Undeclared? Undecided?

Deciding upon a major and, ultimately, a career, can be overwhelming. The following guidelines were developed to make this process easier for you. The first step in career planning is to define the kinds of work you are interested in doing. A few ways to get started are:

• Attend a Major and Career Resources workshop.
• Read the classified section of the newspaper. Which ads appeal to you? What are the qualifications for the position?
• Complete a COPS Interest Inventory. The COPS is a pen and paper survey designed to give you a profile that compares the relative strengths of your interests to activities performed in different occupations. The COPS categorizes majors with appropriate occupations which can be further explored in the Dictionary of Occupational Titles or on the Department of Labor Web site.
• Check out FOCUS, Career and Educational Planning Solutions. FOCUS is an Internet-based Career and Education Planning System designed to provide you with personalized career and education exploration and planning services. FOCUS is easy to use and offers valid and reliable research-based career planning.
• Make an appointment with your First Year Faculty Advisor or Administrator in the First Year Advising Office.
• Visit the Experiential Education Web site to look at opportunities that might interest you.
• Attend the annual majors fair in the fall.
• Visit the Web site for undeclared students.
• Visit the First Year Advising Office Web site for detailed major and career information.

If you have some direction, but need additional information to decide, here are more hints for your search.

• Examine curriculum charts of majors you are considering. What are the classes required of those majors?
• Speak with advisors in the departments you are considering.
• Arrange with the Coordinator of Service Learning and Community Programs to volunteer in an area of interest.
• Discuss opportunities in Cooperative Education with the Director of Cooperative Education.