How to Decide on Your Major

Co-authored by Alexander Ruiz, M.Ed.

Last Updated: February 9, 2023 References

Choosing a major can be a daunting task, especially when it seems like everybody around you has already set their futures in stone. While your choice of major is by no means permanent, choosing the right major early on can save you a great deal of time and money. Read this article to learn how.

Part 1

Part 1 of 2:

Looking at the Big Questions

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Consider your passions, interests, and values. These questions are extremely important, but are far too often overlooked by students. Instead, people tend to ask themselves: "What jobs can I get with this major?" "What can I do with this major?" It's important to remember that your major isn't necessarily a direct route to a future career. Even if you do get the job you were planning on getting your freshman year, the best way to ensure happiness and success in that job is to do something you care about. And that starts with your education.^{[1]
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- Ask yourself, "What do I lose time doing when I'm alone or with friends?"^{[2]
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  Expert Source
  
  Alexander Ruiz, M.Ed.
  Educational Consultant
  Expert Interview. 18 June 2020.}
- When considering your passions, think beyond hobbies like sports or musical instruments. Think about the impact that you want to make on the world and the legacy you want to leave behind. Are you passionate about business? Do you want to save the environment? Are you an artist? Do you love math? Do you want to be a doctor?^{[3]
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- Keep in mind that not only may your interests change over the next four years, but that technology and the economy are constantly changing. By the time you graduate, the job you were planning on getting could be obsolete, while hundreds of new jobs that never existed before may have emerged.
2
Think of your favorite subjects and classes in high school. Even if you don't know what you want to be "when you grow up," you can still determine your skills and interests by looking back at your academic history. Consider not only which subjects you enjoyed the most, but which subjects you excelled at.^{[4]
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- Which classes were the most exciting and inspiring to you? Were they science classes? Math classes? English classes? Creative classes like art or theater?
- Consider which classes you performed the best in. "Easy A" classes don't count; think of challenging and comprehensive classes in which you performed well.
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Consider job prospects, but don't obsess over them. Don't think of choosing a major as applying for a job; think of it as choosing your life's path. The jobs, internships, and other opportunities that open up for you as a result of following your passion come second. On the other hand, if your passion lines up with your career plans, then choose the major that will get you there fastest. If you want to be a doctor and have always wanted to be a doctor, then consider majoring in biology.
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Decide what type of degree you want. While you may still be totally lost, you can narrow down your decision by deciding between a Bachelor of Arts (BA) and Bachelor of Sciences (BS). Remember that the classifications for BA and BS may vary between schools, but in general, the following guidelines apply:^{[5]
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- BA degrees include liberal arts and social science majors like Political Science, International Relations, English, Art History, Sociology, and Cultural Anthropology. This major could transfer you into graduate school where you can continue your education to obtain a masters degree or even further.^{[6]
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- BS degrees include science and math majors like Engineering, Biology, Evolutionary Anthropology, and Economics. These degrees are for people that are pursuing a Bachelors degree.^{[7]
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Part 2

Part 2 of 2:

Exploring Your Options

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Read the course catalog at your college or university. If you have already been accepted to a school, then read the course catalog to learn about the different majors, their requirements, and the types of courses involved. Remember that sometimes the titles of classes are misleading, so be sure to read some of the course descriptions for more details.
- Be sure to read an up-to-date course catalog, as majors and their requirements change over time.
- Take into account the number of units you will need to take, the subject matter, and the work load.
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Consider your school's reputation. Does your school specialize in Journalism? Agriculture? Medicine? Engineering? If the quality of the education you receive is of utmost importance to you and you are still undecided between majors, then consider which departments or majors your school is most well-known for.
- Do some research on your college to learn about which departments are most reputable, and which professors are most esteemed and recognized in the academic community.
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Set up a meeting with a counselor. Whether you are undecided between two or more majors, or have absolutely no idea what major to choose, then set up a meeting with a counselor at your college. If you haven't graduated yet, then set up a meeting with your high school counselor.^{[8]
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- Remember that colleges have counselors that specialize in different departments, so they can fill you in on any unanswered questions.

Expert Q&A

Question

How do I choose a major if I like everything?

Alexander Ruiz, M.Ed.
Educational Consultant
Alexander Ruiz is an Educational Consultant and the Educational Director of Link Educational Institute, a tutoring business based in Claremont, California that provides customizable educational plans, subject and test prep tutoring, and college application consulting. With over a decade and a half of experience in the education industry, Alexander coaches students to increase their self-awareness and emotional intelligence while achieving skills and the goal of achieving skills and higher education. He holds a BA in Psychology from Florida International University and an MA in Education from Georgia Southern University.

Alexander Ruiz, M.Ed.

Educational Consultant

Expert Answer

If you really like everything, you can use more functional and objective factors to decide on a major or on a college, like pricing, distance, support from your family and many other things.
Question

How do I improve interest towards studying and how do I know which subject is my favorite?

Community Answer

Once you have mostly subjects that interest you, it will be easier to motivate yourself to study them. In order to find your favorites, look how you like to spend your day.
Question

I'm a foundation student and my major is accounting, and honesty that isn't what I love, but I choose to study it because of my parents. Now I want to change my major, but I'm still hesitant between IR and Law. How can I decide?

Community Answer

It can be hard when your parents want you to be something but you really want to do something else. The first step is to talk to you parents about how you feel. The next step is to go to your school counselor and ask them for help deciding on IR or Law. Weigh the pros and cons of each, but remember to choose what you feel is best for you and no one else.