Office of First Year and Transitional Advising

Meta Majors

Established 2021 by Efrosini Hortis, Assoc. Director of Academic Advising

Meta-Majors are combinations of academic majors from different academic areas with related courses that fit within a career area. With a Meta-Major, students can explore major choices by initially following a standard first-year curriculum, and then, when they decide on their major, a four-year educational plan is followed to complete a degree without losing time and money. 

Benefits of Meta Majors to students

• Students do not have to decide on a major instantly, and by following the meta major curriculum, they eliminate the risk of registering and paying for unneeded courses.
• Students experience less ambiguity about general education requirements and major requirements.
• Students participate in an intentional exploration of careers and opportunities within a general field of study.
• Meta Majors also offer a safety net since students do not get off track if they change among similar disciplines within the meta major.
• Provides an opportunity for timely degree completion.

SIUE Meta Major assignment

SIUE introduces and assigns a Meta-Major to students during the New Student Orientation. Advisors review choices with students and discuss possible degree programs and math pathways. Students register for their first semester in the appropriate meta-major courses that align with their future educational paths.

To make the most of the meta major, students should follow the following three steps during their first year:

1. Decide upon a meta major that interests you in collaboration with your academic advisor.
2. Follow the meta major common first year curriculum.
3. Meet with a career counselor to discuss future career options

SIUE's Meta Major options

• Arts and Humanities

  • Includes the following majors: Arts, Applied Communication Studies, English, Philosophy, Law, History, Mass Communications, Foreign Languages, and Literature, International Relations

• Performing Arts

  • Includes the following majors: Theatre, Dance, Music

• Business and Technology

  • Includes the following majors: Accountancy, Business Administration, Computer Information Systems, Cybersecurity, Economics, Entrepreneurship, Finance, Human Resource Management, International Business, Management, Marketing, Supply Chain Management, Computer Science, Construction Management

• Teaching and Learning

  • Includes the following majors: Elementary Education, Early Childhood, Special Education
    *Secondary Education majors follow the curriculum for the subject they wish to teach and work towards a secondary education certification. Be sure to inform your advisor if you wish to seek a secondary education certificate.

• Engineering, Math, and Physics

  • Includes the following majors: Civil Engineering, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Mechatronics and Robotics, Actuarial Science, Applied Mathematics, Pure Mathematics, Statistics, Astronomy, Biomedical Science, Photonics and Laser

• Social and Behavioral Sciences

  • Includes the following majors: Anthropology, Criminal Justice, Geography, Psychology, Political Science, Public Health, Sociology, Social Work

• Nursing and Health Professions

  • Includes the following majors: Nursing, Nutrition, Exercise Science, Speech Pathology and Audiology

• Natural Sciences and Medical Professions

  • Chemistry Specializations, Biology Specializations, Environmental Sciences Specializations, Pre-Medical fields

• Undecided

  • Students who are still deciding on their major will work with an academic advisor and the career development center to explore various majors and career opportunities to assist in making a decision before declaring a major.