Is this the major for me? Answer this question using self-exploration and general education courses to discover what suits your interests in conjunction with your career goals. In the case of most majors, you don’t have to declare yourself until the end of your sophomore year. Did you know that eighty percent of college students change their major at least once? So the next time someone asks, “What are you majoring in?” let them know that you are exploring your options. View the Undergraduate Programs offered at UIS.

Strategies for Choosing a Major

• Explore your interests, abilities, and values.
• Talk to your academic advisor and career counselor.
• Get experience in the field of interest.
• Use assessment tests, vault and other exploration tools available at CDC.

Self-Exploration Questions

Your major and career should be enjoyable so take the time to explore what motivates you.

• What school subjects do you enjoy the most?
• What are your interests, abilities/skills, needs, personality, and values?
• What have you liked most or disliked about school and work experiences?
• What type of lifestyle do you prefer?

Our counselors have created a set of”What Can You Do With” Career Guides that will help you explore your options with each of the majors and programs offered at UIS.

Visit the “What Can You Do With” Career Guides

Undergraduate Related

• Princeton Review, How to choose a major?
• College Major Quiz

Graduate Related

• Gradschools.com
• Peterson’s Guide to Colleges and Universities

• Completing the Career Analysis Worksheet (PDF) can help you understand your options
• Meeting with a Career Counselor
• Using the Career Pathfinder CDC web-based program
• Reviewing the Career and Major Match on Focus our online career planning system

• Selecting Clusters of Interest Worksheet (PDF)
• Occupational Outlook Handbook
• O*NET Center
• Career One Stop
• Career One Stop Videos by industry, skills, and more

• Job Accommodations
• State of Illinois job title and class specifications
• United States Federal Government: Exploring careers with the federal government
• My Next Move

Although, many professions do not require graduate degrees for their entry level position, some professions require it for their more advanced positions, making it advantageous to have. However, an advanced degree in some career fields can be a hindrance initially, as you have a high level of education but little or no practical experience. For some careers, a bachelor’s degree or a certificate is all that is needed. Another factor to consider is that a degree does not guarantee employment, and in some fields, such as sales, marketing and journalism, work experience is more valuable than an education. Specifically, elementary education majors will not be hired with a Master’s degree and no work experience. School districts may even pay for your graduate degree as you teach.

In general, students who continue on immediately after receiving their bachelor’s degree are in academic mode and have less problems breaking into a graduate program. These students also tend to have fewer obligations to the outside world since they have remained in school consistently. Last, there are some careers where the entry level position requires a graduate degree, such as doctors, lawyers and librarians.
There are also several advantages to working for a few years as well. Following a few years of professional work experience, some people are in a better position to pursue a graduate program. Skills acquired through work experience can usually be applied to graduate degree studies. Financially, these students may be better off, as they have less debt, and employers often finance higher education. Another advantage is that the application process for a graduate program may be easier due to holding solid work experience in the field. However, this may also lead to becoming attached to a salary, making it difficult for some to return to school.

The decision can be a very difficult and stressful one. Stop by the Career Development Center available for more assistance!

• Career Planning Worksheet
• College Requirements Worksheet
• Graduate School Dictionary

Grad School Information

• Graduate Studies UIS
• Business & Management UIS
• Computer Science UIS
• Dental Medicine
• Law School Timeline
• Medical School Timeline
• Pharmacy
• Psychology Studies Timeline
• Counseling and Social Work UIS
• Going to Work First: Pro’s and Con’s (jpg)
• Going Directly to Grad School: Pro’s and Con’s (jpg)

• Live Career: Considering Graduate School
• Student Doctor Network
  

Employers perceive “researching the company” as a critical factor in the evaluation of applicants because it reflects interest and enthusiasm. Best practices for learning about Companies:

Visit the companies webpages you are interested in and attend interviews well-informed regarding the company’s mission, goals, methods and recent trends.

• Firsthand 
• CollegeGrad Career Information
• Career OneStop Toolkit
• JobsWeb
• Illinois Career Resource Network
• Career Profiles
• O*Net
• BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook

Career counseling services are available either face-to-face or through distance secured methods. Licensed Professional Counselors and supervised counseling interns assist individuals and groups with the decision-making process and facilitate the development of career action plans as it relates to life and career directions. Career counselors tailor services according to the needs of the individual in order to clarify life/career aspirations. Some common concerns confronting individuals can include identification of interests, values or skills; improving decision-making skills as related to choosing a major and/or career; identifying resources such as career planning and occupational information systems; educating about job search strategies; resolving personal conflicts on the job by improving interpersonal skills; assisting with the integration of work and other life roles; providing support and decreasing job stress, job loss, and career transitions. Learn more about Career Counseling.

Informational Interviewing can serve as a dual purpose. The technique can be used to gather important information, so decisions can be made about choosing or refining your career path, identifying what is required to succeed within a chosen career, or to learn how to gain access for entry into a chosen field. An added benefit of informational interviewing is meeting new people and keeping in contact with those individuals who have common interests which expands your network.

Understanding how to make informed decisions about whether or not to attend graduate school is imperative. The Career Development Staff can assist you in exploring the option to attend graduate school. Primary factors for wanting to attend graduate school are to determine your rationale and to ascertain important information about programs and universities which coincide with your interests and established criteria. Other areas worth investigating include feedback from enrolled students and faculty experience and research interests. An additional item to explore includes requirements of the application process such as graduate admission tests, personal essays, minimum grade point average, and application deadlines. Financial considerations and resources such as financial aid, scholarships and fellowships should be considered. Estimating the daily living expenses, tuition, fees, and other costs to sustain a realistic lifestyle while in graduate school may provide a different outlook once additional information is obtained.

The CDC Resource Library is comprised of up-to-date books, videos, handouts, worksheets, company literature, internship sources, computer kiosks, and career information files available during regular office hours. 

FOCUS will help you better understand your interests, work values, personality, skills, and more using tests. The results will enable you to further explore career options.