Research Assignment: Does a person’s major matter toward their career choices?
Introduction:
College majors are one of the main aspects people consider when searching for a college. Many decide what colleges they would want to attend based on their finding of the programs available. This brings about the question of why people pay so much attention to major selection. Colleges provide students with the fulfillment of the requirements needed to earn a degree for graduation. The role major plays are in designing the narrowed focus in the selected area of study. Knowing this, another question to raise is the connection between majors and selected jobs.
Research:
Work after college is the typical route taken. Many use the programs in college as a step towards advancement in careers. Students can choose what they want to major in or leave it undecided. This decision for many, is a critical choice. In the research from the article, “Distinguishing the Factors Influencing College Students,” Beggs, Jeri Mullin, et al mentions how major making decisions are “frequently identified life regrets for Americans (1).” Based on what is said, this could mean that many aren’t satisfied with what they are currently doing. Students go into these programs believing that they would help aid in post-graduation. They build the connection between their majors and career choices.
Further evidence shows an example of this when Beggs, Jeri Mullin, et al state in their article, “For example, a student may choose a particular major because ‘I don’t want to sit at a desk all day’ or ‘I don’t like math (1).’” From this example, it is clear that students have a concept of knowledge towards certain majors. They believe majors, for students, would decide the materials they would be covering. In the workforce, their expectation of what a person’s work life would look like are based on their selected major. Already building the connection between major and work life, gives rise to the selection of jobs according to its association with one’s major.
Most colleges require a student’s selection of a major. A major is needed for fulfilling a college degree, which would allow for graduation. These college degrees would then be used like a resume. It determines the outcome of how far one can go as they step into the workforce. According to the article, “Connecting Higher Education to Workplace Activities and Earnings,” Chau, Hung, et al state, “College degrees are generally associated with higher potential lifetime earnings, larger professional network, and more adaptable careers (1).” Based on this quote, the relation it has to a major is significant. It brings about the significance of major decision-making in which one needs to consider factors following their goals.
As mentioned, a college degree would act like a resume and this is due to its association with majors. College majors give the credentials for the field of study. They show qualifications that jobs would be looking for. It determines whether one would have the qualities for the job. The article, “President’s Perspective: Why Go to College?” it is stated, “A ‘credentialing’ society…Today that ticket is a college diploma… These opportunities include not only jobs but also a more favorable treatment in almost anything one applies for over the course of a lifetime (1).” This portion of the article talks about the opportunities of a college diploma against a high school diploma. While it also depends on where an individual sees themselves, having a college diploma would give more opportunities and chances for that to happen. Connecting majors with a college diploma, both focus on targeting a field of study. Its link to majors means that the advantage it has is also applied to it. While it is the degree that is looked more at, majors show one’s specialization.
Many students attending college are there already with a foresight built upon post-graduation plans. The article, “It’s not just about jobs. College must help students find their passions: Why go to college? A viewpoint from an enrollment chief,” talks about professor Angel B. Pérez’s insight on his student’s response to his question (Perez 1). Pérez asked his students why they attend college, and the majority of the answer lies in getting a job (Pérez 1). The title gives away a summary of what the overall article is about. Professor Perez believes that students should go to college with the mindset leaning more towards exploring their interests and less so on the first thing in mind is getting a job.
This article gives rise to the idea that majors are disassociated with careers. Restating research data from Stanford professors, Bill Burnett and Dave Evans, in the book “Designing Your Life,” Pérez states, “Only 27 percent of college graduates are working in their field major (Pérez 1).” This tells a lot about the use of a major in one’s career. The article continuously mentions interest, passion, and purpose. If those words are applied to career choices, they would also be exerted toward one’s major. The result would be that the interest explored with a college major would also be a factor in deciding on a career. This state of matter has more to do with individuals and their separate plans.
More information on the reasoning behind why students select their major is conducted in the study shown in the article, “Distinguishing the Factors Influencing College Students” Choice of Major.” Beggs, Jeri Mullin, et al state, “Our review of the literature suggests four categories; Sources of information and influence, Job Characteristics, Fit and interest in Subject, and characteristics of Major/ Degree (1).” Based on this data, job characteristics are one of the top four mentioned. Majors have an impact on the type of work that students would do in the future. In their research, it is given that “68.4% of the respondents chose their major because they liked the kind of work it would enable them to do (1).” Based on these results, a major is essential for one’s career choices as people consider a lot about the effects.
Conclusion:
The recurring idea from the information given is the relationship between majors and careers. In terms of whether majors matter toward a career, it can be answered with a yes for the majority, however taking it further, it would depend. Based on the fourth paragraph, there are factors to consider when selecting a major, mainly the work outlook. It’s the decision between the opportunities given from each option. These options deal with promotion, earnings, status, or the position in mind. If a person is set and is satisfied with where they are without a major, then there would be no need to acquire it. However, if a person wants to explore their opportunities, they could strive for it. In talking about opportunities, paragraph five, talks about the advantage of a college diploma. There are much more paths open compared to a high school diploma. As studied earlier, the decision lies in a person’s satisfaction level and goals for where they see themselves at. This is also explored in paragraphs six and seven. A person may be influenced to select both their major and career based on their interest. In that aspect, a person valuing interest would find the importance of their major towards their career. In addition, with paragraph seven, people valuing what their career life would look like may also find the value of their major. Because of the concept that majors provide more chances to attain a desired position, it would hold much weight for those depending on it.
Works Cited
Perez, Angel B. It’s not just about jobs. Colleges must help students find their passions.: Why go to college? A viewpoint from an enrollment chief. WP Company LLC d/b/a The Washington Post, 2017. ProQuest, https://www.proquest.com/blogs-podcasts-websites/not-just-about-jobs-colleges-must-help-students/docview/1876016212/se-2.
“PRESIDENT’S PERSPECTIVE: WHY GO TO COLLEGE?” US Fed News Service, Including US State News, Nov 14, 2013. ProQuest, https://www.proquest.com/wire-feeds/presidents-perspective-why-go-college/docview/1458141910/se-2.
Chau, Hung, et al. “Connecting Higher Education to Workplace Activities and Earnings.” PLoS ONE, vol. 17, no. 3, Mar. 2023, pp. 1–18. EBSCOhost, https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0282323.
Beggs, Jeri Mullins, et al. “Distinguishing the Factors Influencing College Students’ Choice of Major.” College Student Journal, vol. 42, no. 2, June 2008, pp. 381–94. EBSCOhost, search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&AuthType=ip,shib&db=a9h&AN=32544871&site=ehost-live&scope=site.