Major / Career FAQ

Choosing your major and/or minor field of study and ultimately your career can be very challenging. How do you know that a certain major or career field is right for you? After you have chosen a major area of study, what career options will you have?


For those interested in academic major exploration, the University of Arizona offers The Center for Exploratory Students (formerly known as the University College). They offer advising, assessments and resources to assist students with choosing an academic major. Career Services assists students with exploring what they can DO with their major in terms of a career. Additionally, we will assist you in putting your career plan into action by finding internships and/or jobs in whatever career field you choose.



Here are answers to some questions that you may have about choosing a major and/or career:



  1. How will I know that I have chosen the right major or career?
  2. Most of my friends seem so sure of what they want to do. Why am I having such trouble choosing a major/career?
  3. Is there a specific process I should go through in choosing a major or career?
  4. My parents want me to major in something "practical," but I am not interested in any of the majors they suggest. What advice do you have?
  5. What can I major in that will guarantee me a great job when I graduate?
  6. How can I learn about career options with my major?
  7. When should I start thinking about choosing a career?
  8. I know I should be thinking about doing an internship, but I am not sure what career I want to pursue. What advice do you have?
  9. I want to change my major. How do I do that?
  10. Are they any really great careers for SBS, Humanities, or Fine Arts majors?


How will I know that I have chosen the right major or career?
A great question, and one worth thinking about, whether or not you have already chosen your major or career field. Many people just sort of "fall into" a major or career without giving it a lot of thought. Many people discover after several years that they are not happy with their choice, but feel "stuck" with it.

One way to be more certain of your decisions is to really explore your own interests, values, and skills in relation to the world of academia and work. Career counselors and major exploration professionals ask questions like, "What are you interested in?" (interests), and "What are you good at?" (skills), and "What is important to you?" (values). They then help you find majors and careers that fit for you.

For major exploration you have the staff and resources of The Center for Exploratory Students located in the Integrated Learning Center (ILC) near the Main Library, offering assessments, information, and advising about academic major choices.

Located on the 4th floor of the Student Union Memorial Center, Career Services offers career counseling and guidance, career assessments, information, and programs to assist you in gaining career-related experience prior to graduation. Career Services offers services and programs to assist you in gaining full-time professional employment after graduation in addition tp preparing to apply to graduate schools. Stop by the office, or call (520) 621-2588 to schedule an appointment with a Career Counselor.

Take advantage of ALL of the resources available to you, and you have a much better chance of making the right choices for you.

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Most of my friends seem so sure of what they want to do. Why am I having such trouble choosing a major/career?
Appearances can be deceiving. Those seemingly self-assured friends of yours may be just around the corner from a reality check. Think of the University of Arizona as one of the world's greatest smorgasbords. Your friends may have chosen to sample only one of the many exquisite selections before them (120+ majors). Confusion is not only understandable when you are confronted with so many attractive options, it is a NECESSARY part of the decision making process. Making a decision before you have explored your options is not wise, even if it makes you seem to know what you want.

At the UA, 20% of the entering freshmen class list their major as "undecided." It is not unusual to enter college without a clear idea of what your major will be. The early years of your collegiate experience should be about exploring academic options and your interests, not stressing over this imaginary "should" (You SHOULD choose a major/know exactly what you want to do with your life).

Some prestigious Ivy League colleges won't even let their students select a major until the beginning of their junior year. They basically force their students to take a wide variety of classes for 2 years, to expose them to different academic fields. Why? Because that is exactly what students should be doing in their first 2 years of college. The point is to expand your horizons, not pigeon-hole you too early into a specific major that may or may not fit.

For major exploration, you have the staff and resources of The Center for Exploratory Students, located in the Integrated Learning Center (ILC) near the Main Library offering assessments, information, and advising about academic major choices.

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Is there a specific process I should go through in choosing a major or career?
There is no one process that fits for everyone. People make decisions differently. Some can read about different majors and careers and then make a perfectly sound decision based on that. Others might need to go out and actually experience a major by taking a class, or career by doing an internship, before they can make a decision. Which way is correct? Both!

A Career Counselor or major exploration professional can help you use your natural decision making tools to hone in on majors and careers that will fit for you. You will be exploring your interests, values, and skills, and then finding which majors and/or careers match. In this way you can choose a major and career where you will find the work interesting, challenging, and important.

The first step is self-exploration. Don't rush through this part, it is incredibly important. Take a career assessment such as DISCOVER online, and then discuss your results with a Career Counselor. This will be a good starting point for further exploration.

For major exploration you have the staff and resources of The Center for Exploratory Students located in the Integrated Learning Center (ILC) near the Main Library, offering assessments, information, and academic advising about majors.

