Absolutely!

The National Center for Education Statistics found that a typical U.S. college student will change their major three times over the course of their college career.

By participating in the Major Exploration Program with KMETC, you will explore your skills and interests to help build confidence in your major choice.

There are several policies that will help determine how long you have to explore major options and can also assist with determining viable major options:

• Timely Academic Progress Toward a Degree Policy
• Undeclared Policy
• Excess Credit Hour Policy

Additionally, the pace of your exploration process can also be determined by what you're interested in. Some programs have special requirements that can impact the urgency of your decision:

• Limited/Restricted Access Programs
• Progression Policies

KMETC is committed to helping you navigate your options during this exploratory period to identify realistic major options. Using exploration resources intentionally means you are less likely to hit a road bump with your major later on, and can remain on track to complete your degree on time.

The answer to this question will vary based on a range of factors. Your risk for hitting the excess credit hour limit may be influenced by, and not limited to, the following:

• Your initial starting year and term at UCF
• Your current class standing (Freshman, Sophomore, etc.)
• Your total number of credit hours
• If you have failed, withdrawn, received No Credit/Unsatisfactory grades, or repeated courses
• If you completed any AP, IB, AICE, CLEP, Dual Enrollment, and/or any other types of college credit while still in high school
• If you Transferred into UCF vs. starting UCF after high school graduation
• The potential major that you are considering changing to, and the remaining coursework needed to complete the degree

Your Academic Success Coach will be able to help you determine where you may stand regarding the excess credit hour limit during one-on-one meetings. Depending on where you stand academically and the majors that you are considering, you may not be at risk for excess hours! For more information on the Excess Credit hour policy and example scenarios of how the Excess Hour surcharge may work, please visit the UCF Registrar’s Office website.

UCF policy reads: All students at the University of Central Florida are expected to officially declare a major prior to earning 45 college credit hours (this includes credits earned from college level exam placement, Dual Enrollment, advance placement and international baccalaureate).

However, at KMETC we recognize that students may not have a major selected by 45 college credit hours. Or if they do, they may be unhappy in that major and wish to begin the exploration process. KMETC will assist any undeclared or major exploring student, regardless of credit hours earned.

Contrary to popular belief, there is most likely not one single major that is "right" for you.

Studies have shown that within ten years after graduation, most people are working in careers that are not directly related to their undergraduate major. In fact, all KMETC ASC's have degrees in a variety of backgrounds such as Art History, Psychology, Speech and Hearing, Education, etc. so we understand your concern!

What we know from experience is that many majors can provide you with skills that are transferable to a variety of career options. So, a thorough exploration process can help students find a major that fits their current interests, while lending itself to several career opportunities as you grow and learn.

Considering Graduate or Professional Schools? No Worries!

Many professional schools seek a diverse group of college majors when admitting incoming students. While some majors do strongly relate to career options (e.g. teaching, nursing, engineering), much of your education and experiences outside of the classroom will help you prepare for your future work.

Your major is designed to teach you transferable skills that can be applied to a variety of pathways.

For example: today’s Medical and Law schools are looking for students who have strong curricular and co-curricular portfolio.

According to the Association of American Medical Colleges, it is a misconception that students must major in a science discipline to get into medical school. Medical school do not have a required or even preferred majors necessary to be consider. What is important, is that students select a major that will motivate them to be successful during their undergraduate career.
(Association of American Medical Colleges from students-residents.aamc.org/applying-medical-school/article/how-choose-best-premed-major)

The same goes for entrance into law school. The Association of American Law Schools states that law schools will not accept students with a bachelor’s degree in an unrelated field. Due to the intensive curriculum of law school, students may consider certain majors that can prepare them for the rigors of the reading and writing component. Those majors to consider are not limited to traditional “legal” majors, but rather include philosophy or even history.
(Association of American Law Schools from aals.org/prospective-law-students/faqs)

KMETC ASC's are always here to assist. Even if you aren't able to be Undeclared, our team is always ready to continue the conversation through a major exploration consultation.

Things happen! We are human and the more we interact with our surroundings, the more we learn, and the more our goals evolve.

In most cases, just because your goals change, it doesn't automatically mean your major has to as well. During our major exploration consultation we can:

• Determine if pivoting is necessary
• Look at related options that might get you closer to your goal
• Reassure you that you're on the right track

In our experience, it's very rare that a student ends up selecting a major that turns out not to be a fit.

What's important is that as soon as you begin to have doubts about your major, please do not hesitate to work with our coaching team to schedule a consultation.

We will do our best to use the information you discovered about your prior major(s), personal or professional strengths, and desired career trajectory to develop a new game plan to get you closer to your academic goals...and keep you on track for graduation!

