Undecided About Your Academic Plan?

Having an undecided major is common.

The University Advisement Center (UAC) at ETSU is dedicated to helping students define and declare their major/career interests as early as possible in their academic life. If you are undecided about what you want major to in at ETSU, or want to explore career and major options – DO NOT WORRY! It is very common to be undecided about the career path you want to follow and the major you should choose, especially for students in their first few semesters in college. So common in fact, that we have a whole office staffed with professional advisors to help you through this very important decision making process.

We will work closely and walk with you through the decision making process as you make one of the most important decisions of your life – your career choice. Below are some common questions that students ask us and we share our answers. BUT, you will have many, many more questions that you will want to ask in making your decision. We look forward to supporting you in this process to get you to the career that you choose!

Dr. Stacy Onks - Meet your support system in the UAC?

Questions about being "Undecided" and Exploring Major/Career Options

• What is a Major and how do you determine your major?

  Choosing your major will be one of the most important academic decisions you will make in college.

  A Major is a group of requirement courses that are related to a particular academic area. For some students, choosing a major is a relatively easy decision. For others, choosing a major requires more time and thought. It is a decisions that should not be taken lightly. You will find that some investigation of your personal goals, interests, abilities, and careful consideration of alternative fields and employment opportunities will lead to a good choice for you. Change to and from different majors may delay your progress toward graduation, so early planning is advised.

• What is an undecided major?

  If you are entering college without a specific field of study, you are classified as Undecided until you officially choose a major.

  At East Tennessee State University, approximately 1,600 students are Undecided in their major.

  As an Undecided student, you will have the opportunity to explore various academic and career options.

  While taking courses and going through our advisement path as an Undecided major student, the experience you gain in decision-making and goal setting will assist you in your professional and career goals.

  Undecided students are encouraged to declare a major by the end of their second semester.

• What does it mean to change a major and how do I change my major?

  Changing a majors means that a student has made a decision regarding academic and career interests.

  Most students change majors at least once. You should discuss your decision with your advisor, in order to avoid taking coursework not compatible with your major decision.

  Changing your major means that you must meet with your Academic Advisor to officially change university documents and to transfer your advisement records to the department of your new major.

• Do I need to know my major now?

  No. In fact, it may be to your advantage to wait until you have had a chance to explore various fields of study. You may discover your interests lie in a direction you had not considered before. One of the most important academic decisions you will make in college is your choice of major. A major is a group of required courses that are related to a particular academic area. For some students, choosing a major is a relatively easy decision. For others, choosing a major requires more time and thought. You will find that some investigation of your personal goals, interests, and abilities, and careful consideration of alternative fields and employment opportunities will lead to a good choice for you. Students are required to declare a major before earning 60 credits.

  It's not uncommon for students who have selected a major to change at least once during their years in college. Changing majors can sometimes delay your progress toward graduation so early planning is to your advantage.

  Nationwide, close to 75 percent of students change their major one or more times during their college experience.

  Students who have taken some time to "shop around" for a field of study may be less likely to change majors ... a process that often costs you extra time, money, and effort.

• When do I have to declare a major?

  Undergraduate students must declare a major no later than the first term after they complete 60 semester credit hours. Transfer students who transfer more than 60 semester credit hours must declare a major by the end of their first semester at ETSU. This policy also applies to students in pre-professional programs. Students seeking a second bachelor’s degree must declare a major at the time of application.