Choosing a major may seem easy for some people and yet the hardest decision in the world for others. Everybody goes about the process differently and makes the choices they make for very different reasons. It’s important to remember that it’s okay to not know what to major in–to explore and take your time to find out where your interests really lie before jumping into something you’re not sure of. Many college students change their majors at least once during their college years!

Where are you in the process of choosing a major?

Click on one of the statements below that best fits you to find potential resources or answers to your question or, look at the bottom of this page to find quick links for information you need.

1. I don’t know what I’m interested in…
2. I don’t know what majors and concentrations St. Olaf offers…
3. I have some majors in mind, but need to know more about them…
4. I have some majors in mind, but need to know what I can do with them…
5. I’m interested in everything… Should I triple major?
6. I know which type of job I want, but not which major will get me there…
7. I feel unsatisfied with my choice of major. What next?
8. St. Olaf doesn’t offer exactly what I want in a major. What can I do?
9. I’ve decided on a major! What can I do next?

General

• Choosing a College Major: How to Chart Your Ideal Path

Descriptions of Departments and Majors

• Academic Majors and Programs

Majors Connected with Careers

• Online Alumni Directory – Search database by major to see what alums are doing
• What Can I Do With This Major? . . . (University of Tennessee)
• What can I do with a major in . . . (University of North Carolina at Wilmington)
• Employers by Major (Buzzfile) – Search for employers by major, by state, or by industry

Descriptions of Careers

• Spotlight on Careers – a Liberal Arts Career NetWORK (LACN) sponsored site for career advice for off-campus use (username: spotlightkey; password: lacn18)
• Vault Campus – Vault.com provides in-depth intelligence on what it’s really like to work in an industry, company or profession—and how to position yourself to land that job.
• O*NET – provides comprehensive occupational descriptions and data
• Occupational Outlook Handbook – search hundreds of different types of jobs and learn the training and education needed, earnings, expected job prospects, what workers do on the job and working conditions
• Iseek – Minnesota’s career, education and job resource
• Career Stories – job descriptions and advice from hundreds of people working in real jobs