Gathering information about various majors and your destination is important in deciding where you want to be after graduation.

Before taking any big trip, you must gather information about the roads and cities by researching and purchasing accurate maps.  A valuable method for learning about the best places for dining and sightseeing is to talk to local citizens.  Likewise, when deciding on a major, talk to professors, friends, alumni and family members in various majors and career fields to get an idea of the opportunities, prerequisites, and general rigor of the major and how their major relates to particular career fields.

The Academic Advising Center sponsors a Choosing a Major workshop and a Discover Your Major Fair that can help you start the process of exploring all of the majors Chapman has to offer.  Additionally, attending a student organization meeting, volunteering, and participating in internships or research opportunities may help you gain a better understanding of certain majors. 

To learn about the academic requirements for the majors you are interested in, check out the current University catalog.

Some of you may know exactly where you want to be after graduation, but do not know how to get there.  In this case, exploring your destination (career field) is in order.

Studies show that students who have gathered information by way of researching the ins and outs of a career through talking to professionals, participating in internships, and sorting through printed and online resources are said to have greater "career maturity."  Subsequently, these students are more focused on successfully finding and beginning a career shortly after graduation.

The Career Development Center offers printed and online resources, individual counseling, Career Fairs and internship opportunities for students wishing to explore career options.

Congratulations on deciding on a major!

By going through this process, hopefully you have gained a better sense of yourself and where you are going.  Although you have decided on a major, your trip has not ended.  It is important to continuously review and evaluate how you are doing in your major, participate in career-related opportunities such as conducting research with a professor, participating in internships, and exploring study abroad and career possibilities for your major during your junior and senior years.

This process has fueled you with the appropriate tools and skills to make informed decisions.  Making major decisions will confront you throughout your life, but rest assured that you have mastered the basics for collecting and analyzing relevant information needed to make these decisions.  We hope you will utilize the idea of a "process" when faced with critical decisions in life beyond Chapman, but for now, your goal is to immerse yourself in the culture of the major, find your niche, and begin thinking of "movin' on up."

Content used with permission from Hartwick University Academic Advising