Career Exploration and Planning
Choosing a Major
Not sure which major best aligns with your interests and career goals? You’re not alone. Choosing a major involves considering your strengths, interests, and the types of careers you may want to pursue.
A WSU Global Campus career advisor can help you explore:
- Career opportunities associated with WSU’s online degree programs
- How your interests, skills, and personality may relate to different career paths
- Which academic programs may align with your professional goals
Career Assessments
Career assessments can help you better understand your interests, strengths, values, and preferences as they relate to potential careers.
You may benefit from a career assessment if you’re:
- Unsure which career path to pursue
- Exploring how your interests and skills relate to different occupations
- Looking to confirm or refine your career goals
- Considering a change in your academic or professional direction
Available Career Assessments
- O*NET Interest Profiler: Helps you identify your interests and explore occupations that may align with them. It can be a useful starting point for discovering career possibilities.
- Focus 2: A career and education planning tool that helps students assess their interests, skills, values, and preferences. It also supports exploring majors, researching occupations, and developing career goals.
How to Get Started
Career assessments are self-guided, available online, and free to Global Campus students. To get started, complete the Career Advising Request Form. A career advisor can help determine which assessments may be most appropriate for your needs and provide guidance on exploring your results.
UNIV 301: College Major and Career Planning
UNIV 301 is a one-credit online course designed to help students explore their academic interests and prepare for professional opportunities.
Through the course, students can:
- Assess their work interests, skills, values, and preferences
- Explore careers related to their academic major
- Research professional opportunities
- Learn effective resume, interviewing, and networking strategies
- Receive feedback related to job and internship searches
The course also provides opportunities for interaction across academic disciplines as students prepare for their professional futures. If you’re interested in taking UNIV 301, review the Schedule of Classes and contact your academic advisor to discuss your options.
Preparing for Graduate School
Graduate or professional school may be an important next step depending on your career goals. Some professions require advanced degrees, while other students pursue graduate education to deepen their knowledge or expand their career opportunities.
Before deciding whether graduate school is right for you, consider the following questions.
Explore Your Goals
- What are my long-term career goals?
- Is a graduate or professional degree required for the career I want to pursue?
- Would additional work experience help me prepare for graduate study?
- How might an advanced degree affect my career opportunities?
Consider Your Options
- Should I attend graduate school immediately after earning my bachelor’s degree or gain professional experience first?
- Are there graduate programs available online or near where I live?
- What are the costs of graduate school, including tuition and potential lost earnings?
- Does my employer offer tuition assistance or other educational benefits?
Get Help Planning Your Next Steps
A WSU Global Campus career advisor can help you explore graduate school options and identify resources to support your research.
You can also review the Graduate School Research Packet for additional guidance.