Congratulations as you embark on this journey to select a major at Arizona Western College. Research shows that having an academic focus and college success go hand-in-hand. AWC offers more than 60 majors, so it is understandable that you may feel overwhelmed. So many choices! It is our hope this plan will assist you in making a selection. Our model is divided into five stages: Self-knowledge, Investigate, Try It Out!, Connect the Dots…and Next Steps. Everyone begins this process with different needs and goals, so all will not spend the same amount of time at each stage. Following this process will also assist you in making a career choice.
Stage 1: Self-Knowledge
Understanding yourself is key to the career decision making process and in selecting a major. To find your “niche” in life, you need to know your interests, values and skills. Let’s add personality to the mix. So in starting your journey, ask yourself this question…Who am I? The answer will provide clues to your future.
Click on the links below to begin the quest for self-knowledge.
Suggested Activities
- Questions to think about
- Career interest inventories
- Career Values inventories
- Skills inventories
- Personality
Resources
Stage 2: Investigate
Research your options: Use what you learned about yourself in Stage 1: Self-Knowledge to examine various careers and majors. This is your time to explore and confirm what you’re really all about. What you do here will help greatly in narrowing your list of potential majors or careers.
Click on the links below and start your journey.
Suggested Activities
- Identify potential majors that fit inventory results
- Research majors and related occupations
- Information interview
- Speak to faculty/advisor representing majors of interest
- Majors Fair (Fall semester only)
Resources
Stage 3: Try It Out!
Time to act on all you learned in Stage 1: Self-Knowledge and Stage 2: Investigate. By now you probably have a pretty clear idea of what you want to do.
Click on the links below to learn more about ways you get “real life” exposure to careers.
Suggested Activities
Stage 4: Connect the dots...
Put it all together: Use your Stage 1: Self-Knowledge, Stage 2: Investigation and Stage 3: Try It Out! to narrow your list of potential careers / majors.
Your career goal can be reached in many ways and your AWC major is your stepping stone to your goal. Be sure to continue investigating and trying it out all through your academic career so that you can stay on track and reach your career goal.
Suggested Activities
Student narrows list of potential careers / majors
My Career Goal:________________________________________
My AWC Major:_________________________________________
My planned major(s) at a transfer school: (If applicable)
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