STEAM Schools Make Choosing a Major Easier
Picking a major in college is the first step in turning your passion into purpose. Even with so many options, choosing a degree path isn’t as difficult as you might think, especially at schools like Pacific, where your interests are just as important as your career goals.
Want to put your purpose into practice at the next level? Pacific’s Guaranteed Graduate School Admissions secures your spot in a variety of advanced programs as early as your first year on campus!
Choosing a major is one of the first big decisions for new college students.
Some students have known what they’ve wanted to study for as long as they can remember, but for others the question, “What should I major in?” can seem a bit more daunting.
That’s because picking a major isn’t just about choosing what you’ll study. Rather, it’s charting a course to impact the communities that matter most to you.
But deciding what college classes to take and what degree to pursue doesn’t need to be stressful.
Let us show you how schools that prioritize interdisciplinary learning can make picking a major easier, and discover why narrowing your focus doesn’t mean limiting your passions.
EXPLORE PACIFIC’S FOUR-YEAR DEGREE GUARANTEE
How Do I Choose a Major?
Universities offer an enormous variety of degree paths that include traditional majors, minors, and concentrations aimed at helping you develop lifelong skills and a rewarding career.
But with so many options, choosing just one major from such an expansive list can be overwhelming.
When researching degree paths and major/minor options, consider:
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What you find fun. They say that if you love what you do then you'll never work a day in your life, so finding a major that leverages your interests in thoughtful ways is key.
Like puzzles? Try mathematics! Made for the stage? Theatre might be for you. Caught the travel bug? Foreign language learning is abundant!
You have the power to turn what you already love doing into a lifetime of purpose, and it all starts with choosing a major.
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What career do you want? If you have particular career aspirations, certain majors are designed to help you land a role in that career as soon as possible.
Majors in areas like education, business, and pre-professional tracks in healthcare all funnel students into those fields, helping students realize their career goals directly as a result of their major.
Asking yourself, “what can I do with this major?” is a good way to determine if a specific program is right for you.
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Job demand. For some, the most important part of the college experience is having a career waiting for you after graduation.
Many of the majors at Pacific teach job skills that prepare students for careers in fields that are growing more rapidly than the nationwide average.
Programs in social work, environmental science and dental hygiene are all examples of how a well-chosen major can result in a quick start to your career.
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How you can make a difference. One of the primary goals of your major is to equip you with skills you can use to help build a life of purpose.
Whether you want to advocate for public health initiatives, help serve disenfranchised communities, or influence change in criminal justice, there’s a degree that aligns with your ambitions.
After deciding on a major, it’s important to determine if the colleges in which you are interested offer those kinds of programs.
Admissions counselors are the perfect resource for finding this information and can put you in contact with faculty who can tell you more about their programs.
What if I Want to Pursue Interests Outside of My Major?
One of the benefits of attending a small liberal arts college — apart from the unparalleled student support — is the opportunity to pursue your passions without having to sacrifice success in your major.
Pacific’s robust campus community includes countless opportunities to explore what excites you, whether it’s performance, activism, scholarship, or exploring your culture.
Almost all student clubs, cultural organizations, athletics, and artistic ensembles are open to every student on campus, regardless of what major you choose.
This means that you can pick a major in something you want to turn into a career while still finding time to participate in what’s important to you.
Writers can play tennis, biologists can dance, and historians can hula, all while keeping on track within their major and graduating on time.
What is a STEAM School?
Universities that emphasize a diverse core education in addition to what students specialize in within their majors are called STEAM schools.
STEAM stands for science, technology, engineering, art and math, and is at the heart of every degree program at Pacific.
STEAM schools understand that a well-rounded education leads to better problem solving, decision making, and an emphasis on social justice, all of which enable successful careers and lives of purpose.
A STEAM education also removes some of the pressure of choosing a major, as no matter what degree you aspire to, complementary courses in topics such as reasoning, social science and sustainability are baked into your core curriculum.
This interdisciplinary model empowers students to explore ideas outside of their major, while still gaining invaluable skills they can use in their own professional inquiry.
Do All Majors Take the Same Amount of Time to Complete?
With a few exceptions, all undergraduate degrees at Pacific can be completed in four years with our Four-Year Degree Guarantee.
Graduating in four years not only saves you money, but allows you to jump into your career or advanced degree program more quickly.
That four-year time frame includes opportunities to stretch beyond your major and stimulate your passions through abundant extracurriculars.
So feel free to take that orchestra class or run cross country. Pacific has designed its core curriculum to include time for what drives you.
Taking longer than four years to graduate is not normal for Pacific students, but major changes or study abroad opportunities may extend the length of your degree.
Thinking about becoming a Boxer? Connect with your personalized admissions counselor today and get all your questions answered about how to apply!