Exploring Majors at CSU

Each year approximately one-third of all freshmen are Undeclared. The “Undeclared” classification describes students who have either not yet declared a major or have not yet met the requirements for their chosen major (for example: “Undeclared – Business Interest”).

With each entering class, the Center for Advising and Student Achievement (CASA) sees a common trend of students who are undecided about their major or field of study. Over half of the students who enter CSU with a declared major end up changing somewhere along the path to graduation.

With students experiencing various levels of undecidedness, they often find themselves progressing through cycles of confusion, interest, decision & commitment, and doubt.

Fortunately, CSU offers many resources to help a student navigate self-reflection, gathering personal preferences, and then looking at CSU’s programs of study as students look for a “best fit” major.  By giving themselves time to thoughtfully explore majors, students can make a more informed decision that supports their unique values, abilities, and interests.

Students wishing to explore majors are encouraged to participate in the following major exploration activities:

• Consult CASA’s Undeclared Advising webpage – The CASA website features many resources for exploring majors.
• Attend Major Madness workshops where students work to clarify their interests, values, and skills, and discuss ways to connect these to majors and careers.
• Visit with an academic advisor in CASA – CASA advises all students at CSU who are undecided or who are seeking majors that have prerequisite entrance requirements.
• Talk with a Key Advisor in the academic departments of interest. The Key Advisor is a spokesperson for the academic department and can help students learn more about a particular major.
• Visit with a Career Counselor at the Career Center – Career Counselors focus on occupational strengths and values to help students discover career or industry paths that may be appropriately suited for their interests.

Ultimately, we want students to choose a major that they feel suits their interests, abilities, and values.  We want to see them in an academic program that they will be excited to learn about and that will inspire them to be the best student they can be.