The College | Arts & Sciences

Academic Goals and Progress

CHOOSE, DECLARE AND GET INVOLVED IN A MAJOR

During the sophomore year, students move from focused academic exploration to commitment to a major. Different people are ready to choose at different times, and it’s important not to force the issue. At the same time, the sooner you declare, the sooner you will join your new academic home (your major) and receive guidance from a major advisor.

How to choose?

Know Yourself: Find Where Your Interests and Skills Combine:

Talk with your four-year advisor and other trusted staff, faculty, family, and friends about your interests and skills, and what major they might lead to. Head to the Career Center where they can help clarify your interests with Self-Assessment Tools. Call 314-935-5930, stop by the Career Center, or visit http://careers.wustl.edu/ugr_students/sophomores.html.

Know the Majors:

Attend Major Decision Workshops on Sept. 21 and Oct. 20, from 4:00-5:00 at Ursa’s Fireside Lounge. Go beyond introductory courses and take an advanced course, which will tell you much more about what the major is really like. Read major descriptions at http://college.artsci.wustl.edu/Majors-and-Minors; attend the Major-Minor Fair on October 6; and talk with professors and students in the major.

Declare a Major:

Pick up the form titled “Declaration of Prime or Second Major” from the College Office in 205 S. Brookings or Umrath Hall East and follow the instructions on the form. The last day to declare a major is Feb. 16, 2010, the same day as Sophomore Convocation.

Get Involved in Your Major:

Once you declare a major, explore it more deeply. Doing so provides a quality of education never achieved simply through skimming the surface of a subject.

To get involved in your major, do the following:

• Take advanced courses and go beyond minimum requirements.

• Go to departmental activities and lectures.

• Find a student group affiliated with your major at http://su.wustl.edu/directory.

• Use office hours wisely. If you have questions about the course material, this is the time to ask your professors. You can also discuss how they became interested in the field, how they became interested in the subjects they currently research, how you might be able to pursue a topic of interest more in depth, and what activities or lectures are coming up in the department.

• Pursue undergraduate research for any field (from science to social science to humanities) and participate in the fall or spring Undergraduate Research Symposium. Visit the Office of Undergraduate Research (OUR) or contact your academic departments about research opportunities. Particularly extensive information is available online as follows:

  o Office of Undergraduate Research: http://ur.wustl.edu

  o Biology: http://www.nslc.wustl.edu/research.html

  o Chem’y: http://www.chemistry.wustl.edu/undergraduate/research.html

  o Psychology: http://artsci.wustl.edu/~psych/undergrad.html (click on “Faculty Research Interests”)

• Do honors work in your major. Consult the departmental website, the director of undergraduate studies your major, or your major advisor for details.

KEEP IN MIND

The chief goal of an Arts & Sciences major is to prepare you for life, not a particular career. It teaches clear communication, critical thinking, ethical judgment, and constructive citizenship in the context of a particular topic that you’re passionate about.

Also, while thinking about your major and distribution requirements, you should have 60 units of credit by the start of your junior year, and must have 57 units completed to register as a junior that fall.