Exploratory Studies FAQs
Exploring and Changing Your Major
If you’re thinking about switching your major, we encourage you to meet with the Peer Advisors at the Pre-Professional and Exploratory Advising Center. Our Peer Advisors are ready to assist you with any advising or program-related questions. They can guide you through assessments designed to help you explore your personal interests and values, and then help align those insights with a suitable major or career path.
Yes! You should meet with one of our peer advisors as soon as possible to discuss your goals.
Run a "What if...? DARS Report" to learn what classes you would still have left to take if you were to change your major.
About 80% of students in college end up changing their major at least once, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. On average, college students change their major at least three times over the course of their college career. At K-State, 65-75% of students change their major at least once! Many students think that changing your college major is a bad idea, but a new study from the Education Advisory Board shows it can actually help you graduate. Students who use campus resources like K-State's Exploratory Advising Center or Career Center and decide on their major between their second and eighth semesters have an 83% chance of graduating. That’s higher than the 79% graduation rate for students who pick their major in their very first semester.
A double major can sometimes enhance your job prospects, depending on your career goals and the fields you're combining. However, it also means a heavier course load and additional time and effort. Since every student's situation is different, we strongly recommend meeting with your academic advisor in your specific college. They can help you evaluate whether a double major aligns with your goals, interests, and graduation timeline. Your advisor can also suggest alternative paths—like a minor or certificate—that might offer similar benefits with more flexibility.
Advising Support and Resources
You should meet with one of the Peer Advisors at the Pre-Professional and Exploratory Advising Center. Our Peer Advisors are ready to assist you with any major or career-related questions.
The advisors at the Career Center can help! They offer drop ins (no appointment needed) or you can schedule an appointment through Handshake. You can read more about scheduling an appointment on their website.
Career Exploration Tools and Assessments
The Pre-Professional and Exploratory Advising Center offers multiple personal assessments to help students discover their interests, strengths, and values. For example, the World-of-Work Map is a helpful tool to help you understand more about yourself as well as how occupations might be a good fit for you. The map organizes hundreds of careers into smaller groups that are organized around four compass points: People, Data, Things, and Ideas. These compass points are primary work tasks that exist in most jobs. As you identify the types of work tasks you enjoy most, it can guide you to potential career possibilities. After taking an assessment, our Peer Advisors help students talk through potential majors and/or careers that align with their interests and values. You should stop by the Pre-Professional and Exploratory Advising Center in the Berney Family Welcome Center to take an assessment with one of our Peer Advisors.
A great resource for getting started with career exploration in your area of interest is the website What Can I Do With This Major? This website features 100 major profiles with information on different career paths, types of employers that hire in the field, and strategies to maximize opportunities. Scroll to the bottom of each profile for links to professional associations, occupational outlook information, and job search resources. Another great resource for talking through career options, are the advisors at the Career Center. They offer drop in (no appointment needed) or you can schedule an appointment through Handshake. You can read more about scheduling an appointment on their website.
Internships, Job Shadowing, and Career Opportunities
How do I find internships and job shadowing opportunities in my field? You can search for internships specific to your major/career interests in Handshake! Beyond handshake, here are some helpful resources and tips for finding internships: If you are having difficulty finding an appropriate person to shadow, consider asking family, friends, faculty, or your Career Center Advisor for suggestions. Try to shadow someone who has a position you would someday like to hold in a similar type of organization to those you are considering. When contacting a professional to inquire about shadowing opportunities, be sure to mention that you are not seeking a job, but instead are seeking information about their career field. If you have been referred to that person by a friend or colleague, mention that person’s name so that your contact is aware of who sent you. When you're ready to start exploring opportunities, you can schedule an appointment with an advisor at the Career Center. They offer drop in (no appointment needed) or you can schedule an appointment through Handshake. You can read more about scheduling an appointment on their website. The Bureau of Labor Statistics has a great tool for anticipating job growth for industries in the US. You can search for any career of interest and see the job growth anticipated over the next decade. Here's an example https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/physical-therapists.htm.
Program Updates and Reinstatement Policies
Exploratory Studies serves the same students that the Open Option program did previously. The new name aligns with how these programs are recognized commonly at other universities and moves the program from the College of Arts & Sciences to the Pre-Professional and Exploratory Advising Center. Read about our reinstatement process and policies.
Visiting Students
Returning Students
Pre-College Students