Undecided/exploring
Not sure of your major? You're not alone! Nearly two-thirds of Central's first year students are unclear about their major when they arrive on campus. And this is as it should be! Your first year is one of EXPLORING, and that can be both casual, spontaneous and also intentional and prescribed.
Key people to help you explore are your academic advisor, instructors of Intersections, and staff of the Career Center. Activities at Central help you discover more about your interests, abilities, and college majors and include the following:
- Take a variety of courses from various disciplines that interest you. Your advisor will guide you. Investigate the subject matter, how the major progresses, faculty in the major, and level of "fit" between your interests and the field of study. Remember that Central foundations courses are an efficient way to test out a possible major and build one's skills at the same time.
- Meet with Pat Kitzman or Karen Eilers from the Career Center to talk about majors and career direction. Complete an interest inventory and personality indicator for self-discovery.
- Gather self-assessment and career information from a number of web sites available from the Career Center.
- Ask yourself: "What skills and strengths do I have? Where do I find satisfaction? What really excites me? What could I get passionate about? How hard am I willing to work to get what I want? Will my skills be marketable? What do I have to offer?"
- Take a one-credit course, Exploring Experience, to examine personal interests and abilities, investigate various majors and careers, and intentionally begin the career development process.
- Attend a "majors panel" offered each semester and hear from upper level students about majors of interest.
- Interview faculty and seniors in majors of interest. The Career Center has lists of questions to ask.
- Review current information about majors of interest from the Central web site and in the Career Library in Maytag.
- Explore various clubs, organizations, and co-curricular activities to complement academic learning.
Remember, exploring effectively requires open-mindedness and a willingness to get involved in new experiences and classes. STRETCH yourself; be open to the possibilities around you. You're on your way to discovering who you are and where you are going!
Successful Careers
Starting as an exploring student at Central won’t keep you from building toward a great career. These former exploring students found jobs after graduation and graduate school programs they needed to be successful:
- Research associate, Pioneer Hi-Bred International, Marion, Iowa
- U.S. Marine Corps Officer, Quantico, Va.
- Client service specialist, Applied Underwriters, Omaha, Neb.
- AmeriCorps member, Flood Relief Project, Cedar Rapids, Iowa
- Graduate student, library and information science, Madison, Wis.
- Graduate student, vocal performance, Roosevelt University, Chicago, Ill.
- Graduate student, counseling and career development, Colorado State University, Boulder, Colo.
- Graduate student, College of Engineering, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa
Internships
Internships are a great way to gain career experience. Central students can do internships in the Pella and Des Moines area, on our Chicago or Washington D.C., programs, or at one of Central's eight study abroad sites. Past internship sites of exploring students include:
- Corporate benefits intern, Vermeer Corporation, Pella, Iowa
- Youth ministry intern, Pella United Methodist Church, Pella, Iowa
- Conservation intern, The Nature Conservancy, Sioux City, Iowa
- Women’s shelter intern, Crisis Intervention Services, Oskaloosa, Iowa
Remember, exploring effectively requires open-mindedness and a willingness to get involved in new experiences and classes. STRETCH yourself; be open to the possibilities around you. You're on your way to discovering who you are and where you are going!
Learn more about internships at Central.
Courses
Here is a sample course and additional tools for exploring/undecided majors:
1. Exploring experience course; COLL108
- 1 credit, offered every term
- Focuses on exploration of self, then majors and careers
- Ideal for sophomores in fall semester and freshmen in spring semester
2. College Majors Scorecard
- Measures interest in 49 majors by giving sample work tasks
- Results shown individually and also grouped by discipline
- Available at any point during the four years, with a follow up meeting with Karen Eilers, Career Center
- Linked to College Majors Handbook, which gives careers, industries and salaries data
3. Kuder Journey
- Online portfolio with interests, skills and career values assessments
- Gives results reports and then links to appropriate career information sources
- Also available to any student upon request
4. What can I do with this major?
- Available on the Career Center website: http://central.edu/career/majors/
- Lists approximately 50 majors, most offered at Central. If not, it shows relevant Central major(s).
- For each major, it provides "areas for employment," "employers in that area," and "strategies to enter that industry."
Who to Talk To
People are the best resources of all! There are lots of people at Central who are ready to answer your questions. Here’s who to ask:
- Your academic adviser — Ask them about creating a class schedule, introductory courses for different majors, or how and when to declare a major.
- Karen Eilers, Career Center — Talk with Karen about assessing your interests, the careers a major will prepare you for, or about taking the exploring experience course.
- Eric Jones, Academic Support Services — Talk with Eric if you’re not sure where to start in the process, you’re uncertain about your academic options, or for help laying out a course schedule.
- Professors — If something catches your interest in a course, ask the professor about similar courses or majors.
- Other students — Ask your fellow students about their majors, how they decided, and for their advice on majors at Central.
Tools for Exploring Students
- Exploring Experience — A one-credit course offered every term. The course helps you identify your interests and abilities and then investigate the majors and careers you want to learn about.
- The Majors Scorecard — An inventory that will help you assess your level of interest in 49 different majors. This is one of several career inventories available to students anytime.
- Kuder Journey — A personalized online portfolio of interest, skill and values assessments. Use your results to look into real careers and the education you’d need to enter them.
- What Can I Do With This Major? — A resource with information on career fields, sample job titles and strategies for success for over 50 majors. Available on the Career Center Web site.
Take Action
It can be challenging to make your “major” decision, but it becomes easier when you know where to start. You can take steps during your first two years at Central that will help you discover more about yourself and opportunities available to you. Here’s your to-do list!
- Take a variety of courses from across the curriculum. Don’t just satisfy your core requirements. Choose courses that will help you intentionally explore your interests.
- Attend Career Center workshops and events to learn about career opportunities and strategize for your future plans.
- Talk with real professionals about what they do. There’s no simpler way to find out if it’s for you. The Career Center will help set up a job shadow or informational interview.
- Get a job! On- or off-campus part-time jobs will help you learn about what you do and don’t want to do — plus you gain skills and experience.
- Join clubs, organizations and teams on campus. It’s great leadership experience, it builds skills and it’s fun!
- Volunteer through service-learning or the Campus Volunteer Center. It helps the community, it builds connections, and you can put it on your resume.
