How to pick the perfect major

Picking the perfect major is stressful – I get it. It feels like the most important decision you’ll ever make, and having to make it at age 18 or 19 is no consolation. But don’t fret; this does not need to be the most important decision you ever make, and it will not be the end of the world if you don’t get it right the first time. 

But to hopefully help ease some of your worries let’s talk strategy in how to pick the best major for you. 

Step 1: Read up on the different colleges at Syracuse

The first thing I recommend doing when approaching the grueling task of choosing your major is understanding all the schools within Syracuse and the different benefits they have. I consolidated some of this information for you to make it a touch easier. 

The schools, their majors, and benefits 

Luckily or maybe unluckily for us, Syracuse has many different schools to choose from, and understanding what each school has to offer is the first step when determining the best major for you. 

First and foremost is the College of Arts and Sciences. This one is much broader but it covers most of the degrees you can earn in the humanities, including things like languages, mathematics, psychology, and more. Another thing to note is that a lot of other schools have their students take general education courses through the College of Arts and Sciences, so if you’re interested in just a few courses here, you’ll get the opportunity to take them even if you don’t have a major in this school.

Your next option is the School of Architecture. This one is pretty straightforward. If you want to study architecture, this is the school for you. Some things to note: it is a five-year program and most students in this school go abroad for a full year. 

Next up: the School of Education. If you want to teach, this is the place for you. It has a few different majors depending on the grade level you are interested in. The teacher prep programs include childhood education, adolescent education, and music education. They also have a pre-professional degree in selected studies in education. 

If you have a more mathematical brain, then take a look at the College of Engineering and Computer Science. This school has 10 undergraduate majors that include but are not limited to chemical engineering, aerospace, environmental, and more. 

Moving along, the Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics includes programs such as food studies, social work, sports management, nutrition, and more. 

For those of you into technology, the iSchool may be more your speed. This school has three undergraduate majors and two dual programs that revolve around innovative technology, design, and communication. 

Whitman is the School of Management with nine undergraduate majors. This covers areas such as real estate, accounting, entrepreneurship, finance, and more. If you have a business or money brain, this is the place for you. 

The S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications covers just that: all things communication. This school offers majors in advertising, journalism, visual communications, television, radio and film, esports communications, public relations, and music management. 

Next, we have Maxwell, the School of Citizenship and Public affairs. This covers the social sciences, public policy, public administration, and international relations.

VPA or the College of Visual and Performing Arts also has an array of degrees in the different artistic industries. Whether you want to go into musical theater or become a professional cellist, this is the school for you. 

Step 2: Take classes in different majors

The cool thing about being a freshman and sophomore is that you’re mostly taking gen ed classes, which means you have the freedom to take classes in different fields of study that can help you narrow down what you’re interested in. For example freshman year, I took a communication and science disorders class. It taught me I wasn’t interested in that, and I knew I could move on to the next thing. 

Step 3: Talk to your friends

Being on such a huge campus like Syracuse means you have the opportunity to be around people studying such diverse things. This gives you the wonderful opportunity to chat with these people about what they are studying and the types of classes they take. Hearing first-hand about what people are learning and what their workloads and school environments are like will help you get a step closer to discovering what your interests are. 

Ultimately, finding your perfect major might take some trial and error, but hopefully, these tips can help you get there!