How to Choose a University Major

1. Define your interests 

What do you enjoy? Your personal interests—both academic and extracurricular—can give you clues about courses that will keep you engaged. 

According to a study published in the Journal of Educational Psychology, students tend to perform better when they are interested in their subject areas. 

When thinking about your interests, consider life beyond the classroom. If you’re passionate about topics such as fitness, travel, psychology, technology, or storytelling, there’s likely a study path that relates to it. For example, a love for travel could lead to international business or hospitality management, while an interest in fitness might guide you towards sports science or nutrition. 

Sometimes, it’s actually easier to start by identifying what you don’t enjoy. Ruling out subjects or tasks that bore you can help narrow down your choices. If you know you struggle to focus in science classes, a biology-related major might not be ideal. Eliminating what doesn’t suit you gives you greater clarity on what might. 

2. Identify your strengths 

When choosing a university major, don’t just focus on what you like—consider what you’re naturally good at as well. 

Take a moment to reflect on your strengths. Are you good with numbers, a strong communicator, an organised planner, or a team leader? Your talents and learning style can help you succeed in some majors more than others. 

If you tend to excel in maths and logical reasoning, you might thrive in areas like engineering, finance, or computer science. If you’re great at writing and expressing ideas, consider majors such as journalism, communications, or education. 

Personality and strength assessments like the CareerOneStop Assessment or the 16Personalities test (based on the Myers-Briggs framework) are widely used by students and professionals to gain insight into their abilities. 

Another way to understand your academic strengths is to review your secondary school grades or other exams you’ve completed. 

3. Check the coursework 

Before selecting a major, take some time to explore the actual modules you’ll study. 

Every major has a set curriculum, including core and elective modules. Visit the university’s website and look at the module list for the courses you’re considering. Read through the module descriptions—not just the titles—of both required (foundation) and optional units. 

Do the topics sound appealing? Can you imagine spending several terms studying them? 

This step will help you get a clearer understanding of what to expect and prevent you from choosing a major based solely on its name. If the classes don’t interest or motivate you, it might be worth exploring other options. 

4. Explore career paths 

It’s useful to understand where your major could lead after graduation. While some degrees prepare you for specific careers—like nursing, architecture, or engineering—others are more flexible and open-ended, such as sociology or communication. 

Use online tools like LinkedIn or career websites to search for common roles related to different majors. You can also research average salaries and future job prospects. 

Another helpful resource is What Can I Do With This Major? This platform features detailed profiles for over 100 university majors, including typical career paths, types of employers, and practical tips to improve your job readiness. It’s especially useful if you’re trying to link your academic interests to real-world opportunities. 

Remember, your major won’t lock you into one career forever—but it can open important doors. 

5. Speak to advisors and professionals in the field 

Don’t try to figure everything out on your own—ask for help! Academic advisors can guide you through the majors available at your university and explain what each one involves. 

It’s also helpful to talk to professionals working in fields you’re interested in, to get a realistic idea of what their jobs are like. Ask them: 

• What did they study? 

• What would they recommend for someone in your position? 

• What kind of tasks do they handle in their job? 

• What does a typical day at work look like for them? 

• What do they enjoy most—and least—about their role? 

These conversations can give you valuable real-world insights that courses catalogues can’t offer. You might even discover career paths you hadn’t considered before.