My Student is Changing Majors

It happens. A student enters DU with every intention of finishing the major they came in with. But they're 18 or 19 (or 32), and things change. And about 20% of our students enter without knowing their major--perhaps it would be more accurate to say they enter knowing they don't know what their major will be. How can you help point them on a path?

• Encourage them to take a course in the field. There are often Foundations courses or business core classes that serve as introduction to a discipline, and those are good choices. But if the department has an introductory course of its own, the best way for the student to see if the major fits is to take the class.
• Encourage the student to take CNP 1200, Career Decision Making, which is a two-credit class offered this Winter. It focuses on chosing a major as part of the process of choosing a career path.
• If they are thinking of a major in a business area, encourage them to take BSBA 1010, Dynamic Nature of Business, which will introduce students to the disciplines within DCB.
• Have them visit the Career Center. A career counselor can guide the student through a structured process for thinking about a major in the context of where the student wants to begin a career.
• Talk to them about what excites them, how they see themselves in the future, what they want to be? They are often too scared to initiate this conversation, but can be grateful if you do.
• Send them to the department to ask questions. If you know someone in that department, an introduction can help things along.
• Have them visit Academic Advising or Rifkin Center for Student Services.
• Above all, keep talking to them! DU has been lucky to avoid the national trend of losing a larger percentage of undeclared students compared to the overall student population. The research suggests that this is because these students form fewer connections, especially with faculty.

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