Whether you have an academic direction in mind or you aren't sure what you want, here are some things to help you decide on a major.

Getting Started

Everyone goes through the process of choosing a major through their own way and in their own time. However, there are things that can help anyone who is considering their academic path.

First, remember that you are not choosing a lifetime career path, but an undergraduate academic program. Whether you are decided, undecided or somewhere in between, Hope offers a variety of resources to help you better understand yourself, clarify your goals and declare a major that is a great fit for you.

Second, utilizing resources from the Boerigter Center can help you develop some action steps toward making the choice that's best for you.

Finally, and especially, talk through the decision with your academic advisor. Your advisor is there to help and can serve as an expert in helping you think through your academic program options.

IDS:295 The Second Seminar, Designing a Life that Matters

Did you know that there is a class offered here at Hope that was developed to help students who are unsure about what their major and career goals are? The Second Seminar is a 2 credits IDS course that also fulfills your Global Learning requirement. More about IDS:295

To get started on major discernment, browse through the sections below.

Know Who You Are

PERSONAL REFLECTION

Your foundation in choosing a major is to explore and consider your strengths, preferences, interests and goals. You might, for example, talk with your advisor or someone in Boerigter about:

What types of things excite you
When you have you enjoyed seeing your strengths and skills at work
How you have grown in the past couple years
Whether you bring any specific life goals with you to college
What academic and intellectual topics you find most interesting
What values are most important to you

TAKE AN ASSESSMENT

Boerigter Center for Calling and Career staff are available to help you further your self-awareness. They offer personality and interest assessments, along with many other tools to help you in your path of deciding on a major.

Know Your Academic Options

Aligning your strengths, preferences, interests and goals with your academic major will increase the likelihood that you will be satisfied by your field of study. View Hope’s academic programs to know your options, and explore careers through the Boerigter Center for Calling and Career.

Use YOUR COURSE SELECTIONS to Explore

Take advantage of the variety in Hope’s curriculum and strategically select general education courses that align with potential interests you want to explore. To get started, set up a meeting with a professor in an academic area you are interested in to learn more about the program.

EXPLORE THROUGH EXPERIENCE

Experiences beyond the classroom are key to testing your interests and further developing your strengths. Consider volunteering, student clubs and leadership, informational interviews, internships and international study. Make an appointment with us to reflect on the things you're experiencing in and out of the classroom to help choose your major.

Know Your Professional Options

KNOW YOUR OPTIONS

Explore “What Can I Do With A Major In...?” on the Boerigter Center website. The interests and skills you cultivate in your Hope courses can be applied in many different professions.

BE PREPARED

You can also learn about the work environment, required skills and preparation, and the future outlook for thousands of different professions at the Occupational Outlook Handbook. The Boerigter Center for Calling and Career offers additional job prep resources such as resume review, networking and interviewing training, and graduate school and job search resources.

Explore Your Vocation

The deepest vocational question is not ‘What ought I to do with my life?’ It is the more elemental and demanding ‘Who am I? What is my nature?’ —Parker Palmer

MORE THAN A CAREER

“Vocation” or “calling” is more than discovering a career or academic program that suits you. Your vocation is who you are and your unique combination of strengths and interests. This takes into consideration all aspects of your life: academics, family, profession, volunteering and more.

DISCERNING VOCATION

In addition to discerning your academic major, we want you to embrace a larger sense of life purpose. Hope is ready to support you in learning your strengths, interests and values. Ultimately, we want to help you discover ways to use them to make a difference in your community, profession and the world.

You are invited to make an appointment with Dr. Ryan White, director of Academic Advising, to further explore your sense of vocation.

Don't Be Afraid to Declare

Don't be afraid to declare your major. But there is no reason to feel rushed, either. Take time to consider and use the above resources to help make your decision.

Most students at Hope have declared their major program by the end of their sophomore year.

If you are at least 50% sure of a major, go ahead and declare it. It is often impossible to be 100% certain until you get involved in the major, try it out and build relationships with the faculty and other students. If you later discover that it is not the major for you, you can declare a different one.

Visit the Registrar's Office website for details on the process of completing a major declaration.