University Studies
University Studies: A smart way to start.
Sometimes new college students choose majors for the wrong reasons: they feel pressured to make a decision; they're worried that they don't have career plans; they feel they need to select a major that will help them make a lot of money; they want to just opt for something off a list and be done with it. Most of the time, these students end up changing their major... sometimes more than once.
In University Studies, our focus is helping MSU students explore their options before declaring a major. Because our students thoughtfully select classes and consider their options, our students tend to stay in the major they eventually declare at a higher rate than those who enter MSU in a declared major.
On-Demand Presentations
Explore some resources and on-demand videos below! Recorded for 2020's MSU Friday.
About the Program
Academic Advising
The advisors in University Studies are all professional advisors trained and experienced at working with students who are in the process of deciding on a course of study at MSU. They are acquainted with all the departments across campus and are familiar with the requirements of all majors offered at MSU. University Studies advisors are also experts at helping students do individual self-assessment in order to discover their personal and academic strengths, interests and goals.
Whether you are coming to MSU with a couple of ideas of what you might want to major in or have no idea at all, our advisors will help you explore your options and decide on an academic program that is a good fit for you.
First-Year Seminar
Most students in University Studies take US 101US First-Year Seminar during their first semester. US 101US is one of the courses students can choose to fulfill the University Seminar Core requirement. In US 101US, students learn academic ways of seeing the world through reading a range of different texts from ancient philosophy to contemporary social theory. While our inquiry-based course does not focus on selecting a major, our course does introduce students to multiple disciplines while encouraging them to reflect on what shapes their thinking and identity. Such reflection can often open doors to new interests and academic possibilities.
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