1

ExploreMajorsandCareers

FindingthePerfectMajorforYou!

ChristyHuynh christy.huynh@oswego.eduAnnaliseWinkler awinkler@oswego.edu

145MaranoCampusCenteroswego.edu/careerservices

2

MajorandMinorEliminationDirections:Usingpages3and4ofmajorsandminors,takeamomentandcrossouttheonesthatyouarecertainyouhavenointerestin.Next,circlethemajorsthatyouseeaspossibilitiesorifyouwouldliketolearnmoreabout.

Listthemajors/minorsyoucircledaspossibilitieshere:

_____________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

Nowcategorizethemajors/minorsin2-3groupsthatmakesensetoyou:

Group1Title:________________________________________________

Group2Title:________________________________________________

Group3Title:________________________________________________

3

SchoolofBusinessAccounting–B.S.BusinessAdministration–B.S.Finance–B.S.HumanResourceManagement–B.S.Marketing–B.S.OperationsMgmt&InfoSystems–B.S.*PublicAccounting–B.S./M.B.A.RiskManagementandInsurance-B.S.

SchoolofEducationAdolescenceEd7-12–B.S.ChildhoodEd1-6–B.S.TESOL–B.S.TechnologyEdAllGrades–B.S.TechnologyManagement–B.S.VocationalTeacherPrep(allmajors)–B.S.WellnessManagement–B.S.

CollegeofLiberalArts&ScienceAmericanStudies–B.A.Anthropology–B.A.AppliedMathematics–B.S.AppliedMathematicalEconomics–B.S.Biochemistry–B.S.Biology–B.A.orB.S.Chemistry–B.A.orB.S.CinemaandScreenStudies–B.A.CognitiveScience–B.A.orB.S.ComputerScience–B.A.orB.S.CreativeWriting–B.A.Economics–B.A.ElectricalandComputerEngineering-B.S.English–B.A.French–B.A.GenderandWomen'sStudies–B.A.Geochemistry–B.S.Geology–B.A.GeologyTrackIGeology-B.S.GeologyTrackIIEnv.EarthScience-B.S.German–B.A.

Global&InternationalStudies–B.A.History–B.A.HumanDevelopment-B.A.InformationScience–B.A.Journalism–B.A.Language&InternationalTrade–B.A.Linguistics–B.A.Mathematics–B.A.Meteorology–B.S.Philosophy–B.A.Philosophy-Psychology–B.A.Physics–B.A.orB.S.PoliticalScience–B.A.Psychology–B.A.*Psych/BusinessAdmin–B.A./M.B.A.*Psych/HumanCompIntrctn–B.A./M.A.PublicJustice–B.A.Sociology-B.A.SoftwareEngineering-B.S.Spanish–B.A.Zoology–B.A.orB.S.

SchoolofCommunication,Media,&theArtsAmericanStudies–B.A.Art–B.A.(Studio,ArtHistory,GraphicDesign)Art–B.F.A.(GraphicDesign)Art–B.F.A.(StudioArt)Broadcasting&MassComm.–B.A.*Broadcasting/BusinessAdmin–BA/MBAComm.&SocialInteraction–B.A.

Gender&Women'sStudies–B.A.InformationScience–B.A.Journalism–B.A.Linguistics–B.A.Music–B.A.PublicRelations–B.A.Theatre–B.A.

Majors

4

SchoolofBusiness

*Accounting*ArtsManagementBusinessAdministration*InternationalBusiness

SchoolofEducation

*AthleticCoaching*HealthScience*Nutrition*Technology*SportsStudies

CollegeofLiberalArts&Sciences

*African/African-AmericanStudiesAnthropology*AppliedStatistics*Astronomy*BioculturalAnthropologyBiologyChemistryCognitiveScience*ComputerInformationSystemsComputerScienceCreativeWritingEconomicsEnglish*ForensicScienceFrench*FrenchCultureStudiesGenderandWomen'sStudiesGeologyGerman*GermanCultureStudies

*GerontologyGlobalandInternationalStudiesHistoryHumanDevelopment*ItalianCultureStudiesLinguistics*LogicMathematics*NativeAmericanStudies*PeaceandConflictStudiesPhilosophyPhysicsPoliticalSciencePsychologyPublicJusticeSociologySpanish*SustainabilityStudiesZoology

SchoolofCommunication,Media&theArts

ArtArtHistory*ArtsManagement*AudioDesignandProductionCommunicationandSocialInteraction*ExpressiveArtsTherapy

GraphicDesign*Illustration

Journalism*LiveEventDesign*MedievalandRenaissanceStudies*MuseumStudiesMusic*PhotographyTheatre

Minors

*Minor only

5

DissectingaMajorWorksheetDirections:Chooseoneofthemajorsfrompage2andfillinthebelowinformationusingtheSUNYOswegoCollegeCatalog.Availableonline:http://catalog.oswego.edu Major:___________________________SummaryoftheMajorDescription: Rateeachcourseutilizingthefollowingscale:

1 2 3 4 5 6 7Extremely Neither ExtremelyDraining Draining/Energizing Energizing

Course Ranking Comments

6

WeighingYourOptions

Ifyouaretryingtochoosebetweenjustafewmajors,youcanusethesechartstohelpyououtlinetheprosandconsofeachone.Choosepossiblecareersusingthe“WhatCanIDowithaMajorIn…?”charttohelpin

makingyourdecision:oswego.edu/career-services/what-can-i-do-major

Major: ______________________________________ PossibleCareer(s): ____________________________

