Many freshmen students start out college undeclared; they aren’t sure what they want to major in and hope to use their first year to find something they want to study. Unfortunately, many students take up to 2 years to decide on a major, and they may even switch majors several times up into their junior year. This wastes a lot of time and money, and can significantly delay graduation.

If you have no idea what you want to major in, one option you might consider is taking time off from college. If taking a break isn’t an option for you, doing your research and finding a major you can be passionate about should be your number one priority. The sooner you declare a major that you want to stick with, the more you can focus on taking the classes you need to graduate, allowing you to stay on track to graduate on time.

This education feature is one in a continuing series of “Undeclared” posts. Other majors that have been explored include Linguistics, Data Sciences, Communications, and Accounting.

A Degree in Education

The education field is the perfect option for anyone who loves to teach. From tutoring to working with kindergarteners to leading adult education classes, if shepherding others through the learning experience creates that spark of joy in your heart, you may want to consider an education major.

If you do decide to pursue an education major, you’re going to want to do your homework before you dive in. Some education careers only need an undergraduate degree, while others often call for a masters degree and other requirements and certifications as well. Sometimes the difference is due to the specialization of a certain field, while at other times it can depend on state or local laws. For example, New York state requires an additional 30 semester hours of subject-specific coursework.

Another factor to consider is that there are many different ways to specialize within an education major beyond a basic role as a teacher. You can teach younger children, high schoolers, special education, or go into student counseling. It can be helpful to figure out any specializations ahead of time, as it can save you both time and money as you map out your college journey.

Teacher

Teaching is one of the most ancient careers in the world. From the beginning of time, those who had experience and knowledge have taken the time to teach others. But just because the concept of teaching is an old one doesn’t mean the way we teach hasn’t adapted to various cultural and social expectations over time. The modern educator is responsible for much more than simply teaching students how to read and write. The presence of technology like smartphones and tablets can create distractions, the awareness of numerous learning styles can be challenging to accommodate, and things like bullying should be actively prevented. In addition, the requirements to teach can vary from having a bachelor’s degree to requiring additional teaching certifications and often even a masters degree.

In short, the responsibilities of a modern educator are enormous, but that’s also exactly what makes it a fulfilling career choice. Not only are teachers helping students learn academic skills — often in unique ways, but they are also singularly situated to be a pivotal voice in the life of each and every child that passes through their classroom doors. From teaching students socially acceptable behavior to demonstrating how to use modern technology, to fostering a lifelong love of learning, teaching has always been and will continue to be one of the most rewarding career options available.

School Counselor

A school counselor is a key player within an educational system. While the title may imply tending to strictly emotional concerns, modern school counselors help students with everything from academic achievement to developing their own personal and social skills. They even play a role in helping them gain vision and direction for a future career. School counselors also work closely with teachers and school administrators, playing the part of an ambassador, bridging gaps and helping facilitate communication.

Becoming a school counselor often includes a specific focus within one’s education on subjects like child psychology. In addition, school counselors are often required to have a masters degree, a certain level of hands-on experience within their field, and may even be required to pass exams in order to be properly licensed.

Career and Technical Education Teacher

Career and technical education (or career-tech ed for short) is another career option for an education major that is focused on helping students succeed. While so many avenues of education are focused on information, knowledge, and academic pursuits, career-tech ed is the place where academia meets the outside world.

In a nutshell, career-tech teachers specialize in teaching students how to prepare to join the workforce and build their careers. But, while the average career-tech class may often be casually compared to a modern version of the vocational classes of the past, one distinct difference between the two is the attitude that the educators and their lesson plans tend to bring to the table. Rather than simply training students for careers that don’t require academic education, many career-tech classes focus on developing skills typically associated with associate or bachelor’s degrees as well. In other words, along with valuable trade-oriented skills, career-tech classes are also designed to challenge students more rigorously, academically speaking.

Career-tech ed has been shown to be an extremely effective area of educational focus, as studies have shown that it has helped increase graduation rates, college enrollment, and, ultimately, wages. It’s an excellent option for any education major looking to make a tangible, genuine impact on the world around them.

Coach

If your academic interests include organizing people, instructing them to work as a team, and pushing them to dig deep and find inner strength they never even knew they had, you may want to consider becoming a coach. While a certain level of formal education is still required, the educational path to a career of coaching tends to be a bit less rigid than the other career choices covered so far.

While the requirements tend to vary, apart from a typical bachelor’s degree they often also include things like a teaching certification and CPR training. It also requires demonstrable leadership and communication skills. Another critical consideration is to get as much hands-on experience as possible with the sport(s) you wish to coach. Finally, if you want to work your way up to the collegiate level or higher, make sure to hone your networking skills, attend sports-related camps and clinics, and remain as heavily involved in the sports world as possible.

There are so many incredible opportunities for those getting a degree in education. It puts you right in the middle of the action, where the high-minded rhetoric of academia collides with the world of real, living human beings. From helping students learn about each subject to walking by their side as they develop their own love of learning, the career opportunities of an educator are immensely gratifying on a deep, personal level that is rare to find.

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 Jori Hamilton is a writer and journalist from the Pacific Northwest who covers social justice issues, healthcare, and politics. You can follow her work on twitter @HamiltonJori or through her portfolio.