8 Majors and Minors You Might Not Know About

There’s something out there for everyone!

The transition from high school to college can be a big one, you’re moving to a new town, meeting new people, and have to make some pretty big decisions about your future!

Declaring a major your first year on campus can be difficult for some Lumberjacks — but, if you haven’t decided quite yet, or are looking to maybe change your major/minor, check out these undergraduate programs that might be the perfect fit for you!

1. The Exploratory Major

• This is the major for undecided students and it already sounds much cooler than “undecided”. The great thing about the Exploratory major is, unless you are certain on your future, it is recommended you come in as an Exploratory major! The Gateway Student Success Center has advisers for all first year and undeclared/Exploratory students that can help you during your first year on campus. You tell them what your interests are and they will help lead you to discover what is perfect for you.

2. Programs within the College of Arts and Letters

• This academic college is a gold mine of majors and minors worth taking a look through. A unique set of minors would be our international languages. These are a great way to specialize your interests and make yourself a competitive applicant. While you probably know about minors in Spanish, French, and German. We also have Arabic, Navajo, Japanese, Italian, and Chinese.

3. Career and Technical Education — Occupational Education 90–30

• This unique program is housed in the College of Education. It’s a great way for someone who is interested in education and another field to combine roles and get two-for-one! There are multiple emphases in this major, some include: Business and Marketing, Health Careers, Occupational, and more. Make sure you discuss with your advisor that this is a little different than the Elementary Education major with specific areas of emphases.

4. Bachelor’s of Science in Informatics

• The college of Engineering, informatics and Applied Sciences has grown so much in the past few years, it had to be made into its own separate college from Natural Sciences! The Informatics degree has an interdisciplinary aspect that not many people are aware of — this major is perfect if you want to study programming, software, and other computer science formats. In addition to informatics, you would declare an emphasis in either: biology, ecology, and astronomy.

5. Bachelor’s of Science in Geology

• This is a pretty well-known degree around the nation, but people often forget how fortunate geology students are in Northern Arizona. There are so many different fieldwork opportunities right outside your classroom. Many students actually declare this major AFTER taking their first geology class! Geology majors can begin to focus their studies and pick an emphasis in Applied Geology, Geophysics, or Paleontology.

6. Speech and Language Sciences and Technology

• A popular science and health-based program at NAU is the Speech-Language Pathology masters degree. This undergraduate degree is the perfect way to set yourself on the right path for a successful career. Students can major in Communication Sciences and Disorders while also working towards a certificate as a Speech Language Pathology Assistant! The certificate is optional, but a great way to have a plan after your Bachelors if graduate school is not the goal.

7. Social Science Forensics Minor

• Housed in the largest academic college on campus (Social and Behavioral sciences), this minor has some major appeal. Social Science Forensics is the perfect supplement to many majors. Focusing is on forensic areas such as death investigation, field/crime scene techniques and more, this minor does not work in labs so it’s perfect for somebody less inclined to STEM degrees. If you are interested in the lab work area, our Chemistry Bachelor of Science has a “Forensics and Criminalistics” emphasis!

8. Bachelor’s of Science in Hotel and Restaurant Management

• #DYK, the School of Hotel and Restaurant Management is ranked number 7 in the world and number 6 in the United States!? It’s only appropriate to talk about the hands-on experience that HRM students are provided in this amazing degree. There are numerous events, internships, study abroad programs, clubs, and other unique opportunities to develop professional skills before graduation.

These are a few of many different majors, minors, and certificates that we offer our undergraduates at Northern Arizona University! Didn’t see anything that sparked your interest? To see a full list, check out: catalog.nau.edu