Does your major impact your potential career opportunities? The short answer is your major doesn’t define you. In this article, we will break down some common myths related to choosing a major highlighted in the Career Center’s Does My Major Really Matter video.
#1 – My major will determine what I do for the rest of my life.
Reality: Your major is just one datapoint of what makes up your skills and experiences. Most people end up working in careers that are not directly related to their undergraduate majors. It is becoming more of the norm for people to change careers several times during their professional journeys. Changing a career often can help us move towards a clearer understanding of what we want to do and how it aligns with our values, strengths, and interests. We change and so can our careers.
#2 – I have to be in a specific career path that is related to my major.
Reality: Your major helps you think critically in your specific academic discipline but does not tie you to a career path in that discipline. Employers take note of your major alongside other qualifications such as the skills and experiences you have acquired throughout your undergraduate experience. Many professional schools seek to accept a diverse array of undergraduate majors when selecting candidates. When understanding of the value of your major in a specific industry or graduate school, it is important to consider the transferrable skills you have gained from your major rather than major topics or courses.
#3 – Students in Liberal Arts are only qualified for careers in their specific field of study.
Reality: Liberal Arts majors can contribute meaningful work in multitude of careers given their toolkit of skills including critical thinking, creative problem solving, research, verbal and written communication, and multicultural competence. These skills also help Liberal Arts majors successfully prepare for graduate and professional schools. It is about the specific skills these majors develop rather than their specific degree.
#4 – Employers always prefer a student with two majors over students with one major.
Reality: Two majors can be good if they are complimentary in nature. Outside of your coursework, employers are interested in your out of classroom experiences as they relate to your academics – for instance, student organization involvement, internships, research, project teams, volunteering, and part-time work. Employers are focused on the experiences, skills, and knowledge you can contribute to their organization over the number of majors on your transcript. Two majors can limit you from doing other things during your time at Duke. It is important to consider what other options are available to you to build the skills associated with a specific major – maybe the option is pursuing a certificate or taking courses in a specific field of study.
