Undecided

Each year a large number of students choose to enter the College of Arts and Sciences as "Undecided." They know they want an Arts and Sciences degree, but they are unsure of which major they will complete. They use the first year or two for exploring new areas of study and often declare their major after being enrolled at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln for a couple of years. In some cases, a student may declare or even change a major as late as his or her junior year without postponing graduation.

For more information being an undecided major, please visit The Power of Possibilities website for helpful hints in choosing a major and a career.

FAQs

Can I be Undecided even though I am interested in more than one or more major in Arts & Sciences?

Yes, you are welcome to remain Undecided as your narrow your major options. You may choose from 37 majors in the humanities, natural and social sciences, or interdisciplinary studies majors.

View all College of Arts and Sciences majors.

If you can't decide on just one major, you can complete the requirements for two or more majors while being Undecided. Students in the College of Arts and Sciences also have 50 possible minors for further areas of emphasis.

What if I am only interested in a pre-professional area like Pre-Medicine or Pre-Law?

You can declare Pre-Medicine or Pre-Law (or other pre-professional interest areas) as your interest area and be an Undecided major in Arts and Sciences until you decide on a major. The Arts and Sciences Advising Center also provides pre-professional advising. Even if you have not yet chosen a major, you can still be working toward course requirements in a pre-professional area with the information available in the Advising Center.

View more information on pre-health opportunities.

View more information on pre-law opportunities.

Do I still have an adviser if I am Undecided?

Undecided students may meet with any adviser in the Advising Center. They will help you to work on Arts and Sciences degree requirements while you explore different major options.

If one of the majors offered by the College of Arts and Sciences looks interesting to you, you are welcome to meet with the Chief Undergraduate Major Adviser in that area to explore your options for pursuing that major.

What if I am undecided between majors in two different colleges, for example, Accounting in the College of Business Administration and Psychology in the College of Arts and Sciences?

If you are undecided between majors in two different colleges or undecided between a major that is offered in two colleges (for example, Economics and Actuarial Science are offered by both the College of Business Administration and the College of Arts and Sciences) you may prefer to enroll in the Division of General Studies as an Undecided student. Advisers in the Division of General Studies are trained to advise in more than one college. You can reach the Division of General Studies at University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 33 Canfield Administration Building, Lincoln, NE 68588-0471, (402) 472-3605.

Is there a deadline to declare a major?

No, there is no definitive deadline to declare a major, but you will need to declare a major and complete all major requirements to graduate from UNL. Some students use their first year or two for exploration of courses because they are unsure of what major they would like to be. However, after completion of the general education requirements students will want to decide what major they would like to be so they can begin coursework in that area without delaying their graduation. Students can always meet with the chief major adviser in the majors they are interested in learning more about.

What kind of job can I get with an Arts and Sciences degree?

A degree in Arts and Sciences provides a flexible education to meet the demands of the changing world. In a recent survey Arts and Sciences alumni reported that they work in a variety of fields. They are employed in such diverse occupations as freelance writers and photographers, managers, computer operators/programmers and sales representatives. Many of them also said that their undergraduate education had been helpful in making career changes as well as applicable to the work requirements of their current jobs. Particular skills they identified as being important to job success, such as problem-solving, critical thinking and writing skills, are developed through the liberal education and major requirements in the College of Arts and Sciences.

Also, the Advising Center schedules visits each semester with representatives from professional health and law schools to meet with students to advise them of admission information and strategies for successful applications.