Navigating the World of Undergraduate Degrees: A Comprehensive Guide

Choosing a college major is a pivotal decision that can shape your future career path and earning potential. This guide provides a comprehensive overview of undergraduate degrees, exploring common majors, emerging fields, strategies for selection, and the importance of flexibility in your academic journey.

Understanding College Majors

A college major represents a focused area of study within a bachelor's degree program. It allows students to delve deeper into a specific subject, developing expertise and skills relevant to their chosen field. The process of selecting a major involves considering various factors, including:

Interests and passions: What subjects ignite your curiosity and enthusiasm? How do you spend your free time, and what activities do you find fulfilling?
Aptitudes and strengths: What are you naturally good at? Are you a strong problem-solver, writer, or public speaker? Consider how your strengths can translate into different career paths.
Career goals and prospects: What do you aspire to achieve in your professional life? How can a college degree help you reach those goals? Research the job market to ensure your aspirations align with industry demands.
Flexibility and exploration: Keep an open mind and be willing to explore different academic areas. You may discover a passion you never knew you had.

Exploring Common College Majors

The landscape of undergraduate degrees is vast and diverse, encompassing a wide array of disciplines. Here's an overview of some common college majors:

STEM Majors

The fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) offer a wealth of in-demand and potentially high-paying jobs. If you have an aptitude for math and science, consider exploring these majors:

Social Sciences and Humanities Majors

These majors delve into the complexities of human behavior, society, and culture. They provide a broad understanding of the world and develop critical thinking, communication, and analytical skills.

Business and Economics Majors

Business is a popular undergraduate major, offering a broad range of specializations. Whether you're interested in accounting, finance, marketing, or management, a business degree can provide a solid foundation for a successful career.

Arts and Communication Majors

These majors focus on creative expression, storytelling, and communication. While the paychecks may not be as high as in some other fields, these majors offer the opportunity to make a meaningful impact on the world through art, media, and communication.

Health and Medical Majors

The health care field is consistently in demand, offering a variety of career paths. Whether you aspire to be a doctor, nurse, therapist, or researcher, a health and medical major can provide the necessary foundation for your future studies.

Education Majors

If you have a passion for learning and a desire to share that passion with others, an education major may be the perfect fit. Whether you want to teach at a specific grade level or subject area, or pursue a career in educational administration, an education major can equip you with the skills to effectively instruct and inspire others. Education majors include options such as:

Teacher Certification in Chemistry, Grades 7-12 (with Double Major in B.S.
Bilingual/Biliteracy Education
Teacher Certification in Grades EC-6 Core Subjects with Bilingual-SpanishMiddle Level Education
Teacher Certification in Core Subjects, Grades 4-8Middle Level Education
Teacher Certification in English Language Arts and Reading/Social Studies, Grades 4-8Middle Level Education
Teacher Certification in Mathematics, Grades 4-8Middle Level Education
Teacher Certification in Mathematics and Science, Grades 4-8Middle Level Education
Teacher Certification in Science, Grades 4-8Secondary Education
Teacher Certification with Double Major in another B.S.
Teacher Certification in English Language Arts and Reading, Grades 7-12, with Double Major in B.A.
Teacher Certification in Physical Education, Grades EC-12
Teacher Certification in French, Grades EC-12, with Double Major in B.A.
Teacher Certification in History, Grades 7-12, with Double Major in B.A.
Teacher Certification in Social Studies, Grades 7-12, with Double Major in B.A.
Teacher Certification in Mathematics, Grades 7-12, with Double Major in B.S.
Teacher Certification in Physics/Mathematics, Grades 7-12, with Double Major in B.S.
Teacher Certification in Spanish, Grades EC-12, with Double Major in B.A.

Exploring Niche and Emerging Majors

In addition to the common majors listed above, colleges and universities are constantly developing new programs to meet the evolving needs of the workforce. These niche and emerging majors may not be as widely available, but they can offer unique opportunities for students with specific interests and career goals.

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Career Paths and Opportunities

Your choice of major can significantly impact your career path and opportunities after graduation. Employers often seek candidates with specific degrees and skills relevant to the job. A company looking to hire a graphic designer is more likely to be interested in a candidate who has a degree in graphic design and built a portfolio of design projects while in school than it is in someone who majored in an unrelated field.

For careers that require advanced degrees, such as medicine, law, or research, undergraduates should plan ahead and ensure they meet the prerequisites for graduate programs. Students who know they want to apply for dental school, for example, should look at the prerequisites for dental programs and make sure their major and the courses they take while earning their bachelor’s degree is in line with those requirements.

Some students may choose to enter the workforce after graduation and pursue graduate studies later in their careers, gaining valuable professional experience that can enhance their applications to programs like Master’s in Business Administration.

Earning Potential and College Majors

The choice of college major can also affect your future earning potential. While factors such as experience, skills, and location also play a role, certain majors tend to lead to higher-paying jobs.

Students who major in the STEM fields tend to see some of the highest starting salaries in the workforce. Those who major in engineering or computer science might see a particularly good return on their investment. According to the BLS, computer hardware engineers made an average salary of $140,830 in 2022, while computer network architects made an average of $129,490 and aerospace engineers made an average salary of $127,090.

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Health care professionals like surgeons, emergency medicine physicians and anesthesiologists also have high salaries, but these jobs require years of postgraduate education.

Majors in the arts and humanities tend to lead to lower-paying jobs than some roles STEM majors can obtain. According to the BLS, graphic designers made an average of $64,500 in 2022. Archaeologists and anthropologists, many of whom need a master’s or doctoral degree to advance their careers, made an average annual salary of $68,310 in 2022, according to the BLS.

