Whether you have a major in mind or you’re open to exploring the possibilities, there are many factors to consider.

Some students enter college knowing exactly what they want to major in. They may not only have their major planned out, but they may have an idea about next steps after graduation, further education, and even where exactly they want to work in the future. That’s great, but it is by no means typical.

What should a student do if they are not sure what to major in and don’t feel called to anything in particular? Or if they are interested in multiple majors? It’s helpful to revisit your reasons for applying to college in the first place. Were you hoping to get a higher earning job? Looking for a meaningful career? Or were you interested in learning for the sake of learning? Some combination of all of those?

Part of your GSD class includes exploring these questions. But it is also helpful to explore on your own, and these are questions that you may want to mull over during a long period of time.

University Terms and Definitions

Types of Universities and Colleges

Public versus Private

Public colleges are funded by local and state governments and usually offer lower tuition rates than private colleges, especially for students who are residents of the state where a college is located.

Private colleges rely on tuition, fees, and non-government funding sources.

Four year versus two year institutions

Four-year institutions are referred to as undergraduate colleges. Four-year colleges specifically offer bachelor’s degree programs. These include universities and liberal arts colleges.

Two-year colleges offer certificate programs that can be completed in under two years. They also offer two-year associate degrees. These include community colleges, vocational-technical colleges, and career colleges.

University versus College

A university is a larger school offering both undergraduate and graduate-level degrees. Universities are larger institutions that offer a wider variety of academic majors and degree options. These schools provide bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees. Most universities contain several smaller colleges, such as colleges of education, engineering, or health sciences. These colleges can prepare you for a wide range of careers or for graduate study. Universities often have multiple colleges that collectively create the university.

A college is a smaller school that may offer a wide variety of educational programs or more focused specializations for those seeking undergraduate degrees. Standing alone or as part of a larger institution, a college is often a private institution with a lower student population and smaller class sizes.

Types of Degrees

To set goals for your academic and career path, you need to know the options available for you to pursue and the requirements you will need to meet. The next section provides an overview of academic programs and college degrees that are common among many colleges and universities in the United States. The intention of this section is both to help you understand your opportunities and to familiarize you with language that colleges typically use to describe these opportunities. After reviewing this section, you should be better able to formulate specific questions to ask advisors and instructors or be better prepared to navigate and search EKU’s websites.

In most states high school attendance through the 12th grade is compulsory, a college degree, however, may be pursued voluntarily. There are fields that do not require a degree. Bookkeeping, computer repair, massage therapy, and childcare are all fields where certification programs — racks to study a specific subject or career without need of a complete degree — may be enough.

Yet, many individuals will find that an associate’s or bachelor’s degree is a requirement to enter their desired career field. According to United States Census data published in 2017, more than one-third of the adult population in the country has completed at least a bachelor’s degree, so this may be the degree that is most familiar to you.

Not every job requires a bachelor’s degree, and some require even higher degrees or additional specialized certifications. As you develop your academic plan, it is important to research your field of interest to see what requirements might be necessary or most desirable.

To distinguish between the types of degrees, it is useful to understand that courses are often assigned a number of credits, sometimes called semester hours as well. Credits relate to the calculated hours during a course that a student spends interacting with the instructor and/or the course material through class time, laboratory time, online discussions, homework, etc. Courses at all degree levels are typically assigned a value of one to six credits, although students often need to complete a developmental education course or two, often in English or math. These requirements, which cost as much as typical college courses but do not grant college credit, are meant to provide some basic information students may have missed in high school but that will be necessary to keep up in college-level coursework.

The minimum or maximum number of credits required to graduate with different degrees varies by state or institution, but approximate minimum numbers of credits are explained below. Keep in mind that although a minimum number of credits must be completed to get a certain degree, total credits completed is not the only consideration for graduation—you must take your credits or courses in particular subjects indicated by your college.

