Chapter 12: Academic Planning & Major Exploration

Throughout this course you have learned about the learning process, learning styles, studying and time management techniques. In this chapter we will discuss how this knowledge can be leveraged to formulate a successful academic plan.

The surest path to succeeding in your academics is also the simplest: understanding your own skills and talents. If you can understand why you’re good at certain things, why you enjoy what you enjoy, how you learn and study best, and what motivates you,you already have a strong foundation for your plan. College is hard work, and many of your classes will be challenging and require a lot of time and effort. But if you can see a clear purpose in your efforts, you are more likely to stay motivated. In this section, we’ll discuss how we can reconceptualize our interests in order to understand more about how we learn.

Earlier in this course you took the VARK assessment, your results are meant to help you better understand your personal learning preferences: visual, auditory, reading/writing, or kinesthetic. In this section, we’ll explore another tool that may help you further identify your talents and skills. Understanding how we take in, adapt to, and utilize new knowledge empowers us to develop habits for life-long learning but can also be practical for succeeding in school.

For nearly a century, educators and psychologists have debated the nature of intelligence, and more specifically whether intelligence is just one broad ability or can take more than one form. Many classical definitions of the concept have tended to define intelligence as a single broad ability that allows a person to solve or complete many sorts of tasks, or at least many academic tasks like reading, knowledge of vocabulary, and the solving of logical problems.

One of the most prominent of these models to portray intelligence as having multiple forms is Howard Gardner’s theory of multiple intelligences. Gardner proposes that there are eight different forms of intelligence, each of which functions independently of the others. Each person has a mix of all eight abilities—more of some and less of others—that helps to constitute that person’s individual cognitive profile. These eight intelligences are summarized in the table below.

Since most tasks—including most tasks in classrooms—require several forms of intelligence and can be completed in more than one way, it is possible for people with various profiles of talents to succeed on a task equally well. In writing an essay, for example, a student with high interpersonal intelligence but rather average verbal intelligence might use her interpersonal strength to get a lot of help and advice from classmates and the teacher. A student with the opposite profile might work well on his own but without the benefit of help from others. Both students might end up with essays that are good, but good for different reasons.It is up to you to learn how to leverage your own intelligences and use them to learn most effectively.

This model can be useful as a way for students to think about how you approach your learning. Multiple intelligences suggest that there is (or may be) more than one way to be “smart,” and that you can benefit from identifying your personal strengths and preferences.

Try to keep these concepts in mind as you read the next section about choosing your major in college:

• Each person has, and is capable of, multiple intelligences. Some are stronger or more well-developed than others, but we can always work to improve ourselves.
• Understanding our intelligences is an excellent strategy to succeed in school. We can leverage this knowledge to our benefit and apply it to our academics.

Your major is the discipline you commit to as an undergraduate student. It’s an area you specialize in, such as accounting, chemistry, nursing, digital arts, political science, or dance. Within each major is a host of core courses and electives. When you successfully complete the required courses in your major and fulfill your school’s other academic requirements, you qualify for a degree.

Why is your major important? It’s important because it’s a defining and organizing feature of your college journey. Ultimately, your major should provide you with the knowledge, skills, attitudes, and/or behaviors you need to fulfill your college and career goals. In this section, we look at how to select your major and how your college major may correlate with a career. Does your major matter to your career? What happens if you change your major? Does changing your major mean you must change your career? Read on to find out!

HOW TO SELECT YOUR COLLEGE MAJOR

Selecting your major is one of the most exciting tasks (and, to some students, perhaps one of the most nerve-wracking tasks) you are asked to perform in college. So many decisions are tied to it. But if you have good guidance, patience, and enthusiasm, the process is easier. 

It’s important to consider lots of different dimensions of your life as you make this decision: your interests and passions, what you excel at, skills you enjoy using, possible future careers and jobs, your ideal workplace or work environment, your goals (personal and professional), and your values. Although considering all these factors may seem overwhelming at first, you’ve probably done a lot of thinking about them already. You already intuitively know that you’re excited to learn about, what you’re good at, and what motivates you. You know which careers do not appeal to you at all and which do seem interesting. Start with this and then begin exploring.