ProsCons

Major: _____________________________________________ PossibleCareer(s): __________________________________

ProsCons

Major: _____________________________________ PossibleCareer(s): _____________________________

ProsCons

Major: ___________________________________________ PossibleCareer(s): __________________________________

ProsCons

7

StrategiesforExploringandConfirmingMajors

• LearnmoreaboutmyInterests,Values,Abilities,andStrengthsthroughInventoriesandAssessments

• Focus2–Acareerandeducationplanningtoolthatincludesassessmentsandacustomizableportfolio.• StrengthsQuest–StrengthsFinderisanonlineassessmentthatidentifiesyour“top5”ThemesofTalent.• MBTI(Myers-BriggsTypeIndicator)–Apersonalityassessmentthatidentifiesyourpreferencesasitrelates

towhoyouareandwhyyouwanttowork;includingthebestworkenvironmentsandcareertasks.• StrongInterestInventory–Aninterestinventorythatmatchesyourinterestswithcareerfields.

• InvestigateallmajorsandminorsthatSUNYOswegooffers

ReviewtheUndergraduateCataloganddepartmentalwebsitesformajors/minorsofinterest.Getanunderstandingforcourseworkanddegreerequirementsfordifferentmajors.Completetheseactivitiestonarrowyoursearch:

• “Major-elimination”activityàfindoutwhatmajorsinterestyouthemost.• “DissectaMajor”activityàhelpstoidentifyifapotentialmajoristrulyagoodfit.

• Takeacourseinamajororminorofinterest

Manymajorsofferintroductorycourses.Manyofthesecoursesfulfillgeneraleducationrequirementsandcanbetakentoexploremajors.

• JobShadow/InformationalInterviewSpendadaywithaprofessionalinthefieldorinterviewaprofessorabouttheirdiscipline.Thisisagreatwaytolearnfirsthandaboutacareerfieldormajor.SophomoresmayutilizetheAlumniSharingKnowledge(A.S.K.)programtoconnectwithalumniintheircareerfieldofinterest.Tolearnmorevisithttp://www.oswego.edu/alumni/ask

Othernetworkingopportunitiesinclude:• Talktoanupper-classstudentabouttheirmajororconnectwiththeexpertfaculty/staffinthat

department.• UtilizetheInformationalInterviewingvideoshttps://www.oswego.edu/career-services/networking• Checkout“CandidCareer”InformationalCareerVideosonline!oswego.edu/career-services/careers

• ServiceLearningandCommunityService VolunteerinthecommunityeitherindependentlyorthroughaServiceLearning,GST302.Chooseasiterelated

toafieldormajorofinteresttoacquireskillsandknowledgeofrealworldsettings. https://www.oswego.edu/community-service/home

• LeadershipinYourField(GST303),Internship(GST498),orProfessionalSkillsPreparatory(GST101)

Gaininsightaboutamajororcareerfieldthatinterestsyou.VisitcenterforExperientialLearningintheCompass,145CampusCenterformoreinformationaboutexperientiallearning.https://www.oswego.edu/center-for-experiential-learning/

8

CareerExploration

v Learnmoreaboutcareersrelatedtomajorsyouareexploring-allavailablethroughCareerServices

StrongInterestInventoryaninterestinventorythatmatchesyourinterestswithcareerfields

WhatCanIDowithAMajorIn…providesinformationaboutcareers&resourcesforeverymajor

Focus2-searchcareerfieldsrelatedtoyourinterests,skillsandvalues.https://www.focus2career.com/Portal/Login.cfm?SID=799

O*Net–Searchforinformationaboutoccupations http://onetonline.org

CandidCareer–browsethousandsofcareervideos https://www.oswego.edu/career-services/careers

9

SelfAssessments

CareerServicesoffersavarietyofassessmentsthatprovideyouwithinformationaboutyourstrengths,values,interestsandskills.Ifyouareinterestedincompletinganassessment,emailmajorexploration@oswego.edu

StrengthsQuestStrengthsFinderisanonlineassessmentthatidentifiesyour“top5”ThemesofTalent.StrengthsQuestallowsyoutoexploreandstrengthenyourtalents,useyourstrengthstoimproveyouracademics,discoveramajorandcareerpaththatbuildsoffofyourstrengthsandlearntouseyourstrengthstoexcel.

MBTI(Myers-BriggsTypeIndicator)®MBTIidentifiesyourpreferencesandprovidesinformationaboutyouruniquetype(thereare16distincttypes).Understandingyourpersonalitytype/preferencesisthefoundationofmajorexplorationandthisisagreattoolforhelpingyoutounderstandwhoyouareandwhatmajorswouldbeagoodfitforyou.TheMBTIgivesyouinformationabouthowyouorientintheworld,takeininformation,makedecisionsandstructureyourlife.

StrongInterestInventory®TheStrongInterestInventoryisatoolthatmatchesyourinterestswithmajorsandcareerfields.Ithelpsyouidentifyyourinterests,preferences,andpersonalstylesandprovidesinformationyouneedtoselectamajorandcareeryoucanbepassionateabout.

Focus2Focus2isaweb-basedprogramthatincludesfiveonlineself-assessments(work,interest,personality,skills,values,andleisureinterests),acareerportfolioandinformationaboutcareers.