To determine your best degree option, it might make sense to do some research to determine what kind of career you’re most interested in pursuing. Visit your campus career center to meet with a counselor to guide you through this process. These services are free to students—similar services can be pricey once you’ve graduated, so take advantage. There are other tools online you can investigate.

Developed by the University of Tennessee, this site provides info on majors, career opportunities, and strategies for success. Visit What Can I Do With This Major

Associate’s Degrees

To enter an associate’s degree program, students must have a high school diploma or its equivalent. Associate’s degree programs may be intended to help students enter a technical career field, such as automotive technology or graphic design. Such technical programs may be considered an Associate of Applied Arts (AAA) or Associate of Applied Science (AAS) degrees, though there are other titles as well.

Other associate’s degree programs are intended to prepare a student with the necessary coursework to transfer into a bachelor’s degree program upon graduation. These transfer-focused programs usually require similar general education and foundational courses that a student would need in the first half of a bachelor’s degree program. Transfer-focused associate’s degrees may be called Associate of Arts (AA) or Associate of Science (AS), or other titles, depending on the focus of study.

An associate’s degree is typically awarded when a student has completed a minimum of 60 credits, approximately 20 courses, meeting the requirements of a specific degree. Some technical associate’s degrees, such as nursing, may require additional credits in order to meet requirements for special certifications. You may find that your college or university does not offer associate’s degrees. Most associate’s degrees are offered by community or junior colleges, or by career and technical colleges.

Bachelor’s Degrees

When someone generally mentions “a college degree,” they are often referring to the bachelor’s degree, or baccalaureate degree. Because it takes a total of four years of full-time attendance to complete a bachelor’s degree, this degree is also referred to as a “four-year degree.” Similar to an associate’s degree, to enter a bachelor’s degree program a student must have completed a high school diploma or its equivalent. Both associate’s degrees and bachelor’s degrees are considered undergraduate degrees, thus students working toward these degrees are often called undergraduates. A student with an associate’s degree may transfer that degree to meet some (usually half) of the requirements of a bachelor’s degree; however, completion of an associate’s degree is not necessary for entry into a bachelor’s degree program.

A bachelor’s degree is usually completed with a minimum of 120 credits, or approximately 40 courses. Some specialized degree programs may require more credits. (If an associate’s degree has been transferred, the number of credits from that degree usually counts toward the 120 credits. For example, if an associate’s degree was 60 credits, then a student must take 60 additional credits to achieve their bachelor’s degree.)

Bachelor of Arts (BA), Bachelor of Science (BS), Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN), and Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) are the most popular degree titles at this level and differ primarily in their focus on exploring a broader range of subject areas, as with a BA, versus focusing in more depth on a particular subject, as with a BS, BSN, or BFA. Regardless of whether a student is pursuing a BA, BS, BSN, or BFA, each of these programs requires a balance of credits or courses in different subject areas. In the United States, a bachelor’s degree comprises courses from three categories: general education courses, major courses, and electives. A fourth category of courses would be those required for a minor, which we will discuss in more detail in the section on majors and minors.

Majors and Minors

One of the most common questions an undergraduate college student will be asked is “What’s your major?” Your major is only one part of your undergraduate (associate’s or bachelor’s) degree, but it is the part that most demonstrates your interests and possible future goals. At some point during your studies you will be asked to decide on, or declare, a major. You may also be able to select a minor or additional concentration. Whereas a major comprises approximately 10–12 courses of a bachelor’s degree program and is required, a minor is usually 5–8 courses, is often optional, and may count toward or contribute to exceeding the total number of credits required for graduation. Rather than take elective courses, some students will select courses that meet the requirements for a minor. When selecting a major and possibly a minor, you’ll want to consider how the knowledge and skills you gain through those fields of study prepare you for a particular career. Majors and minors can be complementary. For example, a major in business might be well-matched with a minor in a foreign language, thus allowing the student to pursue a career in business with a company that hires bilingual employees. It is important to research careers of interest to you when selecting your major and/or minor to determine what will best help you to meet your goals.