Most colleges and universities will require you to take a variety of classes in different topics as part of your general education- generally, within the first 1-2 years. This means you will likely have to take courses in math, science, history, and the humanities, even if you do not intend to pursue a major in these fields. Although it may seem like these classes are unnecessary, you can use these courses strategically to explore fields you may not otherwise have thought about at all. For instance, most schools will offer a variety of science classes that meet their general education requirements; consider taking a course in nutrition, astronomy, marine biology, ecology, or any other field that appeals to you. Think of this as an opportunity to learn about a topic that you would otherwise have to research on your own. These classes may not lead you to any realizations about what your major should be, but they may allow you some time and space to more fully realize what your interests are.

Choosing a major takes time. It may seem like many of your classmates already know exactly what their academic plans are, but many will not and many more will alter their plans within a few semesters. You must develop your own academic plan that is unique to you.

Consider these questions:

• What is your ideal college timeline? Do you want to graduate in exactly four year? Are you willing/able to take courses over the summer?
• How long does it typically take to complete a degree in the major you’re considering? Are you on track or will you have to take additional courses to complete this major? Are you willing to put in extra time?
• Are you hoping to study abroad or intern somewhere? Would that add to your graduation timeline? 
• What do you want or expect from your time in college? Does this major align with these goals? For example: hands on experiences, research, time to volunteer or get involved on campus, strict or few requirements, ability to minor in another discipline.
• What is your motivation? Do you feel like this is what you’re “supposed” to do? Do you think you’ll enjoy and engage with the courses you need to take?

The most important thing to keep in mind about choosing a major is your own sense of personal fulfillment and success. No matter what you choose, you should enjoy the classes you’re taking and feel excited about the things you’re learning. It’s OK if your courses are challenging and take a lot of work, but you should not feel overwhelmed or anxious in all your classes, semester after semester. If you ever find yourself feeling this way about your courses there are staff members at every college/university that can help you consider if you’re in the right major or if you might need to utilize other resources to succeed.

If you do find yourself considering changing your major rest assured that you are among the majority of college students. Because your major choice is so fundamental to your whole college experience, it may feel like changing your major is not an option or should be a last resort. This is not necessarily true. Sometimes changing your major allows you to refocus your priorities or graduate sooner. At every point throughout this process the most important thing to remember is that you do not have to weigh your options by yourself; consult your academic advisor or counselor, the financial aid office, professors, and other school staff.

DOES YOUR COLLEGE MAJOR MATTER TO YOUR CAREER?

There are few topics about college that create more controversy than “Does your major really matter to your career?” Many people think it does; others think it’s not so important. Who is right? And who gets to weigh in? Also, how do you measure whether something “matters”—by salary, happiness, personal satisfaction? It may be difficult to say for sure whether your major truly matters to your career. One’s college major and ultimate career are not necessarily correlated. 

Consider the following “factoids”:

• 50–70 percent of college students change their major at least once during their time in college.
• Most majors lead to a wide variety of opportunities rather than to one specific career, although some majors do indeed lead to specific careers.
• Many students say that the skills they gain in college will be useful on the job no matter what they major in.
• Only half of graduating seniors accept a job directly related to their major.
• Career planning for most undergraduates focuses on developing general, transferable skills like speaking, writing, critical thinking, computer literacy, problem-solving, and team building, because these are skills that employers want.
• College graduates often cite the following four factors as being critical to their job and career choices: personal satisfaction, enjoyment, opportunity to use skills and abilities, and personal development.
• Within ten years of graduation, most people work in careers that aren’t directly related to their majors.
• Many or most jobs that exist today will be very different five years from now.
• It’s also important to talk about financial considerations in choosing a major.
• Any major you choose will likely benefit you because college graduates earn roughly $1 million more than high school graduates, on average, over an entire career.
• STEM jobs, though—science, technology, engineering, and mathematics—can lead to the thirty highest paying jobs. So if you major in any of these areas, you may be more likely to earn a higher salary.
• Even though humanities and social sciences students may earn less money right after college, they may earn more by the time they reach their peak salary than students who had STEM majors.
• Students who major in the humanities and social science are also more likely to get advanced degrees, which increases annual salary by nearly $20,000 at peak salary.

