Exploring Majors and Careers

Exploring Majors

Connecting a major to a career is very challenging for many students. Below please find a list of majors linking career information to help you start the process.

Remember, your major does not always determine your career. College graduates use their education in a wide variety of career fields. In addition to the options listed, you should explore and learn about the wide range of career opportunities available to you.
Make an appointment to see a Career Counselor to talk about your options.

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

A

• Accounting  
• Anthropology
• Art Education 

B

• Biology  
• Business
      Department of Accounting and Finance
      Economics & Public Policy
      Management & Administration
      Marketing

C

• Chemistry
• Communication
     Advertising
     Broadcasting
     Interpersonal & Organizational Communication 
     Journalism
     Media & Public Communication
     Public Relations
• Communication Sciences and Disorders
• Computer Science
• Counseling:  School and Marriage & Family (Master's Level)
• Criminal Justice

D

• Dental 

E

• Economics
• Education     
• Engineering/Technology
      Architectural Engineer
      Civil Engineering
      Computer Engineering, Computer Engineering Technology
      Construction Engineering Technology
      Electrical Engineering, Electrical Engineering Technology
      Industrial Engineering Technology
      Mechanical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering Technology
• English and Linguistics
      Broadcasting
      Communication Media
      Language
      Literature
      Writing
      Teacher Certification
• Environmental Policy 

F

• Foreign Language
      French
      German
      Spanish
      Certificate in International Studies
• Forensic Science

G

• General Studies
• Geosciences
• Gerontology (Certificate Only)

H

• Health Services Administration
• History
• Hospitality and Tourism Management  
• Human Services

I

• Interior Design 

J

• Journalism

L

M

• Management and Administration
• Marketing 
     Advertising
• Mathematics 
• Music      

N

• Nursing

O

• Organizational Leadership and Supervision (OLS) 
      Human Resources
      Public Relations

P

• Philosophy
      Pre-law
• Physics 
• Political Science 
      Pre-law
• Psychology
• Public & Environmental Affairs
      Criminal Justice
      Environmental Policy
      Health Services Admin
      Public Management

S

• Sociology 

T

• Theatre
      Fine Arts
      Music
      Arts in Theatre

W

• Women's Studies

Are you having some difficulty in choosing a major?

You’re not alone—many people aren’t sure of what they want to do for a career. Here are some activities to help get you started on your lifelong career journey.

• Visit Career Services at Kettler Hall, room 109. 

Here you can see a career counselor; take various career assessments to see which careers or majors fit you best; use the computer program FOCUS to assess your interests, skills, and values, and research educational and occupational information; and use the Career Services library to research occupations and educational options.

• Attend the annual Majors Fair in the fall semester.

The Majors Fair provides the perfect venue for students to explore IPFW degree programs, talk with department representatives, and find out which careers you can pursue with a particular major.

• Take a class to help you make career decisions.

EDUC X210 is a two-credit hour, 16-week course taught in the spring and fall that focuses on in-depth self assessment, occupational exploration, career decision making, and job search strategies.

• Get experience in the major or career field by taking a class in that major, joining a related student organization, doing volunteer or paid work, or shadowing some.

Internships, cooperative education (co-ops), volunteer work

• Explore career information on the Internet. Some helpful career links are listed below.

• Conduct an informational interview to find out if a career is a good match for you.

Ask someone in the field that interests you about their job. Some sample questions might be:
What is a typical day?
What degree/qualifications is/are needed to enter this field?
What do you like most/least about your job?
What is the range for the entry-level salary in this field?

Disclaimer:
We advise you to be critical of the information that you find on these or any other web sites and encourage you to make an appointment with a career counselor if you have any questions. Career Services does not take responsibility for the information contained on these web sites, nor any address changes.

Education and Career Information for Indiana and the World

• Indiana-specific career and college information, including the fastest growing Indiana occupations,  sample career profile, career and work information, educations and training information
• In-depth career interest inventory
• Career Interest Checklist

Matching Majors with Jobs

• Major-related Career Information
• Survey of Interests
• What Can I Do With A Major In...

Career Information

• Occupational Outlook Handbook: One of the most up-to-date, comprehensive compilations of occupational information, job outlooks, and training and salary information
• CareerOneStop: Job listings, resume information, career resources, and skills section
• Career & Job News, Work, Employment & Salary Trends: Wall Street Journal’s report on career paths, salary information, job hunting, success at work, and  global careers
• O*NET OnLine: Skills list and linking majors to occupations through the O*Net database
• JobHuntersBible: Skills, occupational, and job-hunting information
• Peterson's: Career choice process, college search, distance learning, studying abroad, careers, and jobs
• Careers After College: Links from majors to occupations, getting into college/law school, occupational information
• JobWeb: Career development checklist, career planning, internship timelines, and job search information