2. Choosing a Major is a Process
1. I know my interests, values, and personality
2. I know my skills and abilities
3. I know about the different kinds of majors offered at ECC
4. I know about a few majors I am interested in and
understand the requirements
3. 1. Interests, Values, and Personality
Ask Yourself…
What do I like to do? To study?
What do I believe in? What is important to me?
Who am I? How am I connected to the world around me?
What does this have to do with my major?
4. 2. Skills and Abilities
Ask yourself…
What are my academic strengths?
Which classes do I excell? Which classes are a struggle?
What skills have I gained from jobs, volunteering, or other
experiences?
5. 3. What majors are out there?
ECC has plenty of
degrees and certificate
programs to choose
from.
Check out
ecc.edu/degrees
6. 4. Knowing the Major Requirements
Who can I talk to?
Academic Advisors, Career Service Counselors, Professors, and more!
Where can I find more information?
ECC Academics website
What do I need to know?
# of credit hours
Classes to enroll in
8. 5. Make the Choice!
How can I declare a major?
Talk to an Academic Advisor and follow the required directions
Be prepared!
How will your new major fit into your future?
9. Afraid of Commitment?
Have you ever thought…
“I should have already known what I wanted to do when I
came to college”
“There is only one perfect major for me”
“My major isn’t as good as __________ major”
“My major right now will determine what I’ll be doing for the
rest of my life”
10. Let’s Tackle Those Myths.
“I should have already known what I wanted to do when I
came to college”
There are advantages to deciding a major later on. What
are those advantages?
11. Let’s Tackle Those Myths.
“There is only one perfect major for me”
Your major isn’t your entire courseload
All majors have some things in common (such as a core
class requirement)
You may have multiple interests
You will more than likely not love 100% of any major you
12. Let’s Tackle Those Myths.
“My major isn’t as good as __________ major”
Your major is your experience!
A major will not make or break your job search
Employers are looking for employees with a variety of
skills, experience, and knowledge
13. Let’s Tackle Those Myths.
“My major right now will determine what I’ll be doing for
the rest of my life”
Let me tell you my story…
Many people change their careers throughout the
course of their life!
You can do a lot more with one major than you think
14. So I chose a major. Now What?
Get ready for the future!
Build relationships with professors and staff
Create an excellent resume and cover letter
Need help? Ask me!
Research possible future careers and/or further education
Look for internship or work experience
15. Speaking of Career planning...
Ever heard of Focus2?
Focus2 is a FREE career assessment by ECC to discover new career and
major interests
Take five assessments about your personality, values, skills, work
preferences, and leisure preferences
A list of suggested jobs will be created based on your responses
Explore components of careers such as salary, job outlook, and much more!
16. Let’s try it out!
1. Go to
www.ecc.edu/crc
1. Click on
“Career
Assessment”
19. Your Menu
Career Readiness: fill out
for yourself!
Self-Assessment: fill
these out to get your
results later!
Explore the Possibilities:
Research different
careers!
