First year student Daniel Miller had a general idea of what he might be interested in studying, but he wasn\u2019t sure what specific major he wanted.<\/p>\n
Jasmine Salton, a senior in education, had her major nearly completed, but still thought she could benefit from learning more about organizing her busy life and fine-tuning study skills.<\/p>\n
Both say they\u2019ve benefited from the School of Education\u2019s Educational Psychology 110 course \u2013 Planning Your Major and Career.<\/p>\n
The goal of the three-credit course, which is open to all undergraduates, is to help students choose a major at 51ÁÔÆæ, but also helps them explore their interests, abilities and goals to choose a major that suits them.<\/p>\n
\u201cI knew I wanted to be somewhere in the STEM (Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics) area,\u201d says Miller, \u201cbut I didn\u2019t know the major.\u201d With the help of the course, which he took in the fall semester of 2021, he decided to major in mathematics, which gives him options in a number of career areas.<\/p>\n
Salton, who works as a receptionist at the front desk of the Office of Student Services, as well as attending school, said the course helps juggle her multiple obligations.<\/p>\n
\u201cStudents always ask to spend time on study strategies, planning and time management,\u201d said Vittoria Sipone, an Educational Psychology doctoral candidate who is one of two graduate student mentors for the course. \u201cThey really appreciate going over the resources 51ÁÔÆæ offers \u2013 mostly they ask about the Klotsche Center and the library.\u201d<\/p>\n
The other graduate student mentor teaching assistant is Megan Herdt. They work with a team of Educational Psychology graduate students to teach the course.<\/p>\n
Faculty mentors for the course are Nadya Fouad, distinguished professor and Mary and Ted Kellner endowed chair of Educational Psychology, and Jacqueline Nguyen, associate professor of Educational Psychology. They offer a weekly class that provides pedagogical support and content knowledge to the teaching assistants.<\/p>\n
Miller said he found tips such as how to email a professor helpful and well as class discussions about mindsets and insecurities that can unconsciously limit career exploration. \u201cSometimes people think they\u2019re not smart enough or the wrong gender for certain fields.\u201d<\/p>\n
Years of research have shown many undergraduates struggle in figuring out a major and a career. Fouad and her colleagues have demonstrated in their research the value of Ed Psych 110 and similar courses in helping students with these decisions.<\/p>\n
For example, an article Fouad and colleagues wrote that is now in press for Career Development Quarterly showed that a 16-week career exploration course had a significant positive impact on decreasing students\u2019 career indecision. This was based on data from 102 students who took the Ed Psych 110 course.<\/p>\n