So where will you stand regarding these statistics? Is it possible to find a good balance between your major, skills, job satisfaction, job security, and earnings?

The best guidance on choosing a major and connecting it with a career may be to get good academic and career advice and select a major that reflects your greatest interests. If you don’t like law or medicine but you major in it because of a certain salary expectation, you may later find yourself in an unrelated job that brings you greater satisfaction—even if the salary is lower. If this is the case, would it make more sense, looking back, to spend your time and tuition dollars studying a subject you especially enjoy?

In her book, You Majored in What?, Katherine Brooks discusses a challenge you are likely to face when talking about your studies with other people:

The Pressure of the Linear Path

One of the most daunting moments in your college experience will likely occur when you are asked the question. Someone, who may be well-meaning, will ask you what you’re studying, or majoring in, and after you respond they will say “what are you going to do with that?” It is hard not to feel defensive when this question comes up. College is meant to give us time to explore and develop our interests, but questions like this may make us feel like we must have all the answers right now. You should remember to not be hard on yourself if you don’t have all the answers or if your answers don’t seem to satisfy the person asking you. 

The question, “what are you going to do with that?,” is based on the idea that your major must be directly related to your future career: engineering majors become engineers, business majors go into business; but what do English, philosophy, sociology, or physics majors do? There isn’t one single path for any of these majors, some only appear to be more obvious than others.

The problem behind the question is that is assumes a linear path between your major and your career. The lure of the linear path is powerful. It’s embedded in our thinking. From the time kids play with firetrucks people will ask them if they want to be a fire fighter. Linear paths to careers have been assumed to be the natural state of things. So it seems only logical that you would pursue a major that would become your ultimate career. But that’s outdated thinking. Early in the 20th century the trait-and-factor approach was developed to determine the best career choices for people. As America shifted from an agricultural to an industrial society, vocational researchers sought ways to determine the best fit between individuals and their jobs. Career tests were designed to match people’s interests and skills with potential vocations. Society placed additional restraints on employment, with women and minorities relegated to narrow fields. Most people pursued education to learn a specific trade, and a college education was reserved for the elite few who would likely go on to teaching, medicine, law, or the ministry.

The linear path hasn’t disappeared. Some psychology majors do become psychologists and some English majors become English professors. But linear thinking can keep you from thinking broadly about your options and being open-minded to new opportunities, ready to respond to the constantly shifting nature of the job market.

Brooks, K. (2017). You Majored in What?: Designing Your Path from College to Career. New York: Plume.

Your academic path is about much more than graduation. The journey will be full of experiences that will shape you. Your journey may be a straight line that connects the dots between today and your future, or it may resemble a twisted road with curves, bumps, hurdles, and alternate routes.

To help you navigate your pathway to career success, take advantage of all the resources available to you. Your college, your community, and the wider body of higher-education institutions and organizations have many tools to help you with career development. Be sure to take advantage of the following resources:

• College course catalog: Course catalogs are typically rich with information that can spark ideas and inspiration for your major and your career.
• Faculty and academic advisors at your college: Many college professors are also practitioners in their fields and can share insights with you about related professions.
• Fellow students: Many of your classmates, especially those who share your major, may have had experiences that can inform and enlighten you—for instance, an internship with an employer or a job interview with someone who could be contacted for more information.
• Students who have graduated: Most colleges and universities have active alumni programs with networking resources that can help you make important decisions.
• Your family and social communities: Contact friends and family members who can weigh in with their thoughts and experience.
• A career center: Professionals in career centers have a wealth of information to share with you—they’re also very good at listening and can act as a sounding board for you to try out your ideas.

Once you have spent some time considering your skills, interests, and you have utilized the resources available to you, you are ready to begin working on your academic plan.

