Choosing an
Undergraduate Major

Choosing a major may be an easy decision for some,
but quite difficult for others. Naropa’s contemplative and liberal arts approach to education gives you a unique opportunity to explore various topics of study through the core curriculum while contemplating what majors may best fit your interests, values and talents. People have different processes for choosing their majors, and it is ok if you are undecided. In fact, many students change majors during their collegiate experiences. To assist you in making a meaningful decision, Career Services offers the following ideas when exploring and choosing a major at Naropa.

• Consult Naropa University’s Course Catalog, schedule a time to meet with your academic advisor, or visit academic department websites:

  Contemplative Psychology
  Early Childhood Education
Environmental Studies
Interdisciplinary Studies
Music
Peace Studies
Performance
Religious Studies
Traditional Eastern Arts
Visual Arts
Writing & Literature

• Identify your interests, values, skills and talents as they relate to world of work. A good place to start is by conducting a self assessment.
• Ask your family, friends or other close acquaintances how they identify your interests, values, skills and talents.
• Write about or contemplate what you enjoy doing, what you do not enjoy doing, what you enjoy thinking about, what values you hold, what skills you have that you enjoy using and where you see yourself down the road.
• Speak with a faculty member or current students in departments of interest to you. Ask them to describe their experiences, their likes and dislikes about the major, and if they have syllabi for you to review.
• Explore the upper-level courses of a major and ask yourself if you would be interested and fulfilled in taking those courses.
• As you narrow your options, test your interest by taking classes in majors that may be of interest to you or look at the texts required of courses of interest to you.
• Visit Career Services to explore ways to apply your learning outside of the classroom either through job shadowing, informational interviewing, interning or volunteering. The Community Studies Center is also an excellent resource to explore volunteer opportunities.
• Explore Career Services’ Web Resources.
• When you have decided, you may officially declare a major during the semester you earn your 30th credit.  Meet with your academic advisor to discuss the steps for declaring each major. This process includes completing a declaration of major form and submitting it to Student Administrative Services by October 15 for fall semester and March 15 for spring semester.

Sarah Steward, career services coordinator
Arapahoe Campus ~ Administrative Building in Student Affairs ~ 303.245.4863 ~ ssteward@naropa.edu