What is a College Major?
A college major is the area of study that a student will specialize in when pursuing a degree at a college or university. The choice of a major is the most important step a student makes. Some colleges do not let a student declare a major until the second year of college.
<h3 id="section---DefinitionOfAMajor">Definition of a Major</h3>
<p>A major is a student's main field of specialization. The student's choice of specialization plays a significant role in the time spent at a university, according to Stanford University. Many universities clearly define the student's coursework, and others may give the student the ability to take other courses within their field of choice. A university typically defines educational courses in core courses for each major.
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<h3 id="section---ImportantFactsAboutChoosingACollegeMajor">Important Facts about Choosing a College Major</h3>
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<table border="1"><tr><td>Common Majors </td><td> Business, social sciences and history, health, psychology, education, law, engineering, biology, physical sciences</td></tr>
<tr><td>Degree Levels </td><td> Bachelor's, Master's, Doctorate</td></tr>
<tr><td>Online Availability </td><td>Many major programs are offered fully or partially online</td></tr>
<tr><td>Possible Careers </td><td>Business, medical fields, engineering, teaching</td></tr>
</table><h3 id="section---HowToChooseACollegeMajor">How to Choose a College Major</h3>
<p>When choosing a major, a student should assess his or her interests and objectives, Stanford University advises. Students should choose a major that they are passionate about, instead of strictly following a career choice. A student should also evaluate academic strengths and weaknesses. For example, if you prefer to do lab work rather than research in a library, then a major in history would probably not be your best choice. Stanford advises a new college student to visit departments in areas of interest. By doing so, you can question the department advisors and department heads about the type of education you will receive. You may find that the coursework and lab work in a particular major is not a good match for you.
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<h3 id="section---CollegeMajorsAndCareerChoices">College Majors and Career Choices</h3>
<p>The cost of a formal education is very high, and many people spend years paying off student loans. After entering the workforce in their degree field, some individuals find themselves dissatisfied with their job, and they want to change careers. The one problem is that career changes can sometimes require additional courses or another degree all together, which also means additional cost. Giving careful consideration to the choice of a major may eliminate the need for drastic career changes early on in post-college life.</p>