Blog of the Peer Advising Leadership Program, College of Natural Resources, UC Berkeley

April 16, 2007 9:41 PM

Have You Picked a Major?

Picking your major is the first step in reaching your future career goals. Even though it is very important, keep in mind that it’s okay to take your time to figure out what is best for you. I have a friend who came in as a psychology major, switched to intended public health, then intended pre-dental hygienist and is now back to psychology. With all the switching and exploring she did, she is still graduating on time. The point is, everyone has to figure out what is best for them in their own time and what is most important is that you find something you love.

Here are some general tips on how to pick a major that is right for you:

1. Think about your interests and how you could turn what you enjoy into a career. For me, I have always had an interest in nutrition and physical fitness, so I decided on dietetics.

2. Once you have narrowed it down to a couple of majors that encompass your interests take a core, introductory class from each major. You can get a general sense of each major through these classes and hopefully can narrow it down a bit more. Also, this is a great way to experience all the different kinds of classes UC Berkeley has to offer. When I took NST 10, it confirmed my decision to major in dietetics.

3. Next, you should make an appointment with the advisor for the major(s) you’re interested in. You can discuss the details of the major and possible careers options that are available after graduation. This should help you narrow it down even more. Discussing my major with my advisor was really helpful because she helped me map out my classes.

4. Lastly, if you still need some help deciding on a major, I would suggest talking to students who are currently in the major. Often current students can provide you with the most valuable information about what classes to take and when. Don’t forget that that’s what PALs are here for. So if you want to discuss possible majors, come by our office hours. We would love to help!


Jennifer Powers | Permalink | Comment on this article | Comments (0)

Comments (0)

There are currently no comments.


Post a Comment

Your Name:

Your Email Address:

Comment:

Categories

Links

The PAL Website

Peer Advisor Profiles

Advising FAQs

The College of Natural Resources

UC Berkeley

Recent Posts

Some suggestions on how to tackle the issue of scheduling class and graduating on time

Midterm Breather and Getting Prepared for upcoming Exams

My personal way of how to stay on track

Switching into CNR vs. Telebears

Tips for planning out your best fit spring schedule

TELEBEARS IS HERE! Spring 2010 advice on classes?

Ready for Spring 2010? Recommended classes offered only during spring

Why I chose to become a CNR Peer Advisor

Places to Study

Health and Wellness Tips

Monthly Archives

October 2009

September 2009

August 2009

June 2009

May 2009

April 2009

March 2009

February 2009

November 2008

October 2008

September 2008

June 2008

May 2008

April 2008

March 2008

February 2008

December 2007

November 2007

October 2007

September 2007

May 2007

April 2007

March 2007

February 2007

January 2007

December 2006

November 2006

October 2006

September 2006

May 2006

April 2006

March 2006

February 2006

December 2005

Syndication

Subscribe to this blog's feed