Declaring a Major

Self-assessment is a vital part of the career planning process and will take time. You will want to consider and evaluate areas such as your values, interests, skills, personality and desired lifestyle. Take into consideration your academic strengths and weaknesses. For example, if you dislike math, you will want to avoid majors that require multiple quantitative courses.

Since it is often easier for students to determine what they do not want to major in versus what they do want, using the process of elimination can at least help narrow your options. You start by considering all the majors offered in CCAS, and eliminate the majors you do not want to pursue after reflecting on your interests. Then, take some time to consider the list you are left with.

Next, assess your interests, skills/abilities and values. Ask yourself these questions:

• What are the subjects in which you excel and find intriguing?
• What activities do you especially enjoy — research, writing, performing, sports, hands-on activities, organizing, creative activities? What are your hobbies?
• What skills do you believe you possess — i.e., leadership, organization, teaching, research?
• What do you value — service to others, accumulating wealth, happiness in your home, independence in work situations? What brings you satisfaction? What kind of environment makes you happiest?

Other resources to help you narrow your focus:

• Meet with a CCAS Academic Advisor
• Meet with a career consultant at the GW Center for Career Services

One of the best ways to narrow your choices is to look closely at the course requirements for the majors that interest you. If you find that the required courses and prerequisites for a particular major are not interesting to you or do not complement your strengths, that might be an indication that you should consider another major.

Once you have looked at the requirements, compare what you found out about your own interests, skills and values in step 1 with a selected list of majors. Make a short list of five or six possible majors, then use the University Bulletin to explore these majors. Remember to think broadly about majors, as many majors relate to numerous career fields and prepare students for similar work environments and graduate programs.

To help you explore your options:

• If you can go in person, visit the departmental office and pick up their materials.
• Browse the departmental website. The website will often list additional resources, special requirements and names of faculty members who you can talk to.
• Know which majors are selective or require a breadth of courses to be met in a specific manner.
• Discuss course selections with your Columbian College academic advisor that will keep your options open while exploring. 

For each of the majors you are considering, ask yourself:

• Does this major’s required coursework complement my interests and abilities?
• Is this the best major to address my multiple interests?
• Are there any prerequisite courses that may be particularly difficult for me?
• Do the courses in this major match my learning style? 
• How much freedom will I have to take elective courses?
• Does this major require a lot of writing, quantitative skills, foreign language courses, etc.?
• What areas of research do the faculty engage in?  
• Are there other important considerations for me?

The next step is to further narrow your focus down to two or three majors you are seriously considering. Follow these steps to help you in this process:

• Enroll in courses that introduce you to the major(s).
• Speak to current students in the major.
• Review the criteria to declare each of your possible majors.
• Meet with your CCAS Academic Advisor who can partner with you to evaluate the information you have collected, assist you in weighing the pros and cons of each option, and answer your questions. Your advisor can also provide you with a “what if” scenario on DegreeMAP for any major you are considering.
• Be sure the major(s) you are considering fit your academic strengths and abilities.
• If you have multiple interests, determine if you can address them by declaring a major and a minor, or a double major.
• Make it your goal to successfully transition into your major no later than the end of your sophomore year.

The best way to learn about a major is to speak with undergraduate faculty advisors in that department. You can find out who the faculty advisor is for any department by asking your CCAS professional academic advisor, stopping by the department in person or on their website, or browsing our handout of all undergraduate major advisors (PDF).

Then, make an appointment to meet with the faculty advisor or stop by their office hours. Take time to dig deeper with questions like:

• Where have graduates of your program gone? What specific organizations have hired them and for what positions? Do any of these areas represent a good fit for my own needs and goals?
• What specific prerequisites are required for admission to this major? Is there a GPA requirement? What is the declaration process?
• What courses and experiences are required to complete this major? Are there internship or practicum requirements? How about research opportunities? Does the department offer a listserv that I can join?
• Which courses have I already taken that will apply to this major? Toward breadth requirements? What further coursework will be required?
• What other programs does the department offer? Minors? Which of these options best fits my needs?
• What skills and competencies will I develop through this major?
• What might I dislike about this major?
• What do my strengths need to be to do well in this major?
• What is the department’s typical class size?

Choosing a major requires your active participation. You must be proactive in this process!

• When to Declare a Major
• How to Declare a Major

Don't forget:

• Be sure you are aware of the criteria to declare this major, your eligibility for this major and the timeline for declaration of this major.
• Choose student activities, internships, volunteer work and/or part-time employment that can help you develop your skills in areas that interest you.
• Talk to people who work in the career fields you are considering. Ask them about their major and how it helped them.
• Consider possible internships and Career Center workshops.