Choosing the Right Major
Deciding on a major can be one of the most difficult aspects a student faces when entering or considering higher education. Career Services offers many resources to help you decide whether a particular major is right for you.
Whether exploring multiple majors or searching for information about a career field, "What Can I do With This Major?" will help you connect majors to careers. Learn about the typical industries, career areas, the types of employers that hire people with each major, and strategies to make you a more marketable candidate. You may also continue researching majors and careers through the websites provided within the resource and this page.
Your major is important but does not guarantee a particular career path. You have many career opportunities with any major. Reflect on your values, interests, personality, and skills. Think about what excites you, motivates you, and brings you joy. Once you discern this, explore ways to find success, meaning, and impact in your life. Take the time to explore career opportunities that lead to meaning and impact for your entire life.
Note that there are, of course, some career fields that require particular majors, degrees, and certifications. Research if a career in which you have an interest requires an area of specialization.
Determine Your Strengths
Take the Focus 2 assessment. The results will help jump start the exploration process and provide you with lists of both majors and careers that may strike your interest based on your results. There are separate sites for current Shawnee State students and for high school students.
Shawnee State students: Please take the assessment here. The access code is shawnee (all lowercase letters).
High School students: Please take the assessment here. No access code is required.
Research a Variety of Majors
To further explore your options and interests, you can view a full list of degrees and areas of study. Upperclassmen and faculty in the department you are interested in are great resources for learning more about a program!
Explore the Meta-Majors Offered by SSU
What is a meta-major? A meta-major is simply an area of interest. Shawnee State University has identified 6 meta-majors, or cluster of majors/programs that are similar or related.
Which Career is for You?
Once you have an idea of what subject you would like to study, it is important to explore the different careers associated with the major.
Explore Careers:
- Make an appointment in Career Services to make a plan for pursuing the career
- Schedule an informational interview with someone that works in your desired field
- Job shadowing (PNG) and volunteering are great ways to get ideas about different positions or confirm your interest in a certain field
- Use the following to begin your search:
- O*NET
- Occupational Outlook Handbook
- Join our Handshake career platform
- Get the SSU App
- Find a Career with OhioMeansJobs!