Despite the gap in pay between majors, a college degree generally can pay off in the long run. According to a Georgetown University study, bachelor’s degree holders earn 31% more than associate’s degree holders and 84% more than people whose highest level of education is a high school diploma.

Strategies for Choosing a College Major

Choosing a college major is a significant decision, but it doesn't have to be overwhelming. Here are some strategies to help you navigate the process:

Self-reflection: Consider your interests, strengths, and values. What subjects do you enjoy learning about? What skills do you excel at? What kind of work environment do you thrive in?
Research: Explore different majors and career paths. Learn about the required coursework, potential job opportunities, and earning potential for each field.
Talk to professionals: Interview people working in fields that interest you. Ask them about their experiences, challenges, and rewards.
Job Shadowing: Do any adults in your life have jobs that look like something you might want to do in the future? Do you know any current college students who might want to provide you with insight into the coursework for their major? It’s not uncommon for people to talk to high school students about what they plan to do after graduation, so don't be afraid to ask people about what a typical day on their job looks like.
Career Counseling: Consult with a guidance or career counselor at your school. They can provide personalized advice and resources to help you make informed decisions.
Consider programs at your preferred colleges and universities: Sometimes, the decisions of what to study and where to study can go hand in hand. What majors do your dream school and backup schools offer?
Take introductory courses: Many colleges allow students to explore different majors before committing to one. Take introductory courses in subjects that interest you to get a better sense of what they entail.
Pick the Perfect Major: Discover the perfect major for you based on your innate wiring. The Innate Assessment sets you up for success by pairing you with majors, colleges and careers that fit your unique skills and abilities.

Accelerated, Concurrent, and Joint Programs

Some universities offer accelerated, concurrent, and joint programs to enhance the undergraduate experience:

Accelerated programs: allow students the opportunity to expedite the completion of their degree. These programs allow students to fast-track their studies after admission and earn a bachelor's degree in three years or fewer while participating in the same high-quality educational experience of a 4-year option. Each program has requirements students must meet to be eligible for consideration. Acceptance to the graduate program requires a separate application. Students typically receive approval to pursue the accelerated master’s during the junior year of their bachelor's degree program.
Concurrent degrees: allow students to pursue their own personal or professional interests, earn two distinct degrees and receive two diplomas. To add a concurrent degree to your existing degree, work with your academic advisor.
Joint programs, or jointly conferred degrees: are offered by more than one college and provide opportunities for students to take advantage of the academic strengths of two academic units. Upon graduation, students are awarded one degree and one diploma conferred by two colleges.

Flexibility and Adaptability in Choosing a Major

While choosing a college major is a big decision, it's important to remember that it's not set in stone. It’s not uncommon for students to change majors at some point during their undergraduate career.

Switching Majors: But switching majors doesn’t come without risk - you may find yourself taking extra classes to meet the degree requirements for your new major, which can lead to you spending more time and money than it would have cost to follow one degree track from the beginning of your time in college.
Undeclared Status: Many colleges and universities don’t require students to declare a major until their sophomore year, or until they have completed a certain number of credit hours. So if you’re undecided at the start of your college journey, register for required core classes and take advantage of campus resources and elective courses that can help you find the right major.
Concentrations: Some majors allow students to specialize further by choosing a concentration within their major based on what they intend for their career path. Concentrations vary by institution, but for example, students majoring in sports management might be able to specialize in topics like sports business, analytics, marketing or administration, depending on what area of sports management they want to work in. Examples of concentrations include:
- Clinical Exercise Science Concentration
- Pre-Rehabilitation Sciences Concentration
- Creative Writing Concentration
- Film Concentration
- Writing and Rhetoric Concentration
- Astronomy Concentration
- Hispanic Literature and Culture Concentration
- Spanish for Professions Concentration
- Spanish Linguistics Concentration
Double Majors: Some students find that declaring a double major might help them reach their career goals. Students who double major still only earn one degree - and therefore can still complete their bachelor’s degree in four years - but double majoring means they’ve earned enough credits in two (often related) subject areas for both to be considered a major.
Minors: In addition to a major, students commonly declare a minor, a secondary subject area in which to focus. A minor can complement your studies without requiring as many courses in a specialty area as a major. Your chosen minor might not be directly related to your major, but it could help equip you for reaching your career goals. For example, a journalism major who ultimately wants to cover politics may minor in political science, and a fine arts major who hopes to open their own studio someday might choose to minor in business or education.
Interdisciplinary Studies: But even with all these options, students aren’t necessarily limited to specific majors offered at their chosen college or university. Many schools offer an interdisciplinary studies major, or custom study path that incorporates coursework from multiple subject areas to align with a student’s career goals. Students who are interested in interdisciplinary studies or a custom degree should meet with their academic adviser and learn their school’s process for assembling a custom program of study.

Majors in High Demand

While majors like business have remained consistently popular over the years, others have seen higher or lower enrollment rates depending on the needs of the ever-evolving workforce. Students who major in a STEM or health care field can expect their skills and expertise to be in demand: Among the 10 jobs from which the BLS expects to see the fastest growth by 2032 are nurse practitioners, data scientists, information security analysts, medical and health services managers, physician assistants and software developers. While nurse practitioners and physician assistants typically need a master’s degree, these other roles typically require only a bachelor’s degree.

The World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs Report 2023, which examines how jobs might evolve over a five-year period, states that the fastest-growing occupations relative to their size include roles in technology like artificial intelligence and machine learning specialists, as well as sustainability, like renewable energy engineers.

Additional Resources

ASU Degree Search: ASU adds new programs to Degree Search frequently.
ASU Online: ASU Online offers programs in an entirely online format with multiple enrollment sessions throughout the year.
Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE): The Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE) is a program in which residents of western states (other than Arizona) may be eligible for reduced nonresident tuition.

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