Upon completion of high school, you realize that it’s time to select a field of interest for you to pursue in college. But there are chances that you may be confused or unsure about what to take up. An undeclared major basically tells you that it’s okay to be confused about the choice of major that you should take in college. While many may think that it has its own set of side-effects and may not want to leave something undecided; I’d say that it is always better to be safe than sorry. In this article, you’ll learn about everything related to undeclared majors and how it helps you in making your final decision.
What Is An Undecided Major?
An undecided or undeclared major allows you to explore your career goals and ultimately decide what you’d wish to take up in the freshman year of college. When you want a college degree but you’re unsure about what you’d want to major in; that’s when you select an undecided college major. Many students take a few general education classes to discover what they like and dislike about various fields. This can give them a better sense of what subjects they wish to pursue. Though it’s a good idea to go into college with some idea of what you’d like to do, it’s okay to wait a semester or two to find your specialization within a field.
Are Undeclared, Undecided Major And Exploration The Same?
Yes! While some college portals may include the option: ‘undecided major’ for students like you to select; some colleges call it ‘Exploration’. But, in actuality, they are the same, indicating that you’re exploring your major options on the basis of several factors including personal goals, course framework, courses involved in the major, and your long-term career goals. While selecting an elective course in university is an easier option, deciding a major will impact your career. You can take a look at the chart below to see what a student goes through or should go through during the major exploration process.
Source: California State University
Pros Of An Undecided Major
If you decide to explore your major, it only means that you’re buying time for yourself to select what’s best for you. Making a careful decision and discovering your interest is never harmful for you. In fact, in the long run, it is only going to be beneficial for you. When you visit your university open day; be sure to take note of all the majors that you’re interested in exploring so that it will be easier for you to zero down on your choice of major later. Here are some of the advantages of opting for an exploration:
Diversity
Starting your college with undecided majors gives you the freedom and opportunity of attending a variety of classes along with your general classes so you end up having a diversified friend circle. Sometimes attending only major classes and classes of general education can be very boring but this way you get to interact with a wide range of people.
As an undecided major, you will be free to attend several classes with different colleges within your university. It will give you a wide perspective and will help you to look beyond your horizon.
Finding Your Passion
Choosing an undeclared major even helps to discover your passion. Sometimes many students come up with the concept that after attending college as an undecided major option they have discovered such passions that they never realized they had. This makes them happy and motivates them to even work harder for their newfound passion.
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Trying Out Various Majors
Once you choose your major and enroll into the university of your choice, there’s no going back. Being undecided helps you to try out every major you are interested in. But if you have decided your major and have declared it then you are simply told to attend stipulated classes of that major. An undeclared major gives you the luxury to try out all possible options and then decide what you want to pursue.
Cons Of An Undecided Major
While the disadvantages aren’t adverse, you should also be aware of the possible cons of taking an undeclared major. Here’s what you need to know:
Not All Classes Will Count As Your Major
One of the major demerits is you end up taking classes of different majors which does not count to your major. But the credit hours will still be counted in the overall number of credit hours and this just causes you to take more classes than the average student. Some classes count for general education courses in specific majors.
It Could Cause you to Graduate Late
The second major disadvantage is that taking classes of other majors won’t count towards your majors. Meaning, you have to devote that many credit hours towards your major. It may take more time for you to finish those many hours. It may cause you to graduate late and therefore, finding a job after college will also be delayed in the process because you may graduate after four years.
Also, if you are attending college for one more year then you also have to pay for one more year. Thus it consumes more time and money. But this is worth it if you find your interest and passion instead of just jumping into any random major.
It Could Confuse You Further
Though the chances of one getting confused are very rare, it can still happen. It may confuse you further. Taking classes of all different majors as an undeclared major student may mislead you further. You might not be convinced and you may land up confused. But colleges provide all kinds of resources, assistance, and even advisors who will be helping you in choosing a major and eventually of course you will not end up confused.
Thank you for reading this blog on What Is An Undeclared Major? If you wish to read more about university related tips and scholarship opportunities; these blogs may be of interest:
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I have done Bachelor’s in Culinary Arts from India and completed my graduation in the year 2022 .I am 22 years old. After graduation, I have done 1 year paid internship from USA .Now, I would like to take occupational experience and learn culinary skills and also do masters in Culinary arts.How can I find the college n best course / country where I can persue studying further