SC TRAC - South Carolina Transfer and Articulation Center > Student > I Know Where I Want to Transfer, But Not My Major

Transfer Tip: It is important to remember that each transfer institution makes the final determination of how many and which credits transfer. Credits that transferred to a previous institution may or may not transfer or count toward a degree at another institution. The only way to know for sure is to ask your academic counselor or advisor and to get an agreement in writing.

I know where I want to transfer, but not my major.

Students select a transfer institution for many different reasons: location, size, cost, and majors, to name a few.

But just as important as deciding “where” you will study is determining “what” you will study. With the assistance of an academic counselor and by doing some research, you can start to narrow your choices and find a fit that is right for you.

Step 1:

Ask a transfer academic advisor at your institution to assist you in planning your future transfer. Transfer advisors specialize in assisting students with selecting a major, knowing transfer credit exceptions, and helping students register for courses.

Step 2:

Work with your academic advisor to choose a major. For additional help, consider these options:

Read the list of tips available at Choosing a Major.
Examine and self-assess your abilities, career and life goals, interests, and values. What are your strengths? What are your weaknesses? What kinds of skills do you have? What subject areas do you like? What do you value in work (security, stability, pace, working alone or in groups, etc.)?
Visit CollegeBoard's Major & Career Profiles to explore college majors.
Participate in career fairs, co-ops, and internships.
Talk to faculty and other college representatives as well as to people in the workforce about college majors and their related career outlooks and prospects. Ask yourself, “What can I do with this major?”
Visit colleges' and universities’ websites, browse their catalogs, and use other Internet resources designed to help you choose a major and career.
Access The Occupational Outlook Handbook, a nationally recognized source of career information available on the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics website, that is designed to provide valuable assistance to individuals making decisions about their future work lives.

Step 3:

Select courses. When selecting courses for transfer when you don’t have a major, the best place to start is by reviewing the list of Universally Transferable Courses and selecting courses that you know will transfer to any of the participating institutions in South Carolina.

Step 4:

Use the Search for Equivalencies function to determine how the courses selected transfer to participating institutions and use this information to help decide courses for which to register.

Step 5:

Review the courses you have selected with your academic advisor and then register for courses.

Step 6:

Create a Course History in SC TRAC after you complete a semester of coursework.

To learn how courses you have already taken transfer to Participating Institutions, create an Equivalency Map using your Course History.