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My parents want me to major in something "practical," but I am not interested in any of the majors they suggest. What advice do you have?
This is a difficult and painful situation to be in. Parents, often with the best of intentions, can unknowingly hinder your development as an individual when they limit your choices before you have the chance to explore your options. Ultimately it is YOU who will have to live with your decisions, and you should be treated with respect as you go through this important time of your life. Here are some suggestions.

Learn all that you can about career opportunities in a field that you ARE interested in. You are going to have to convince your parents that you are capable of making sound career choices for yourself, and that there are excellent career opportunities in the field of your interest. Often, parents (students too) suffer from a lack of information about the vast variety of careers out there. Get your facts straight and then make your case.

For major exploration you have the staff and resources of The Center for Exploratory Students, located in the Integrated Learning Center (ILC) near the Main Library, offering assessments, information, and advising about academic major choices.

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What can I major in that will guarantee me a great job when I graduate?
It is a myth that there is a major out there that comes with a "guarantee" of a job at graduation. It is also a myth that there are majors that guarantee that you will NOT get a job. The truth is that EVERY MAJOR teaches valuable career-related skills that employers want. It is also true that no matter what your major, you still need to gain career-related experience outside of the classroom if you are going to be competitive in the job market after graduation.

The best advice is for you to explore your own interests, skills and values with a major exploration professional (academic advisors through The Center for Exploratory Students) and a Career Counselor (Career Services), and find majors and careers that match your profile. Then seek out career-related experiences to augment your studies and add to your resume.

In short, there are no majors that come with a guarantee, but if you make use of the vast resources of this University, you will have a MUCH greater chance of success!

For major exploration you have the staff and resources of The Center for Exploratory Students, located in the Integrated Learning Center (ILC) near the Main Library, offering assessments, information, and advising about academic major choices.

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How can I learn about career options with my major?
Career options are plentiful regardless of your major. The central question is, "What would you ENJOY doing?" From there you can develop a plan of action to get you where you want to go.

Start with a visit to UA Career Services (both online and in person). There is a section of the website called, What Can I Do With This Major/Degree? which lists a good number of career possibilities for specific majors. Emphasis on a "good number," as in not ALL possibilities. The choices for any given major are virtually limitless. 
The DISCOVER program also provides detailed descriptions of majors related to careers in addition to occupational descriptions with potential major choices to consider to prepare for various occupations.

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When should I start thinking about choosing a career?
By clicking on this question you have given yourself away. You already ARE thinking about choosing a career. From the time we are very young children; different careers capture our attention and imagination. It is never too early to start exploring your options, but it is highly recommended that you not wait until the end of your senior year (like many do unfortunately).

You might begin with some online career assessments such as DISCOVER. There are also many other CAREER ASSESSMENTS to choose from on the UA Career Services website.

Collect your results from several assessments and then make an appointment to visit with a Career Counselor here at UA Career Services. Bring in your results and we will assist you in clarifying some career goals, and assist you with making a plan of action. Call (520) 621-2588 for an appointment.

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I know I should be thinking about doing an internship, but I am not sure what career I want to pursue. What advice would you have?
You do not need to be 100% certain of your career goals before doing an internship. An internship might be part of your plan to "try on" a specific career to see if it fits for you. There are many other ways to clarify your career goals as well, so a visit with a UA Career Counselor should be on your agenda as well.

The Campus Interviewing Program through UA Career Services is a program designed to assist you in finding and landing an internship. Complete the online orientation for the Campus Interviewing Program here.

For major exploration you have the staff and resources of The Center for Exploratory Students located in the Integrated Learning Center (ILC) near the Main Library, offering assessments, information, and advising about academic major choices.

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I want to change my major. How do I do that?
 If you are certain that a change in academic major is the right decision for you, then contact the academic advisor of the program you want to change to in order  to obtain the proper forms. They will explain the procedure to you. The Advising Resource Center Web site lists all the advisors on campus for all academic majors.

If you would like to discuss your decision with a UA Career Counselor, please call (520) 621-2588 to schedule an appointment.

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Are there any really great careers for SBS, Humanities, or Fine Arts majors?
College career professionals have heard it all (and then some). This or that major is WORTHLESS! There are no jobs for Humanities majors, or SBS majors, or Fine Arts. If you want a job when you graduate you MUST major in Business or Engineering! To be succinct about the matter, that is a lot of BUNK.

A recent survey of Fortune 500 CEO's found that over 40% had undergraduate degrees in something OTHER than business. Many had a Liberal Arts background. This illustrates that employers are interested in many college majors.

The answer to the question is yes, absolutely, unequivocally there are AWESOME career opportunities out there for any student, in any major, who has the perseverance to wade through the formidable misinformation and develop a career plan of action. If you would like to speak with a Career Services Counselor, please call (520) 621-2588 to schedule an appointment.

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