Who can help me decide on a major?
Go back to Frequently Asked Questions by International Students.
Who? | How can they help me make a decision about my major? | What else do they do? | Where can I find them? |
---|---|---|---|
CAPE Major Exploration Coach | They will guide you through the process of choosing a major by helping you develop a personalized, structured plan for major exploration. | They will support you with your transition process by using knowledge in university policy, support resources, and counseling. |
|
CAPE Change of College Coach | The Change of College Coach can help you create an action plan to change colleges for a specific major. | They can help you understand the change of college process, who to talk to, what classes to take when working towards a major. They can also refer you to a CAPE Major Exploration Coach when helpful. | Center for Academic Planning and Exploration |
Academic Advisor | Academic advisors can answer questions about majors and minors (especially in your college) or changing your major (and college) and discuss your academic plan and progress. | They are mostly the go-to person for any academic-related questions and concerns, and they will direct you to other resources if your problem is beyond their scope. | Check MyU page for your assigned advisor |
Departmental Advisor | They answer questions about major admission, requirements, and program-specific classes. You need to meet with them to declare a major or minor. | Some departments handle the permission number for all of their classes. Some courses require departmental consent for you to take them. In those cases, you need to talk with them. | Check the departmental website for advising information |
ISSS Advisor | ISSS has a CAPE coach, Aya Maruyama, who tailors the one-on-one advising service for international students. |
ISSS advisors are mostly the go-to person for any questions and concerns related to your status as an international student, and they will direct you to other resources if your problem is beyond their scope. | International Student and Scholar Services |
Career Counselor | These counselors help you explore majors with an emphasis on career perspective. | They help you search for internships and jobs or prepare for graduate school, and they provide career guidance and resume reviews. | Career Services Offices |
UMN alumni | U of M graduates provide real-world perspectives on the fields of your interest. | They can help you build a network in your field. | Alumni Networks; LinkedIn Groups; Maroon and Gold Network |
Faculty | Faculty provide insights and perspectives on specific fields of study. | Professors can provide research opportunities, advice on graduate programs and careers in academia, and permission numbers in some departments. | Email or visit during the office hours |
Peer | Peers can provide information on experiences and workload of a certain major(s). | Some students who already have internship or work experience can provide you with insights and contacts in the field. | Major Network; Gopher Link |