Find Your Perfect Major.
Considering that Florida Atlantic University offers a multitude of degrees; how is one to choose? Most students begin college with some idea of what they want to study, but it is not uncommon for them to change majors. My own children changed their major or minor a few times before finding their perfect fit.
Changing and choosing a major isn’t always easy. There are several ways you can support your student as they are trying to decide or consider changing a major. One of the main reasons students reconsider or hesitate to declare a major is because they do not understand the career options associated with it. Encourage your students to search the undergraduate catalog to see what courses are required in majors that are interesting to them. They should also meet with an academic advisor and visit the Career Center. The career center is a great resource for students to discover what job options go along with each major and what the demand is for those jobs.
Students at FAU are encouraged to choose a major upon admission, but there is also an option to choose Undeclared or Exploratory as a major, which allows students to take a variety of classes and declare during sophomore year. Make the most of any interests and skills while taking all those required general education courses and use that time to uncover avenues that may lead to a new study and career choices.
Should they decide to change their major during their time at FAU, they will need to speak to their Academic Advisor. Students who have completed less than 30 credit hours of coursework are able to change their major right with their academic advisor with the exception of students in specific programs. If a student has more than 30 credit hours and is changing majors to a different college, they must consult an academic advisor at that college. The bottom line, as a student progresses further into their time at FAU, it becomes more difficult to change majors (and graduate on time).
Encourage your student to get involved on campus or in the community. Student organizations, part-time jobs, or volunteer roles are all good ways for students to investigate career options and network with professionals. There are a great many clubs and organizations at FAU where students can get involved.
There are so many classes out there that may change their lives, but they won’t know until they take them. Spending a little time surveying, investigating and exploring can lead to some eye-opening adventures and life-changing discovery. When my daughter began the job hunt, we learned that some degrees may be interchangeable with the job they apply for. Her having internships and holding positions with many different organizations and events at FAU was what ultimately helped her land a job.
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