You're not alone. In fact, "undecided" is our most popular major. We've found over time, however, that few students are truly undecided. Most have many ideas and interests they wish to pursue in college. That's why we prefer to say "multi-interested." With plenty of majors and minors to choose from at Marquette, we'll help you discover a major or minor combination that matches your interests and skills. We think you'll find that a liberal arts education will not only prepare you for meaningful work, but also prepare you to lead a purposeful life.
At Marquette, you begin your first year in one of our seven undergraduate colleges. Direct entry has tremendous benefits for students who know what they want to do and even for those who do not know their intended major. Because you can begin taking classes in your major in your first year, you get to explore the breadth of course offerings, learn more about your college, narrow or expand your interests, and discover your academic strengths and passions. It's OK (and encouraged) to start as an undecided student in any of our undergraduate colleges. After all, you might want to kick the tires a bit before deciding on your future major or program of study. Here, you'll find a variety of introductory courses, freshman seminars or lab experiences all designed to help you in both the short term (fulfill core requirements) and in the long term (figuring out the whole major thing).
The Marquette Core Curriculum is the foundation of every Marquette student's educational experience and consists of course work in areas including English, math, philosophy, theology, diverse cultures, history, literature and performing arts. Our core is designed to teach you how to think, to say what you mean and to say it well, and to act responsibly. Many students pursue more courses in the core early in their career at Marquette, which provides extra flexibility should you choose to change your major or discover an area of study you didn't know existed.
If you do well in your courses, you'll find it easy to switch between Marquette's colleges or to add a second major or minor. There are a few exceptions (programs like nursing that offer only direct freshman admission), but you can still choose from many other majors to study. And, you'll likely graduate on time even with a change of heart.
