Explore Majors
Confused about what majors are offered at WSU or what careers align with each major?
Have your heard about a major, but are unsure of what it is about and what you would study?
Check out the ideas below to increase your understanding of the programs available and start to identify those that are well-suited to you.
Attend the Major and Career Exploration Fair
Each October, Winona State hosts a Major and Career Exploration Fair.
This event is a one-stop-shop for students to meet with faculty members, students, and alumni who represent the wide variety of majors and minors offered at WSU.
Research the WSU Catalog
Every major and minor at WSU is listed in the WSU Catalog. Take time to review the requirements for each program and read through the list of classes. Do the topics interest you? Do they align with your strengths?
Run a 'What-If' DARS for a Program of Interest
A "What-If" DARS shows what courses you would need to take for a specific major and/or minor and the classes you have already completed. To run this report:
- Log in to eServices
- Select 'Academic Records' and then 'Degree Audit Portal'
- Select the link “Click here to access Degree Audit Self-Service” and log in with your StarID and password.
- Consult the step-by-step instructions (PDF) for details
Try an Intro Class for the Major
If you are not sure about whether a major may be a good fit, why not try out a course? Many majors offer introductory-level classes that also count toward general education credits.
Since you have to take gen eds anyway, why not use them to help you pick your major?
| If you are considering a major in... |
Try taking this course... |
|---|---|
| Accounting |
ACCT 211 - Financial Accounting PrinciplesDoes not fulfill a General Education category. |
| Athletic Training |
HERS 191 - Intro to Athletic TrainingDoes not fulfill a General Education category. |
| Biology |
BIOL 241 - Basics of LifeSatisfies General Education - Goal 3 BIOL 242 - Organismal DiversitySatisfies General Education - Goal 3 |
| Business |
BUSA 270 - Business and SocietySatisfies General Education - Goal 9 |
| Communication Studies |
CMST 282 - Intro to Communication StudiesSatisfies General Education - Goal 5 |
| Computer Science |
CS 101 - Exploring Creative ComputingSatisfies General Education - Goal 4 |
| Criminal Justice |
SOC 210 - Crime & Justice in AmericaSatisfies General Education - Goal 9 |
| Engineering |
CME 102 - Intro to EngineeringDoes not fulfill a General Education category. |
| English |
ENG 120 - Intro to LiteratureSatisfies General Education - Goal 6a ENG 211 - Writing in CommunitiesSatisfies General Education - Goal 9 ENG 220 - Multicultural American LiteratureSatisfies General Education - Goals 6a & 7 ENG 222 - Introduction to Creative WritingSatisfies General Education - Goal 6b |
| Finance |
FIN 201 - Intro to FinanceDoes not fulfill a General Education category. |
| Geoscience |
GEOS 102 - Resources Of The EarthSatisfies General Education - Goal 10 GEOS 103 - Natural DisastersSatisfies General Education - Goal 3 and 10 GEOS 105 - Astronomy with LabSatisfies General Education - Goal 3 GEOS 106 - AstronomySatisfies General Education - Goal 3 |
| Global Studies |
GS 200 - Intro to Global StudiesSatisfies General Education - Goal 8 & 10 |
| Law and Society |
HIST 101 - Intro to Law and SocietyDoes not fulfill a General Education category. |
| Legal Studies |
LGLS 101 - Intro to American LawSatisfies General Education - Goals 6a & 9 |
| Marketing |
MKTG 100 - Marketing and SocietySatisfies General Education - Goal 9 |
| Mass Communication |
MCOM 100 - Mass Media and SocietySatisfies General Education - Goal 9 |
| Mathematics & Statistics |
MATH 120 - PrecalculusSatisfies General Education - Goal 4 MATH 212 - Calculus ISatisfies General Education - Goal 4 STAT 210 - StatisticsSatisfies General Education - Goal 4 |
| Nursing/Health Care |
NURS 120 - Intro to the Health ProfessionsDoes not fulfill a General Education category. |
| Political Science |
POLS 120 - Intro to American PoliticsSatisfies General Education - Goal 5 & 9 |
| Psychology |
PSY 210 - Intro to Psychological ScienceSatisfies General Education - Goal 5 |
| Recreation & Tourism or Therapeutic Recreation (RTTR) |
RTTR 229 - Foundations of Recreation & Leisure StudiesDoes not fulfill a General Education category. |
| Social Work |
SOC 150 - Intro to SociologySatisfies General Education - Goal 5 & 7 PSY 210 - Intro to Psychological ScienceSatisfies General Education - Goal 5 PSY 250 - Developmental PsychologySatisfies General Education - Goal 5 |
| Sociology |
SOC 150 - Intro to SociologySatisfies General Education - Goal 5 & 7 |
| Special Education |
SPED 300 - Children and Youth with ExceptionalitiesDoes not fulfill a General Education category. |
| Need more help deciding? |
CE 200 - Career and Life Decision MakingDoes not fulfill a General Education category. |
Review Program Websites
Explore all of the academic program options with the Academic Program Finder. You can search for majors or filter by degree type, campus location--even by interest categories.
The Academic Program Finder will get you to the academic program websites where you can find more details about:
- admission and graduation requirements
- recommended course sequencing
- internship and field experience opportunities
- and much more
Interview Faculty Advisors
If you have narrowed down your list of top majors, this is a perfect time to meet with faculty advisors in each major to learn more!
Here are some questions you could ask
- What would I learn in this program if I decide to declare this major?
- Are there any admission requirements or an application process that I would need to follow?
- What careers would be available to me with this degree, and is graduate school recommended?
- What is best about being a professional in this field, and what is most challenging?
- What aptitudes are needed to be successful in this program?
- What internship or field experiences would be available (or required)?
- Add any questions that you have!
Join Academic Clubs and Talk to Students in the Major!
If you are looking for a more hands-on approach to learning about specific majors, why not try an academic club or organization! These groups will help you meet students with similar interests and give you more exposure to the majors and related careers that interest you most. Talk to the other students about their majors, why they selected the majors they did, what they like about them, and what they want to do with their degrees in the future.
