How to Choose Your Major

  • Step 1Assess Yourself
  • Step 2Gather Information and Explore Options
  • Step 3Evaluate and Make Your Major Decision
  • Step 4Take Action

Your first step is to do some self-assessment. The more you understand yourself, the clearer your life goals and the way to reach them will become.

  • Asking yourself the following questions will give you some important clues:
    • What do you truly enjoy? Consider the classes and activities that you have liked the best. What did they involve? Why did you enjoy them? There are careers related to every interest you have!
    • What are you good at? Identify your skills and abilities. What types of things do you seem to do well? Are they technical…adventurous…intellectual?
    • What is really important to you? Is enjoying your work more important than prestige? Is creativity more important than security? You want your choice to be compatible with your values.
    • What is the coolest job you can imagine? Describe it as specifically as you can. Try to locate and contact one or two people in this area and ask them how they got there.
  • Complete the Focus 2 Online Assessment (login required) 
    • Download Getting Started with Focus 2 (PDF)
    • Focus 2 is a free resource for all UNG students and alumni. It offers several quick assessments you may complete online, which will provide you with career suggestions based on your answers.  This tool also helps you begin researching these career ideas, providing you specific information about job tasks, salaries and projected outlook for the profession.  We recommend meeting with a Career Services Specialist to discuss your results and next steps.

  • Examine the degrees and programs available at UNG.
    • Make a list of your options and eliminate those that don’t interest you.
    • Read about the majors remaining on your list.
    • Review the course catalog to view the courses that are required to complete the degree. 
    • Mark the courses in each major that most interest you, match your abilities, and share your values. This should help you further shorten your list.
  • Review additional information about the majors on your short list.
    • Visit each department’s web pages, or read print materials they offer.
    • Talk with an academic adviser, students currently in these majors, and faculty members.
  • Visit Career Services.
    • We offer workshops in choosing a major, college transfer etc.
    • Talk with a career counselor.

The more information you find, the more informed your final decision will be.

  • It’s time to put together the information you have collected. Consider what you have learned. Weigh the pros and cons of each option. If you haven’t already, narrow your list down to two or three majors.
  • If you are still having difficulty deciding, talk with an adviser or career counselor who can help you evaluate the information you have collected, suggest additional resources, and guide you through the decision-making process.

  • Sample courses in the majors you are considering.
  • Choose student activities, internships, volunteer work, and/or part-time employment that can help you further develop your skills in areas that interest you.
  • Talk to people who work in the career fields you are considering. Ask them about their major and how it helped them.
  • Go for it! Declare your major.