By Nadia Dudley
Do you have to know your major when you start college? What should you expect when entering as an Undeclared: Open Path student? What are the benefits of being an undecided major?
I felt lost, confused, and pressured to decide what I wanted to do with the rest of my life before I even started applying to colleges. One of the best decisions I made for myself was to enter as an Open Path student here at Nazareth University. The Open Path program is individualized for each student and includes workshops, advisement, and a course to help you explore your options.
What Your First Year Looks Like
Your advisor is there for you every step of the way in finding your major by helping you explore your interests, select courses, and refer you to resources on campus.
When you arrive on campus in August, you’ll meet with your advisor and learn about the basics of course exploration and the Nazareth core curriculum.
By the end of your first semester, you’ll be familiar with tools, campus resources, and information on active exploration strategies like the SPARK Grant program, job shadowing, and informational interviewing.
In your second semester, you will check in with your advisor on the status of your major exploration. They will also help you with course selection, including exploring different areas of study.
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| Zac Saeva advises a Nazareth student. |
Helpful Professors and Classes
One of my favorite parts about entering as an Open Path major was the professors and classes I got to take. My first semester, I had the pleasure of taking “Exploring Yourself, Majors, and Careers” (CDL*101) with Zac Saeva, director of the Career Design Office (part of Nazareth’s Center for Life’s Work). In this course, we were provided with a plethora of tools to help us learn more about ourselves and what majors or careers would be compatible with our personalities. I was able to explore my strengths, weaknesses, skills, and characteristics, and how they might work in different environments.
We were given the opportunity to talk with people who worked in a variety of fields to gain further insight into different studies and career paths. We could learn about other experiences, like studying abroad. I can confidently say that this course helped me hone in on declaring a major by focusing on my interests and skills. The communication and media major is a great fit for me because of my passion and strength in writing and social skills.
Exploration of Different Studies
This, more than anything, really helped me get a grasp of what area of study I wanted to pursue. During my first semester, I took core curriculum classes in religion, philosophy, communications, English, and music. Being able to take all of these diverse courses at the same time aided me in figuring out what I was most interested in. While all of the classes appealed to me, I found I had a particular interest in writing and media studies.
Freedom to Explore
Choosing which classes I wanted to take during my second semester enabled me to further explore a major that interested me. By entering as Open Path, I was able to leave the door open for a variety of options before eventually starting to focus on one. I could take the time to plan out what I wanted to study, just based on what I already knew I loved.
Final Tidbits of Advice
It is completely okay to be unsure of your future. Even though I found my major through the Open Path program, I am still unsure of exactly what career to pursue. I don’t think this is anything to stress over. I recommend that everyone enjoy the journey of learning more about themselves and what they are passionate about. Everything else will come with time.
Nadia Dudley is a first-year student majoring in Communication and Media with minors in Digital Media and Design and Studio Art. She loves writing, reading, and enjoys running on the cross country and track and field teams.
