|
Pre-Major
Frequently Asked Questions
Many students enter college without
having made a final decision on selecting a major. College should be a
time of exploration. Pre-majors are often academically talented, but
need more time to decide what course of study will be right for them. As
a nationwide trend, pre-majors continue to represent a large part of the
entering first-year college classes. At Winthrop University we recognize
the need to explore your options, and we provide the support you need
to select a major.
Statistics from recent freshman
orientation programs indicate approximately ten percent of all first-year
students do not wish to declare a major upon entering Winthrop. Other
data suggest that nearly two-thirds of all students who declare a major at
the beginning of their college career will change that major during the
first year. Academic and career decisions students make during their
college years profoundly affect the direction of their lives. First-year
students are expected to search, experiment, and grow as they begin to
develop in the academic community. The following information will
explain the resources available to pre-majors and may answer some of
your questions:
I
feel like I'll have many academic questions during my first year at
Winthrop as a pre-major. Will I be assigned an academic advisor as
declared majors are?
Yes.
All pre-majors are assigned to the Pre-major Advising Center. Advising
is provided by faculty members representing a variety of academic
departments. These advisors are specifically prepared to help resolve the
issues that pre-majors tend to encounter. An advisee/advisor ratio of 15
to 1 helps to ensure that you will receive plenty of personal attention.
What courses do pre-majors take if
they have not officially declared a major
program of study?
Pre-major
students should use the General Education
requirements as a framework in selecting
courses each semester. Approved courses for
these requirements are listed in the
Undergraduate Catalog or online at
www.winthrop.edu/recandreg/catalogs/online.htm.
What happens after I declare a major
at Winthrop?
After you have
selected a major, you will be assigned to a
faculty member in your major department.
Your advisor will assist you in planning a
program of study that properly sequences
courses and supports your interests and
career goals. Your advisor will offer
insights into career opportunities as well
as refer you to appropriate campus
resources. Advocates for the students, the
advisers often provide letters of
recommendation for petitions or prospective
employers.
What
are some of the other support services available to me as a pre-major at
Winthrop?
In addition to your faculty advisor, you are
encouraged to use the resources of the Pre-major Advising Center,
Counseling Services, the Mathematics Tutorial Center, and the Writing Center. The
Pre-Major Advising Center, located in 106 Kinard Hall, is open Monday
through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Trained advisors are available
to provide assistance with academic concerns, including questions about
dropping courses, transfer of credit, audits, etc. Counseling Services
offers workshops throughout the school year to deal with topics such as
time management, test- taking, and study skills. A study skills
counselor is available to assist students with improving study habits,
note-taking, and test anxiety. The Mathematics Tutorial Center, open during specific
weekday hours, is staffed by mathematics faculty and advanced students.
All students can use their services for assistance in their mathematics
or other quantitative courses. The Writing Center is staffed by English
faculty and is designed to meet the needs of students desiring writing
assistance. The center is open daily at specified times for consultation
on specific problems with written composition. The center also offers a
series of workshops on topics such as verb tense difficulties, the essay
exam, paragraphing within an essay, and many more.
How
can I make up my mind about a major?
Students are encouraged to explore areas of study
that seem to interest them. There are resources available to pre-majors which
help them to assess their personal strengths, employment objectives, and
values. Counseling Services and the Center for Career Development and
Civic Engagement staff members are
available to discuss values clarification and/or employment prospects.
When must I declare a major?
As a pre-major
student, you are encouraged to use available
options to make an informed decision about a
major. Take the interest inventories and
personality assessments offered through the
Center for Career Development and Civic
Engagement to gain a better understanding of
your strengths and weaknesses. Research
majors of interest. Talk to faculty in a
department of interest about that major and
the related job opportunities. Upon earning
45 hours, pre-major students cannot register
for the upcoming term until they declare a
major.
|
