Linking Passions to Major Choice:

Strategies for Advising

Humanities Majors

Luke GartonUniversity of Tennessee, Knoxville

Whose Major is it Anyway?

Find a partner (someone you don’t know)…

Say what you think that person majored in.

Why did you assign that major to your partner?

Once both partners have gone…

Say what you actually majored in.

Why did you choose that major?

27,845 students as of Fall 2015 (21,863 undergraduates and 5,982 graduates)

9 Colleges total plus the Schools of Art and Music

Over 170 majors, concentrations,

and specializations

University of Tennessee Basics

Advising Models: Vary by college

The College of Arts & Sciences has professional and faculty joint advising model

A&S recently shifted to departmental advisors/coordinators for the most highly populated majors: Psychology, Biological Sciences, Political Science, English, and History

Humanities Majors

Religious StudiesEnglish

TheologyClassics

Philosophy

Foreign LanguageMusicology

HistoryTheatre

Art History

Top 5 Reasons to Major in Humanities

You actually learn how to think and write

You’re able to do things that machines can’t do in a service economy

You learn to explain/sell an idea and actually deal with people

You’re in pretty good company You acquire skills that last a lifetime

http://www.businessinsider.com/11-reasons-to-major-in-the-humanities-2013-6

THE BIG THREE

Major/minor in things you are:1) Good at2) Passionate about3) Enjoy

You MUST have all three to feel trulyfulfilled!

NOTE: Avoid the “easy major” myth!

“The Paradox of Choice”

The more choices you have, the less satisfied you are

Patient autonomy

Regret less and don’t focus on opportunity costs