Students who are declared majors will be assigned an advisor that is housed within the corresponding college. Exploratory students are assigned an advisor who is in the Office of Advising and Career Services (OACS).

Electives

Electives are free-choice courses. Though you may have a choice to select from a menu of options to meet general education and major requirements, electives are even less restricted. Some students may be able to take more electives than others due to their choice of major or if they are able to take courses that meet more than one requirement (for example, a sociology course may be both a major requirement and a general education social science course). Some colleges intentionally allow room for electives in a program to ensure that students, particularly those students who are undecided about their major, are able to explore different programs without exceeding the total number of credits required to graduate with a bachelor’s degree. In other cases, students may have taken all of their major courses and fulfilled their general education requirements but still need additional credits to fulfill the minimum to graduate. The additional courses taken to meet the total credit requirement (if necessary) are considered electives.

Special Requirements of Majors

While preprofessional programs prepare students for entrance into graduate professional degree programs, some undergraduate majors involve special requirements beyond the usual courses and classroom experience to prepare students for entrance to their career. Such requirements provide students practical experience or prerequisites for licensure necessary for a particular job. When requirements are major-specific, it is often because the requirement is state-mandated for that job. Majors that often include state-mandated special requirements are education, social work, and nursing. Some colleges and universities may require all students to participate in additional experiences beyond their regular coursework. You will want to ask your college about details specific to your major or institution. In this section we will generally discuss four such special requirements and experiences: fieldwork and internships, clinicals, student teaching, and service learning.

Fieldwork and Internships

Fieldwork and internships may also be referred to as practicums and field experience. These requirements provide hands-on work experience in a career, or field. When fieldwork or internships are required for your major, such as with a social work major, it is often listed as a course requirement among your major requirements. In other words, you usually receive credits for your fieldwork as you would for a lab or lecture course. Your fieldwork instructor will likely ask you to reflect on and report on your experiences. They will likely confer with a supervisor at your fieldwork site, the place where you are working, to help assess your hands-on learning. Fieldwork and internships provide students with opportunities to practice the skills they’ve learned in the classroom while also introducing them to the values and culture of the organizations and communities in which they hope to be employed. It is important to note that fieldwork and internship experiences are often available to students even if they are not required for their major. You may want to inquire with your academic advisors, faculty, or career services office to determine what opportunities might be available for you to gain this type of experience in your field of interest.

Clinicals

Clinicals are a type of fieldwork specifically required of nursing students. Clinicals may take place in hospitals, nursing homes, or mental health facilities. They provide nursing students who are nearing the end of their degree programs with the opportunity to practice nursing skills that cannot be learned in a regular classroom. During clinicals, students will interact with real patients to conduct physical examinations, draw blood, administer medicine, and provide other care as necessary. Because of the risk to patients, students participating in clinicals are more closely supervised by experienced professionals than those in other types of fieldwork experiences. Thus, clinicals function very much like a real-world classroom and progress to more independent work through the semester. Before undertaking clinicals, nursing students will need to complete certain coursework and pass a physical examination and background check. Because clinicals are often much longer than a class meeting, students will need to work with staff from the program to plan their schedule. It may not be feasible to work at another job while completing clinicals, so if you must work while you’re in college, it’s important to discuss this with nursing staff or academic advisors and to plan ahead.

Student Teaching

Student teaching is a specific type of fieldwork undertaken by students who plan to teach at the preschool, elementary, or middle and high school levels. Education students are often required to complete a student teaching experience in order to obtain a teaching license in their state. Students must often complete core education coursework prior to student teaching and must complete a background check prior to placement in a school setting. During their student teaching experience, students are usually paired one-on-one with an experienced teacher and have the opportunity to observe that teacher, get to know the students, understand the classroom culture, and participate in lessons as a teaching assistant as needed or appropriate. Much like nursing clinicals, this highly supervised fieldwork experience usually progresses to more independent work when the student teacher is asked to deliver and reflect on a lesson plan of their own design. Keep in mind as you plan for student teaching that unlike other fieldwork experiences, student teaching is limited to fall or spring semesters and cannot be completed in the summer because most schools are closed during the summer terms. Also, it may not be feasible to work at another job while completing your student teaching experience, so if you must work while you’re in college, it’s important to discuss this with your program staff or academic advisors and to plan ahead.

