MAJORS TO CAREERS

Students are anxious to know what can be done with a specific major. In some cases, majors are directly linked to specific careers.

For example, if you want to be a nurse, you usually don't major in history—you major in nursing. However, majoring in nursing doesn't preclude you from entering into a variety of different occupations other than nursing.

Many majors really don't have specific careers to which they are directly linked.

Instead, it is helpful to think of a major as a place to gain knowledge and skills that are transferable and can be used in many different occupations.

A major in history, for example, teaches an individual good writing and critical thinking skills that many employers will find valuable. For most situations, the completion of a certain major is only the beginning of a process of personal development that will extend well into a career.

Students would be wise to use their time in college to augment the training they receive in their majors with other skills and experiences.