Major Contemplation

“What are you majoring in?” is the question that usually emerges within the first five minutes of small talk. Whether the conversation is with a new class friend or a great-aunt who you haven’t seen since you were an infant, the inquiry is almost always there. What’re you studying? How are you planning to dedicate your years at college?

In a place like Duke University, it can be difficult to settle on simple things, like where to eat for lunch in Brodhead Center—which offers fourteen options alone. When you up the scales of importance and plot the trajectory of your undergraduate careers, it gets much harder. Duke University offers 63 majors, 61 minors, and 23 certificates; you are allowed to declare a total amount of three, which means there are over 430,000 ways your Duke journey can be spent.

“The major declaration process is a big academic milestone. It seems like a bigger moment than it should be,” says Dr. Mathavi Strasburger, the director of the Academic Advising Center, “You can change your mind. It is important to choose an academic discipline that gives you joy and lets you explore big ideas.”

With a deadline of Friday, March 7, Trinity undergrads may be experiencing a whirlwind of questions such as: How do I make sure it’s the right choice? Who can I talk to about this? And for students with those questions, I implore you to read on.

Touch Base with your College Advisor

Your college advisor was assigned to you when you first entered Duke University. You’ve met with them at least three times at this point in your academic career to review your course schedule and long-term plans at Duke. Your college advisor may have interests and expertise that lay outside yours, but they’re well versed on the major declaration process. College advisors are part of a broader network of resources at Duke. Your college advisor can connect you with faculty, students, and other resources as you contemplate your next steps as an undergraduate student. They want to see you declare a major that you are excited about and eager to grow into.

Explore on Stellic

Stellic is the platform you’ll use to plan your four years at Duke. Under the programs feature, you’re able to try the infinite combination of majors, minors, and certificates. Stellic allows you to track your progress on your graduation requirements thus far and plot possible pathways for your remaining time at Duke. For example, you can explore what classes would fulfill a Computer Science B.S., click a couple of buttons, and see how those same classes would fulfill a whole different world like Economics or Mathematics. Stellic allows you to explore all your academic interests on the semester-by-semester schedule at Duke.

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Meet with Specialized Advisors

Specialized advisors are available to meet with both Trinity and Pratt students across all years. Currently, there are specialized advisors for Arts & Humanities, Natural & Quantitative Sciences, Social Sciences and Global, Civic, and Cross-Disciplinary Opportunities Each specialized advisor is a leader within their own field, focused on shepherding the next generation of students to success by providing valuable information about the field and how to navigate one's journey at Duke. They are a valuable resource for learning about the specifics of one major and if it’s a right fit or not; in addition to being able to guide you through the process of determining what a right fit is.

Talk to an Academic Guide

Academic Guides are a connecting point for all Duke has to offer in terms of academic support and community. Each quad is assigned to an Academic Guide, who works with students on the academic possibilities at Duke and beyond. Even though their offices may be located on West Campus, Academic Guides are available to meet in person anywhere on campus and on Zoom. Academic Guides provide a space for introspection and exploration for students at any stage in their academic journey. You may have a general sense of what you desire to study while at Duke but may find it overwhelming to tap into the abundance of resources at Duke. This is where Academic Guides can help. Academic Guides take a whole-student approach with academic support, keeping a student’s wellness at the core of their guidance. This allows Academic Guides to exactly pinpoint who or what you need to speak to make your academic dreams a reality.

Talk to Students

Duke University is a goldmine for resources. There is always a new perspective to gain from someone or a new tidbit of information to clarify your future path. However, one of the easiest ways to gain what Duke has to offer is to speak to students (especially those further in their journeys, i.e. juniors, seniors, and graduate students). Other students have walked a similar path to you, even though it may not be exactly the same. They can offer insight into their own journey of major contemplation and subsequent declaration.

Two student groups are particularly trained to help with your major contemplation journey.

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• Peer Success Leaders (PSLs)
  PSLs are a group of student leaders who offer holistic guidance in navigating your college journey. These students work closely with the Office of Undergraduate Education Division of Student Success to provide resources for students who need help with the big questions of Duke University. Peer Success Leaders can offer unique insight on mentoring relationships with faculty, class registration, and opportunities within a specific major.
   
• Trinity Ambassadors
  Each Trinity Ambassador is a current Duke student that has been nominated by their department of study as someone who can guide, inform, and support you through your Trinity academic journey. If you’re interested in a junior or senior’s experience with a major, they are a touchpoint for opportunities such as research, specific courses, and careers.

Word of Encouragement

“It’s going to be okay,” says Strasburger, “There is a community of people around you that help you with that decision making. You’re not alone. We’re here to help.” For more sophomore resources from the Academic Advising Center visit https://advising.duke.edu/trinity-undergraduate-advising/sophomores/.