Choosing your Major or Minor

• Do some fact-finding. Browse through the EKU Academic Programs or EKU Undergraduate/Graduate Catalogs to learn about degree options, admission requirements, and coursework.
• Explore EKU DegreeWorks. Conduct a “What If” audit for a potential timeline for graduation with each major, as well as specific courses you need for degree completion.
• Visit the department. Schedule an appointment with a department chair, adviser, or faculty member to get your questions answered.
• Network. Talk to upperclassmen or alumni about majors of interest.

Academic Advising

What is academic advising?

Academic advising guides and supports undergraduate students by monitoring progress toward graduation, connecting students to resources on campus, and engaging students in discussions about their academic goals. You must meet with your academic advisor to receive your RAC number. Your RAC number is a unique identifier for you that allows you to register for classes.

The Role of Your Academic Advisor

Class and Degree Planning: One of the primary roles of your Academic Advisor is to help you plan your classes and create a roadmap for achieving your academic goals. They will work with you to develop a personalized plan that takes into account your interests, strengths, and any specific requirements of your chosen program. This plan will help you stay on track, avoid unnecessary courses, and ensure that you’re taking classes in the optimal sequence for your degree.

Student Success Strategies and Resources: College life can present various challenges, from managing your time effectively to navigating online courses. Your Academic Advisor is a wealth of knowledge when it comes to student success strategies and can provide you with tips, techniques, and resources to help you thrive. They can also connect you with additional support services on campus, making them an excellent first point of contact for any questions or concerns you may have.

How often you should meet with your advisor: At EKU, we believe in the importance of regular communication between students and their advisors. As a degree-seeking student, you are required to meet with your advisor during your first semester, before registering for your second semester. This initial meeting is an opportunity to co-create your academic plan, discuss any challenges or successes you’ve experienced, and ensure that you’re on the right path to achieving your goals. Beyond this mandatory first meeting, we recommend connecting with your advisor at least once per semester. These check-ins allow you to review your progress, make any necessary adjustments to your plan, and discuss your next steps. You should also reach out to your advisor anytime you need to make changes to your plan, are experiencing difficulties in your classes, or have questions about your future beyond EKU.

Transfer Support: If your goal is to transfer to another institution, your advisor can provide invaluable assistance. They can help you research potential transfer schools, understand transfer requirements, and navigate the process of sending transcripts and other necessary documents. Whether you have a quick question or need more in-depth guidance, your advisor is here to help demystify the transfer process.

Connecting with Your Advisor

Find you academic advisor on your myEKU: click here and navigate to the appropriate card to send them an email

Connect with the Office of Advising and Career Services

The journey to a successful and fulfilling college journey is supported by OACS. They use a personalized approach, their staff can help you clarify your preferences, explore your options, and make meaningful decisions.

Major and Career Exploration typically consists of 3-5 appointments each appointment lasting about an hour. The major and career exploration process can take anywhere from a couple of weeks or longer, depending on your availability. Schedule an appointment with the Office of Advising and Career Services.

Summary

• Not everyone knows what they want to do exactly when they enroll at EKU
• Students who plan their academic journey succeed at higher rates than those who do not
• There are different requirements for different majors and minors
• Academic advising is crucial to making your journey towards completion faster and smoother
• You must connect with your academic advisor once per semester to register for the following semester’s courses

Resources, Licenses, and Attributions:

Pathways to College Success Copyright © by CWI 101 Leaders is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, except where otherwise noted.