An academic plan is a road map for getting the most out of your education. It is a document listing all of the courses you plan to take and when you plan to take each one. (At some schools, it is called a degree plan.)

Step 1: You probably started an academic plan when you registered for school. If you have any notes or materials from that experience, then review them. Also review your school’s course catalog and website.

Step 2: Using all of the information you’ve gathered so far, create your list of planned courses on a separate sheet of paper. Another option is to use your computer and create your list with word processing, outlining, or spreadsheet software.

Consider formatting your plan as a chart:

• In the first column, list the name of each course.
• In the second column, write the number of credits for each course.
• In the third column, note the term you plan to take each course (for
• example, Spring 2018). Be sure to check your college catalog for course
• prerequisites or corequisites.

Step 3: Now, evaluate your academic plan. Make sure that it…

• gives you the total number of credits you need to graduate
• meets your school’s requirements for general education
• meets the requirements for your major, your minor, or both.

Remember that you can always return to your resources and ask for help drafting this plan.

Choices. And more choices. If college success is about anything, it’s about the choices you need to make in order to succeed. What do you want to learn? How do you want to learn it? Who do you want to learn it with and where? When do you learn best?

As part of the many choices you will make in college, you will often be able to select the format in which your college classes are offered. The list below illustrates some of the main formats you may choose. Some formats lend themselves more readily to certain subjects. Others are based on how instructors believe the content can most effectively be delivered. Knowing a bit about your options can help you select your best environments for learning.

TYPES OF COURSES

Lecture-style courses are likely the most common course format, at least historically. In lecture courses, the professor’s main goal is to share a large amount of information, ideas, principles, and/or resources. Lecture-style courses often include discussions and other interaction with your fellow students.

Tip: Students can best succeed in this environment with dedicated study habits, time-management skills, note-taking skills, reading skills, and active listening skills. If you have questions, be sure to ask them during class. Meet with your instructor during office hours to get help on what you don’t understand, and ensure that you’re prepared for exams or other graded projects.

Lab courses take place in a controlled environment with specialized equipment, typically in a special facility. Students participating in labs can expect to engage fully with the material—to learn by doing. In a lab, you get first-hand experience in developing, practicing, translating, testing, and applying principles.

Tip: To best succeed as a student in a lab course, be sure to find out in advance what the course goals are, and make sure they fit your needs as a student. Expect to practice and master precise technical skills, like using a microscope or measuring a chemical reaction. Be comfortable with working as part of a team of fellow students. Enjoy the personal touches that are inherent in lab format courses.

Seminar-style courses are geared toward a small group of students who have achieved an advanced level of knowledge or skill in a certain area or subject. In a seminar, you will likely do a good deal of reading, writing, and discussing. You might also conduct original research. You will invariably explore a topic in great depth. The course may involve a final project such as a presentation, term paper, or demonstration.

Tip: To best succeed in a seminar-style course, you must be prepared to participate actively, which includes listening actively. You will need to be well prepared, too. As a seminar class size is ordinarily small, it will be important to feel comfortable in relating to fellow students; mutual respect is key. Initiative and responsiveness are also vital.

Studio-style courses, similar to seminars, are also very active, but an emphasis is placed mainly on developing concrete skills, such as fine arts or theater arts. Studio courses generally require you to use specific materials, instruments, equipment, and/or tools. Your course may culminate in a public display or performance.

Tip: To succeed in a studio-style course, you need good time-management skills, because you will likely put in more time than in a standard class. Coming to class is critical, as is being well prepared. You can expect your instructors to help you start on projects and to provide you with resources, but much of your work will be self-paced. Your fellow students will be additional learning resources.

Workshop-style courses are generally short in length but intensive in scope and interaction. Workshops generally have a lower student-to-teacher ratio than other courses. Often the goal of a workshop is the acquisition of information and/or skills that you can immediately apply.

Tip: To succeed as a learner in a workshop, you will need to apply yourself and participate fully for a limited time. A workshop may last a shorter amount of time than a full term.

