It's time to dig in and research your options.
Below are several recommended tasks and activities you can complete to help you research your majors. We recommend students complete at least the first task listed below.
This is a MUST DO for every every major you're interested in.
Find your major at https://bulletin.sfsu.edu/programs/.
- Select Bachelor's Degree
- This should show you an overview of the major including the program learning outcomes. See if this description matches your interests.
- Select the Degree Requirements tab.
- This shows you a list of all of the courses required to complete this degree. See if most of these courses match your interest.
- Select the Roadmap tab.
- Select First-Time Student Roadmap to see a generic 4 year course sequence students typically follow to complete their degree. Does the sequence fit your timeline to degree?
Some majors offer lower division introduction courses which are an excellent way to try out a major. If one of your potential majors offers one, take it next semester.
Every major department has faculty advisors who advise students about the major and discipline. They're not only your instructors, but also experts in the field. Speak to a faculty advisor to gain insight into your potential major.
Find your major department on the A-Z directory for the campus. Once you're there, look for a section labeled Advising. You're looking a. list of Undergraduate Faculty advisors that you speak to. Many departments have an advisor assigned to you based on your last name, whereas others allow you to pick from any faculty advisors available. Once you locate your faculty advisor, schedule an appointment or visit them during their drop-in advising hours.
Go to https://activities.sfsu.edu and find a student organization that relates to your field of interest. You can join the actual student group/organization or just attend a meeting to find out what they're about first. Talking to students in your potential major and field of interest gives you the student perspective.
Job shadowing and informational interviews are great ways to learn about the day-to-day activities of individuals working in careers related to your field of interest. They can give you insight into the field and potential majors that would be a good fit for that field. Visit Career & Leadership Development website for additional information about informational interviews.
Pick up an internship or do volunteer work related to your career of interest. This can help you determine if the field is a good fit while allowing you to gain some work experience before you graduate. Visit these resources for assistance:
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Institute for Civic and Community Engagement (ICCE) manages a variety of programs offering students with meaningful employment and/or academic credit. Visit ICCE’s website or office to learn more.
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The Career & Leadership Development Office connects SF State students with internship and employment opportunities on Handshake. Visit their website or office to learn more about internship opportunities.
Select Deciding - Decide Between My Options below to continue to the next step.