Tips on Choosing a Major
Begin with self-reflection. In order to make informed choices about majors and careers, students need to first evaluate their values, interests, personality traits, and skills.
- Interests: What do you enjoy doing? What subjects do you like?
- Personality: What energizes you? What environment suits your learning and work style?
- Values: What's important to you? What motivates you to take action?
- Skills: What are activities in which you excel? What are your natural abilities?
Evaluating these personal areas requires honest reflection and many students and alumni find it helpful to work with a Career Consultant to ensure that they are conducting a thorough self-assessment.
There is no "career test" that can determine what path you should pursue. However, there are online assessments offered through the Career Center that can help you identify careers related to your interests, personality type, values, and skills. We encourage you to discuss your results with a Career Consultant for a clear understanding of how this information can help you in career planning.
Consider what you learned through self-assessment and explore your options.
- Look at a complete list of UA majors
- Cross off any you would not consider, but do not eliminate majors simply because you know nothing about them
- Gather additional information about majors through the UA Catalog and departmental Web sites
- Talk with faculty and students to learn more details about classes and projects
If you have trouble working through these steps, you might want to consider possible issues preventing you from making a decision. Many factors can contribute to the difficulty of choosing a major or career. We invite you to meet with your Career Consultant to discuss choosing your major.
Online Assesments via Career Center
Other Assessments
Note: Before taking the MBTI and Strong assessments, you must meet with a Career Consultant. The links provided above are for informational purposes only.