Undecided or Undeclared Major
Program Overview
Table of Contents
Undecided about your major?
You’ve come to the right place. At Furman, you’ll be encouraged to explore a variety of different disciplines in order to help you find your path. Furman’s liberal arts and sciences foundation prepares every student to seek truth with passion, integrity and rigorous intellectual curiosity.
You won’t be alone in your intellectual journey. You’ll work with an academic advisor who will get to know you and understand your goals, interests and professional aspirations. Your advisor will guide you, suggesting different classes and letting you know what opportunities exist on campus, in the greater Greenville community and in the world. Small class sizes give students increased access to professors who are among the best in their fields. Furman’s strong undergraduate research, internship and study away opportunities illustrate our emphasis on engaged learning.
By the second semester of your sophomore year or the beginning of your junior year, you’ll declare your major. And at that point, you’ll be confident in your decision. Plan a visit to our beautiful campus or request information to learn more.
General education requirements
One way of deciding on a major is to explore different disciplines through our general education requirements. The general education curriculum is dedicated to helping students acquire the skills, experiences and knowledge to achieve broad philosophical, historical, aesthetic and scientific foundations – all geared toward lives after Furman that are characterized by purpose, civic engagement, inclusivity and concern for others. Furman requires all students, regardless of major, to complete a set of courses designed to:
- Broadly prepare students in a diverse set of disciplines
- Encourage in-depth intellectual inquiry
- Develop expressive capabilities in writing, speaking and the arts
- Cultivate world citizenship
- Synthesize knowledge
General education requirements include two writing courses, 11 core courses and two courses meeting global awareness requirements. Visit our site or come see our campus to learn more.
Academic advising
You can explore your major options and career path with a faculty mentor. At Furman, your advisor will do much more than just explain general education requirements. They’ll take the time to get to know who you are as a person. Your goals, your interests, and your career plans. Your advisor will answer and ask questions, provide guidance about what classes you should consider, and help you determine what opportunities and resources exist on and off campus. By the end of your time at Furman, you’ll have a mentor you can always turn to for advice.
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#2Top Colleges in SC (Forbes)
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94%Placement rate six months after graduation (employed or in graduate school)
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9:1Student to faculty ratio
By the end of their second year, Furman students will be asked to make a decision about a major course (or courses) of study. This involves finding a major that would not only help the student meet life and career goals, but that the student also finds appealing and fulfilling. As more and more of the prerequisite GERs are fulfilled, the student takes on more of the responsibility of making decisions about personal and academic choices, including investigating study away, internship, and opportunities for research.
Usually in the spring term of their second year at Furman, a student will schedule a meeting with a department chair to declare a major. Along with your academic advisor, you can then begin mapping out an action plan for completing the major.
Furman offers more than 65 undergraduate degree programs within dozens of disciplines, leading to Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Music degrees. You can find a current list here.
