Majors? Minors? What does it all mean?
There are several ways to define the word “major.” A musical key, our national pastime (Major League Baseball), a military officer and, of course, that academic thingamajig.

At Marquette, a major is a comprehensive course of study consisting of a minimum of 30 semester hours in a chosen discipline. Put simply, it’s a specialization in academic achievement. When you leave Marquette as a graduate, this is the one area in which you will be most proficient; an “expert,” if you will.

But how do you pick just one area of specialization? That’s the hard part. Marquette offers more than 115 majors. Some students have known what they wanted to do since kindergarten; for others, it takes a little time.

What do I do with a major?
Depending on your focus, you might face several paths after graduation. Some of our students head to graduate or professional school; others take the skills they have learned out into the working world. A great service available to students who want to learn more about where their career path could lead is our Career Services Center. This is a place where students can meet with advisers to talk about their next steps.

But wait, there’s more.
You also may choose to pursue a minor. Minors typically consist of six courses focused on an area of interest outside of your major. Minors can add breadth to your area of expertise. In some majors, you can also pursue a concentration — a cluster of focused courses within the major.

I’m undecided.
We have a new word for you: “multi-interested.” It’s not that you haven’t a clue, it’s that you can see yourself in several different fields. That’s great — in fact, “multi-interested” is our most popular major. The most important thing to note is that you’re not alone. More than 20 percent of our students enter as “undecided.” Once you’re here, you’ll find advisers and services prepared to help you figure out what you want to do.

The University Core of Common Studies.
Perhaps our best tool for the multi-interested student is the University Core of Common Studies. This is a core curriculum comprising nine academic areas. All students (whether you have a major or not) are required to take at least one class from each of the nine areas. This is a great way to sample everything, and you might discover an area of academic interest and aptitude you’ve never considered before.

Still multi-interested?
Marquette offers countless combinations of majors and minors. With all of the options, you’ll be able to pursue the best academic program for you.