Navarro High School
Where all students are honored.

P.O. Drawer 10
Geronimo, TX 78115
(830) 372-1931
Fax: (830) 379-3135

What is a Major?

A major is the area that you will study in-depth in college. You will take up to two thirds of your classes in that subject. However, your major is only part of your undergraduate studies, as colleges and universities generally require a core curriculum in addition to your major course work.

You can choose from hundreds of majors--accounting to zoology--but which is right for you? Should you choose something traditional or select a major from an emerging area? Perhaps you already know what career you want to have, so you can work backward to decide which major will best help you achieve your goals.

If you know what you want to do early, you will have more time to plan your high school curriculum, extracurricular activities, jobs, and community service to coincide with your major. Your selection of a college may also depend upon the college providing a strong academic program in a certain major.

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Facts and Tips

Below is a list of facts and tips that may be helpful when choosing a major

• More than half of all college freshmen are "undecided" and prefer to get a feel for what's available at college before making a decision
• Most four-year colleges do not require students to formally declare a major until the end of their sophomore year or beginning of their junior year
• Choosing a major does not set your future in stone, nor does it necessarily disrupt your life if you need to change your major
• If you wait too long to choose, you may have to take additional classes to satisfy the requirements, which may cost you additional time and money
• Choosing a major usually begins with an assessment of your career interests
• Then review the majors and try several on for size. Picture yourself taking classes, writing papers, making presentations, conducting research, or working in a relate field. Talk to people you know who work in your fields of interest and see if you like what you hear
• try reading the classified ads in your local newspaper. What jobs sound interesting to you? Which ones pay the salary that you'd like to make? What level of education is required in the ads you find interesting?

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Lists and info on Majors

Select a few jobs that you think you'd like and then consult the following list of majors to see what major(s) coincide.

Agriculture

Agriculture Business and Production

• Agricultural Business and Management
• Agricultural Mechanization
• Agricultural Supplies and Related Services
• Horticulture Services Operations and Management

Agricultural Sciences

• Agriculture/Agricultural Sciences
• Animal Sciences
• Food Sciences and Technology
• Plant Sciences

There are many different kinds of programs in the area of agriculture, ranging from animal sciences to problems of crop productivity. Many agriculture majors apply their knowledge directly on farms and ranches. Others work in industry (food, farm equipment, and agricultural supply companies), federal agencies (primarily in the Departments of Agriculture and the Interior), and state and local farm and agricultural agencies. Jobs might be in research and lab work, marketing and sales, advertising and public relations, or journalism and radio/TV (for farm communications media).

Agriculture majors also pursue further training in biological sciences, animal health, veterinary medicine, agribusiness, management, vocational agriculture education, nutrition and dietetics, and rural sociology.

Architecture

Architecture and Related Programs

• Architectural Environmental Design
• Architecture
• City/Urban, Community, and Regional Planning
• Landscape Architecture

Architecture and related design fields focus on the built environment as distinct from the natural environment of the agriculturist or the conservationist. The four-year architecture degree is a preprofessional one.

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Links

Quint Careers.com: This site has a vary helpful page about choosing a major. It also has links to other good sites on the topic of "Choosing a major," and links to places that allow you to aquire books on the same topic.

Wheaton.edu: Wheaton College has some great general advice on choosing a major.

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This material reproduced from
Peterson's -- Get a JumP!
Your Guide to College Planning and Career Exploration
Texas 2000 Edition, Copyright 1999
Peterson's, Princeton, N.J.
web address: http://www.petersons.com

This page was edited by Robert S.
Last updated on 1/11/02