Undeclared Majors
Have you ever spent months planning a trip and been disappointed when you got there? Did you ever arrive somewhere and realize it is not the dream vacation you planned? Similar to going on vacation, choosing a major takes careful planning, research, and thought before a decision can be made. Here are some tools to use, and steps to get you started on your Undeclared Major itinerary:
- Plan: Just like you would never book a trip just because someone told you to go on one, you should not select a major that way either! Take the Personality Mosaic Assessment (pdf) to find your preferences and identify your personality. You should also log-on to Port Triton to take the FOCUS Career Assessment. Think of this as the Expedia of Major and Career Searching! FOCUS is an online interactive career and educational system that combines self- assessment, career exploration and decision making into one. It assesses your interests, personality, skills and values.
- Investigate destinations: There are many majors that may match your interests. Talk to friends, House Advisors, upper classmen, etc. who have visited various destinations -- what did they think? You can also refer to the UCSD Majors based on Personality Traits (pdf). For fun, check out our list of Famous People and their Majors (pdf)!
- Decide on a location: Check out all the major options available at UCSD. Be sure to note the Impacted Majors.
- Logistics: figure out what it will take to get there. There are a wealth of resources available to serve as your travel agent:
- Book your Trip: Declare a major online through TritonLink’s Major/Minor Tool (by 90 units)
- Embark on the journey: Find out about some of the Major-related occupations (pdf) that others in your major have pursued. But beware of the myths about careers (pdf) that are out there!
- Keep a blog or journal about your adventures: Now that your destination is set know the resources that can help you if you encounter various detours and last minute travel changes. See Step 4.
"Don’t choose a major that you feel like you have to be in, not everyone who plans to be Pre-Med has to be a Biology major. At the same time, pick a major that will apply to your future plans while also fostering your interests."
"In hindsight, I am extremely grateful I came in as an Undeclared Major because I had the freedom to discover what I was really passionate about. Passion, in my experience, is the key to gaining a deeper understanding of your major subject and to achieving good grades at UCSD."
"Don't worry too much about finding the perfect major before you get the chance to explore what you want to do. If you are curious about a certain topic, take an intro class because intro classes are designed to let you know if a certain field of study naturally draws you in."
"It might be useful to use an elimination tactic to narrow down what you will NOT want to study. For example, I knew I did not want to declare a science, humanities, foreign language, or fine arts major sometime towards the end of my first year in college."