Choosing a MajorAcademic Support Center

Students are encouraged to declare a major by the spring semester of their sophomore year. There are many resources and strategies for deciding on a major, double major, or minor. Think about how you have made big decisions in the past — what kind of information you needed, what kind of experiences you needed to have to make an informed decision. Choosing a major or minor may be a similar process for you.

Some strategies to consider:

• A liberal arts curriculum allows you to complete many electives → take new classes to explore areas unfamiliar to you.
• Consider what courses you enjoy → take an additional course in this discipline.
• Look through Gustavus majors and minors online or in the college catalog. Look at the requirements for each major or minor.
• Read course descriptions and find classes that sound interesting. See if there is a theme that emerges.

Faculty and staff are available to help you find ways to explore majors:

• Visit with Academic Support Center staff → talk through careful course selection and planning out possible majors/minors.
• Visit with your advisor and other faculty → especially on Advising Day, which is held each semester. Go into these conversations with a list of questions about the major and potential career opportunities.
• While you are taking the time to choose your major, check out Career Development’s Major Decision Guide, their Still Deciding career interest area, or take a career assessment. An assessment will connect your interests with career areas, occupations, and general college majors.