Exploring your Academic Interests

If you are already certain about a concentration (major), select prerequisites at the appropriate time. Most entering students, however, are unsure of their intended field of concentration. Don't worry if you are in this group. One of the primary goals of the first two years of the LS&A degree program is to explore and evaluate in order to discern which areas of knowledge you find most interesting and engaging. You are not expected to declare your concentration until well into your fourth term. We do not want to rush you in this choice. The LS&A Bulletin specifies the requirements for concentrating in each of the departments and programs in the College.

http://www.lsa.umich.edu/saa/concentrations.html

Probably the most helpful hint we can give you in selecting your concentration is to choose a concentration which satisfies you. Success in a concentration depends on a combination of interests, skills, and aptitudes. If you choose a concentration only because of its job possibilities while failing to look at your own interests, skills, and aptitude, you could be heading for trouble. Before you decide, you need to learn all you can about the requirements demanded by your proposed concentration. If the concentration doesn't satisfy your interests and fit with your aptitude, you may find it necessary to change. Many students, in fact, do change their mind many times in the first two years about their area of concentration. You simply discuss the new concentration with the appropriate advisor and file a new Declaration Form. If you change concentrations late in your academic career, you may add a term or two to the length of your degree. This is probably still preferable to continuing in an area that has ceased to interest you.

Our second bit of advice is to ask you not to be misled by today's job market in choosing your concentration. Many of you, understandably, desire economic security and mobility, but it is important to avoid using your college career only as a vehicle for gaining those ends. Using current job opportunities as a basis for choosing a career and determining a concentration may be ill-fated for two reasons. First, you may be dissatisfied with the career once you have entered it if you do not consider your personal interests, the type of person you want to be, and how that concentration or career suits you. Second, in a rapidly changing society, today's job market may change substantially in the next four years. In addition, it is important to realize that a liberal arts education is not designed to train students for any particular job. Regardless of the concentration you select, you will gain invaluable ­ and marketable ­ assets during your time in LS&A. You will hone critical thinking, writing, and speaking skills, as well as develop the ability to master a variety of kinds of information. Given all this, you are better off choosing a concentration that suits and reflects your interests, rather than one you think will "look good" to future employers.

Finally, in selecting your concentration, we urge you to exhaust every informational resource at your disposal. These resources include the offices described on pages 9-10; the faculty who, even if they may not have the information you seek, can usually refer you to someone who does; and the Office of Career Planning and Placement (3200 Student Activities Building, (734) 764-7460). Career Planning and Placement can assist you in making career decisions and conducting effective job searches. Seminars, career conferences, counseling sessions, and an extensive career library are among the resources available to help you in making and implementing career choices. Information is provided on preprofessional preparation, career fields, experiential opportunities, linking choice of concentration to career decision, and job search strategies.