Being uncertain about your major or career is normal. Whether you are looking to narrow down your options, or are only curious about what a major change could entail, this page has numerous resources to help you in your exploration.
If you have an upcoming major exploration advising appointment with our office, we strongly recommend reviewing and using the resources below that best fit your needs prior to your appointment. This will help give you a head start and will allow us to maximize your time when meeting with us.
UT Majors, Minors, & Certificates
UT Austin has over 115 majors, over 100 minors, and over 50 certificates. With so many academic programs, it can be overwhelming to know how to start exploring. One helpful approach is to start by researching the facts—what academic programs are available, what are their requirements, what does it take to apply to them, etc. The resources below are a great way to start your exploration.
Undergraduate Majors
Your major does not have to define your career path. Most jobs can be attained with any major, and alumni from many different backgrounds go on to work in a wide range of fields. That said, it’s worth carefully considering which major will give you the kind of skills and experience you’re looking for.
If you are a current UT Austin student considering changing your major, it’s important to know that you will need to satisfy internal transfer requirements and, in nearly all cases, will need to complete the internal transfer application.
Restricted Majors vs Open Majors
Most majors at UT Austin are restricted, which means students must meet specific GPA, credit hour, and/or course requirements to be eligible for internal transfer, and meeting those requirements does not guarantee admission. Seats within restricted majors are limited and admission is selective.
Open or unrestricted majors, on the other hand, will admit all students who apply so long as all internal transfer criteria are met and all necessary steps to declare have been completed. While students are highly encouraged to be settled into their major by the end of their second year at UT Austin, open majors are available even to students who have already completed four semesters and/or 60 hours in-residence. Open Majors are most of the majors in the College of Liberal Arts and most of the majors in the College of Education. See the list of all majors linked above, or refer to this list of Open Majors, for more information.
Minors and Certificates
Minors and certificates are great ways to supplement the academic experience from your major by gaining additional experience in a certain field of study or through interdisciplinary coursework. Both can be an excellent option as an alternative to double majoring, or as a backup plan if not admitted to a restricted major of interest.
Minors are secondary areas of specialization, requiring 15-21 credit hours that can be completed alongside your major’s coursework. Minors require an application process and, sometimes, prerequisites to qualify.
Certificates programs are similar to minors in that they are secondary credentials (18-24 credit hours) meant to supplement the academic experience from your major. Certificates often provide interdisciplinary curricula that support and extend a student’s major. For example, the Bridging Disciplines Programs certificates combine interdisciplinary coursework with hands-on research, internship, or creative experiences. Certificates require an application process and, often, prerequisites to qualify.
Wayfinder, Degree Plans, and Syllabi
With so many academic programs, it can be overwhelming to know how to start exploring. One helpful approach is to start by researching the facts—what academic programs are available, what are their requirements, what does it take to apply to them, etc. The resources below are a great way to start your research.
Wayfinder
Wayfinder contains the basic information about all majors, minors, and certificates available at UT Austin. The Explore Degrees page lets you filter by major, minor, and certificate and by college/school. The Career Fields page lets you review different career fields and provides suggestions of academic programs that might be of interest for each career field.
Syllabi Database
Fundamentally, majors are simply a collection of course requirements. So, it can be extremely helpful to set aside your preconceived notions of what a major is like and just focus on the simple stuff—what kinds of courses would be involved with majors you’re interested in, and how do you think those courses are suited to your skills and interests? UT Austin keeps a database of syllabi for all courses. You can review degree plans, which are linked from Wayfinder, to see what courses would be required for a major, then explore those courses’ syllabi to get a better sense of what they would be like.
Assessments
While an assessment is not a crystal ball that will tell you exactly what you should do, they can be helpful tools to guide your reflection and broaden your ideas for majors and careers. Try out some of the assessments listed below.
MyMajors
Start a profile with MyMajors to receive a personalized list of UT Austin majors that match your strengths and interests. Use the resources described above to find out more about the degree requirements and internal transfer requirements for the recommended majors.
Focus 2 Career
This assessment uses your interests to explore majors and occupations. Create your account here by clicking the “Register” option and using the access code: longhorns.
Career Counseling & Texas Career Engagement Resources
The Vick Center works closely with Texas Career Engagement to assist students in navigating their academic and career possibilities. TCE houses campus-wide career resources, programming, and services to help students make decisions about their future, from major to career.
Career Counseling
The career counselors in TCE can help you:
- Understand what kind of majors might align with your values, interests, personality, and skills
- Discuss how these different paths might affect your short and long-term career goals beyond academics
- Brainstorm content for your internal transfer process application documents
We strongly encourage students to meet with a TCE Career Counselor or Career Coach to aid in their exploration, and follow-up with our advisors in the Vick Center to put their plans into action.
UGS 107D: Exploring Careers and Majors Course
UGS 107D: Exploring Careers and Majors is a one-credit hour course designed to help students connect their personal interests and skills with academic programs at UT. The course is open to first- and second-year students of all majors unsure of their major or career direction. This experiential course, taught by TCE career counselors, focuses on helping students learn more about themselves, their values, interests, and personalities, and explore majors across campus. Students will also identify potential career options. For more information, visit the course website.
Note: this course does not count toward the UGS 302/303 First Year Signature Course requirement.
Online Career Resources
While your major does not dictate your career options, exploring your career interests is still an important part of your exploration. Below are a selection of career resources that can be useful for students exploring majors. For a more complete list, please visit TCE’s online career resources website.
WhatCanIDoWithThisMajor.com helps students connect their academic and professional interests. Use the tool to explore majors or search for information about your chosen field.
The Occupational Outlook Handbook is a publication of the United States Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics that includes information about the nature of work, working conditions, training and education, earnings and job outlook for hundreds of different occupations in the United States.
O*NET provides detailed information from the U.S. Department of Labor about a variety of jobs, from tasks and required training to average salary and projected job growth.
Interstride is a one-stop shop for domestic students interested in careers abroad as well as for international students exploring U.S. employment options. It provides information on companies that sponsor employment visas, guidance on intercultural networking, job listings, and more.