What Can I do with a Major in…?

In my former role as the director of a college career center, this particular question was VERY popular.  That is, “What Can I do with a Major in…business, or in psychology, or in biology, or whatever it was that the student in front of me happened to have chosen as a college major.  It was as if students viewed career decision making as a straight forward step by step process and that the choice of a college major (step A) would lead to the choice of a career (step B).  This is a common assumption and, to be honest, I must confess that it was one I held back when I was a college student.

Now the “What Can I do with a Major in…?” approach to career exploration can support you as you sort through career options that relate to academic subjects of interest.  One challenge with this approach, however, comes when you select a major that doesn’t have a direct connection to one or more careers.  English, or any other liberal arts major for that matter (philosophy, history, and so on), doesn’t directly relate to specific career fields in the way that say a more ‘career focused’ major, such as Education or Nursing, does.  A liberal arts degree is a great option but some might turn away from a liberal arts major because they can’t see how the major would lead to future employment (especially if college loans are up there).

Yes, you can explore career possibilities related to a specific college major but there are other ways to approach career exploration and decision making.  One great way is by thinking about careers that interest or excite you.  Once you come up with your top career interests, the choice of a college major can then take on another slant as you decide which college courses (college major and course electives) might support you in experimenting with and moving towards your career interest areas. 

So, you can think about careers that are related to a specific college major but, while you’re at it, also consider your career loves and how your college courses, including your major, will help you experiment with and move you closer towards work you would enjoy.

By Susan Posluszny, OPTIONS for Career & Life Planning LLC