{"id":4104,"date":"2022-01-17T17:29:36","date_gmt":"2022-01-18T00:29:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.decidemymajor.dev.cc\/?page_id=4104"},"modified":"2022-01-17T18:30:30","modified_gmt":"2022-01-18T01:30:30","slug":"switching-majors","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.decidemymajor.dev.cc\/switching-majors\/","title":{"rendered":"Switching Majors"},"content":{"rendered":"

In this article, we\u2019ll walk through an eight-step plan for switching college majors, including how to know if you should switch (steps 1 and 2) and what to do about it (steps 3\u20138). If you\u2019re uncertain about your current major or you\u2019re having trouble deciding what to switch to, this article is for you.<\/p>\n

Step 1: Categorize Your Current Major<\/h2>\n

In my opinion, there are two fundamental types of college major: majors that prepare you for a specific career (\u201ccareer prep\u201d) and majors that have you study a subject for its own sake (\u201cself-improvement\u201d). Let\u2019s take a minute to explore these categories so we can use them later.<\/p>\n

Career prep majors prepare you for a specific career by helping you master job skills and acquire mandatory credentials. For example, actuarial science focuses on the knowledge and skills (e.g., probability, statistical computer programming) needed to succeed as an actuary, plus it prepares you for the certification exams. Similarly, elementary education arms you with theories of learning, gives you the opportunity to start honing your craft through student teaching, and gets you on track to become certified as an elementary school teacher.<\/p>\n

In contrast, self-improvement majors do not prepare you for a specific post-graduation job; they encourage you to dive deep into one academic subject, study it from many angles, and learn how to overcome challenging material. If pursued wholeheartedly, self-improvement majors can serve as a great opportunity to improve your general abilities\u2014critical thinking, analytical reasoning, persuasive writing, etc.\u2014which can serve you in many areas of life and work. Many self-improvement majors fit within the conventional idea of liberal arts (such as math and East Asian studies), but almost any major can be self-improvement if its approached out of interest in the subject rather than interest in the job opportunities.<\/p>\n

So, is your current major focused on preparing you for a specific career or encouraging you to study a subject for its own sake? Put another way, is your current major better categorized as career prep or self-improvement? If you\u2019re unsure, treat it as both for the rest of this guide.<\/p>\n

Step 2: Check for Indicators<\/h2>\n

Next, we\u2019ll use your answer from step 1 to look for indications you may be in the wrong major.<\/p>\n

If you answered career prep, how many of these match your situation?<\/p>\n