Any current undergraduate student interested in exploring majors at UCF can meet with an Academic Success Coach (ASC) in the Knights Major Exploration and Transition Center (KMETC).

• KMETC ASC's are trained in the General Education Program and have a working knowledge of  all majors at UCF
• We provide access and referrals to several university resources that can aid you in your exploration process
• As generalists, we offer a third party view when considering major options across various colleges
• We offer additional exploration opportunities through events and workshops like Academic Exploration Week
• For Undeclared students, we can guide you through academic decision making processes like course selection

Students who have less than 60 credits are eligible to be Undeclared. This designation means that you are formally assigned to a KMETC ASC during your exploration process and required to complete the Major Exploration Program.

As an Undeclared student, you have:

• Access to all the resources of the Major Exploration Program
• Unlimited meetings with your KMETC ASC while you explore majors and the UCF campus
• Access to your KMETC ASC for schedule planning for current and future semesters

Students who have declared majors, but who wish to explore with KMETC, are limited to 2 exploration consultations per semester, and are not provided with schedule planning advice.

The benefit of being Undeclared is having the time and space to explore in several different directions while building a relationship with your KMETC ASC who can help you organize your exploration process so that you aren't overwhelmed or taking courses that don't align with your areas of interest.

We categorize courses into three categories:

• General Education Program (GEP) courses
• Introductory courses in majors of potential interest
• Elective courses that are specifically designed for exploratory students

We generally start by exploring the General Education Program.

It is a myth that your General Education Program courses aren't important...they are actually critical to your exploration!

Most majors have prerequisite courses or introductory courses woven throughout the GEP Areas. You want to work closely with your KMETC ASC to determine which GEP are most appropriate for your current interest areas.

Additionally, there are more general courses that are good for exploration such as MSH 2330 - Career Planning or SLS 1501 - Strategies for Success in College.

Our biggest piece of advice? Don't try to choose courses on your own while you are Undeclared. Always connect with your KMETC ASC to schedule plan for current and future semesters. Remember...it's one of the perks of choosing to be Undeclared!

At the Knights Major Exploration and Transition Center (KMETC), we understand that it can be tough to support a student who is undecided or indecisive about selecting a college major. We want you to know, we are in their corner. Our team will guide your student through the exploration process to declaring a major. But we cannot do it without your support. This guide will help parents gain a better understanding of what it means to be undeclared, why it is okay, and how to help and encourage their student through the exploration process.

Encourage your student to take responsibility for exploring majors and participate in the process by utilizing campus resources and keeping an open mind. Support your student by openly sharing your experience in the working world to offer insight. It is important that you avoid selecting a major for your student and focus on their academic interests and strengths to help them make the best major selection for themselves. Continue to share important information regarding the major exploration process and reassure them that they will get out of it what they put in.

Parents and family members should keep the lines of communication open while your student is exploring majors. As you are having conversations with your student, consider asking the following questions to support their journey.

• What is your favorite class this semester? What is that you like about it?
• What course are you not looking forward to completing? Why do you think you will not enjoy it?
• What is one thing you hope to get out of a career?
  • Try to gear the conversation away from specific career paths, and more towards an overall vision. Allows students to answer more broadly -to work outside or to work with animals.
• If your student comes to you question their declared major, consider asking these tougher questions.
  • What do you not like about this major?
  • Is there an area within the major you still enjoy?
  • Did you select this major because your felt pressured by your family?
  • What majors are you considering?
  • How can I help?

• Do not pressure your student to declare a major if they are unsure or select their major for them. The Major Exploration Program guides students through the exploration process, while providing a supportive academic environment where students can complete requirements while learning about their interests and skills.
• Encourage your student to complete our free self-assessments to learn more about their interests, values, and goals. Then review the results with your student to help them define their goals for college.
• Encourage your student to meet with their Knights Major Exploration and Transition Center Academic Success Coach and student peer coach.
• Suggest participation in co-curricular activities, such as clubs or student organizations.
• Reassure your student that this is a process and it takes time. Students who complete the Major Exploration Program through KMETC finally declare a major, they do so with a lot of knowledge about their choice and the satisfaction that they have made a good decision.
• Listen to what your student has to say. It is hard for students to be open and honest with their parents. If your student is struggling to pick a major or is unhappy in their current major, be their support. Help them work through the process of selecting or changing their major, while reassuring them there is a path for them.

Your student may feel that they are alone in the major exploration process. They may be embarrassed being undeclared while all their classmates seem to have their major and career path figured out. This is simply not true. With the help of the highly trained experts in the Knights Major Exploration and Transition Center Academic Advisors, UCF Career Services Career Counselors, and YOU, your student can successfully navigate the major exploration process.

Once a student declares a major, the academic coach in the Knights Major Exploration and Transition Center will refer the student to the appropriate college for their academic coaching in that college.