Independent Study courses may be less common than other course formats. They allow you to pursue special interests not met in your formal curriculum and often involve working closely with a particular faculty person or adviser. Independent studies usually involve significant reading and writing and often end in a research project or paper. Your special, perhaps unique, area of interest will be studied thoroughly.

Tip: To succeed in an independent-study course, be prepared to work independently but cooperatively with an adviser or faculty member. Adopt high standards for your work, as you can plan for the possibility that your project or culminating research will be of interest to a prospective employer. Assume full responsibility for your learning outcomes, and be sure to pick a topic that deeply interests you.

Study-abroad courses and programs give students opportunities to learn certain subjects in a country other than their own. For most U.S. students, a typical time frame for studying abroad is one or two academic terms. For many students, study-abroad experiences are life-changing.

Tip: To succeed in studying abroad, it may be most important to communicate openly before, during, and after your experience. Learn as much about the culture in advance as possible. Keep up with studies, but take advantage of opportunities to socialize. Use social networking to connect with others who have traveled where you plan to go.

ONLINE COURSES

Most colleges now offer some online courses or regular courses with an online component. You experience an online course via a computer rather than a classroom. Many different variations exist, but all online courses share certain characteristics, such as working independently and communicating with the instructor (and sometimes other students) primarily through written computer messages. If you have never taken an online course, carefully consider what’s involved to ensure you will succeed in the course.

• You need to own or have frequent access to a recent model of computer with a high-speed Internet connection.
• Without the set hours of a class, you need to be self-motivating to schedule your time to participate regularly.
• Without an instructor or other students in the room, you need to be able to pay attention effectively to the computer screen. Learning on a computer is not as simple as passively watching television! Take notes.
• Without reminders in class and peer pressure from other students, you’ll need to take responsibility to complete all assignments and papers on time.
• Since your instructor will evaluate you primarily through your writing, you need good writing skills for an online course. If you believe you need to improve your writing skills, put off taking an online course until you feel better prepared.
• You must take the initiative to ask questions if you don’t understand something.
• You may need to be creative to find other ways to interact with other students in the course. You could form a study group and get together regularly in person with other students in the same course.

TYPES OF COURSES IN YOUR DEGREE PLAN

Just as you have choices about the delivery format of your courses, you also have choices about where specific courses fit academically into your chosen degree program. For example, you can choose to take various combinations of required courses and elective courses in a given term. Typical college degree programs include both required and elective courses.

• A core course is a course required by your institution, and every student must take it in order to obtain a degree. It’s sometimes also called a general education course. Collectively, core courses are part of a core curriculum. Core courses are always essential to an academic degree, but they are not necessarily foundational to your major.
• A course required in your major, on the other hand, is essential to your specific field of study. For example, as an accounting student, you would probably have to take classes like organizational theory and principles of marketing. Your academic adviser can help you learn which courses within your major are required.
• An elective course, in contrast to both core courses and required courses in your major, is a variable component of your curriculum. You choose your electives from a number of optional subjects. Elective courses tend to be more specialized than required courses. They may also have fewer students than required courses.

Most educational programs prefer that students take a combination of elective and required courses during the same term. This is a good way to meet the demands of your program and take interesting courses outside your focus area at the same time.

Since your required courses will be clearly specified, you may not have many questions about which ones to take or when to take them. But since you get to choose which elective courses you take, some interesting questions may arise.

It’s important to track and plan your required and elective courses from the outset. Take advantage of a guidance counselor or another adviser to help you make sure you are on the best trajectory to graduation. Reassess your plan as needed.

SOURCES

• “Planning for Your Career” from Effective Learning Strategies at Austin Community College. Authored by Laura Lucas & Heather Syrett. Provided by: Austin Community College. Available at: https://www.oercommons.org/courseware/8434. License: Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 License, available at: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/
• OpenNow College Success. Authored by Cengage Learning. Provided by: CEngage. Available at: https://oercommons.s3.amazonaws.com/media/editor/179572/CengageOpenNow_CollegeSuccessNarrative.pdf License: Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, available at: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/.