How to select a major

If you are wondering what to major (study) in and how to select the "best" one you are not alone. This is a fundamental question that all students planning to go to college ask. First of all what is a major's purpose? Majors are part of the academic process that leads to earning a degree. Because majors are designed for academics rather than for career purposes it is sometimes hard to link one's major with a specific career or kind of employment.

1. In order to chose a major it is necessary to understand yourself and how you relate to the world of work. In other words you must assess yourself. The more you understand yourself the clearer your life goals and ways to reach them will become. You can best understand yourself by identifying your likes and interests. To find your likes go to www.cmi-lmi.com/kingdomality.html - scroll down and click on the word KINGDOMALITY. This assessment is simple. Completion time is about ten to fifteen minutes.


Alternatively ask yourself the following questions, which will give you some important clues:

What do you truly enjoy? Recall classes and activities you liked the best. What did they involve? Why did you enjoy them? Did these activities involve others?

What are you good at? Identify your skills and abilities? What types of activities do you do well in? Do they involve working with others or alone? Were they adventurous? Do you pay close attention to detail?

What is important to you? Is it money, prestige or your actual work product? Is being creative or having security more important than earning lots of money? Think about your values, do they fit into your idea of work?

What is your ideal job? Describe it in detail. Do you know anyone that has this job? Try to meet such a person and ask them about their work and how they got there.

2. After you have identified your likes next identify your interests and personal style. The following link WHO AM I is an excellent tool to complete this exercise. Once you have identified your likes, interests and personal style you have profile of yourself. In other words you have identified your values, abilities and skills.

3. With your profile you are now ready to investigate the world of work. Since you will be working in the UAE it is important you become familiar with what is happening in the cities you would want to work in. For example what industries in Dubai are growing and will most likely be hiring the year you anticipate you will have completed your studies? Are these in sectors where you have an interest? Do the jobs in this area fit your profile?

The best way to learn about what is happening employment wise in any major city is to read the newspapers, talk with your family and friends. Speak to an academic advisor or a teacher you trust and discuss your thoughts. Also going online and investigating majors at universities is helpful. Get to know people in the job sector you are interested in and talk with them about how they entered that field. Make a list of the majors that the people you have spoken with stated they majored in which helped them to secure a particular job.

Basically you are gathering information and learning about the majors that led to these jobs. Visit www.iqea.org it provides comprehensive information about what kind of jobs result from studying different majors. Read about the majors on your list and adjust it (add or delete) as you go along. After your investigation, ask yourself, how do I fit in?

4. Now it's time to evaluate the information and make the best decision. Review your list of majors and notes to it and decide on the majors that best suits your profile and best fits into the world of work. If you have more than one major that meets your profile talk with an academic advisor to help you further. At this point you should be able to confidently select a major. Go for it and declare your major! Your journey has begun. Good luck!

What's your major?

Chances are, you'll hear that question countless times before you graduate. Some students know exactly what major they will choose and have their career path planned out when they enter college. Most students, however, need to do some exploration before they decide on a major. It is better to take your time and choose a major best suited to you than to be close to graduation and find out you've made a poor choice. It takes time and research to find the major that best suits you. The following resources are here to assist you in choosing a major.

How to select Your major

Selecting a major is the first step towards establishing your career after college. It is not unusual for students to not have a declared major (or even an idea of one) upon starting college or change their major during their time in college. Deciding on your major is one of the most important college decisions, but can sometimes be one of the more complicated. A step-by-step guide is provided below to help you start making that decision and your Advisor is always available to assist.

STEP 1: Consider your options

A listing of all available majors, concentrations, and degree programs offered are approachable online (paper copy and online). On this list, circle the majors that interest you, and cross off the majors that do not.

STEP 2: Get the facts

Pick up information from specific departments on any majors that appeal to you. Speak with faculty members and advisors in your prospective majors' departments and colleges. Talk to other students in your prospective major. Take an introductory course in your prospective major. Take advantage of career counseling on campus. Explore majors on the internet.

STEP 3: Review your options

Shorten your list of possible majors to two or three that interest you the most and ask yourself the following questions about them:

    What subjects will I study?
      What is the disciplinary focus of the major?
    What are the major and related course requirements for this major?
     Will I enjoy these courses?
    What minors or other courses might complement this major?
    Does this major provide an opportunity for internships, faculty research, and/or experiential learning?
    What skills will this major help me to develop?
    Is graduate school usually required to work in fields associated with this major?
    What kinds of jobs do students in this major pursue?

STEP 4: Make a decision

If you have followed the steps above, you should be ready to choose a major that best meets your needs and interests. Don't be afraid to make a decision. You are likely to succeed in a major you enjoy because you will commit the time and effort necessary to be successful.

How To Declare or change a major

The department of your major has a form for you to fill out to declare your major. After you have filed the form with the department, you will be assigned a faculty advisor.

Even after careful consideration, you may later decide to change to another major. Simply, go to the department of the new major and fill out the form to change your major. The new major will automatically replace the old major. A new faculty advisor will be assigned to you. Please note that, realistically, the more credit hours that have accumulated, the harder it can become to actually change into another major without losing some of those hours.

About your faculty advisor

Once you declare a major, you will be assigned a faculty advisor. This faculty member will work with you in your major to make sure you are on track with course selection, specific major requirements, and additional opportunities. Be sure to utilize your advisor to the fullest; they can help you make the most of your time.

Major information bulletin

In each Major Information Bulletin, you will find resources to help you explore the possibilities of that major. A summary describing the major, a listing of career options, and a sample course schedule are all included to offer you as much information as possible in making your decision. Along with your Academic Advisor, a College Advisor is also available to assist.