How We Support Academics

what do you want to do when you grow up What characterizes a motivated learner? One characteristic seems to be the learner’s clarity of major or career choice. Students who are focused on their academic and career goals have been found to be much more likely to graduate.

With over one hundred undergraduate majors offered at UT-Austin, many students struggle to gain the clarity of purpose needed to support them in their academic pursuits. The experience often takes an existential turn, with questions such as "why am I taking this class?" and "where is this taking me?" More than 65% of UT-Austin students change their major at least once. Many base these major decisions on commonly held misconceptions about their options and about the world of work.

Here are some of the misconceptions that we address with students:

the belief that all undergraduate degree plans "should" prepare students for a specific occupation or career field. While some fields like engineering, accounting or nursing do prepare students for specific occupations, the majority of undergraduate programs develop skills that can be applied to a variety of career fields.
the idea that an undergraduate degree is "the ticket" to fulfilling career opportunities. Certainly, research has demonstrated that college graduates do have greater earning power than those who do not graduate college. However, the last thirty years has seen increased awareness of the importance of co-curricular activities to prepare for the work world. Internships, study abroad, volunteerism and work are now integral parts of the college experience. These activities complement academic learning and make students more marketable in the work world.
the generalization that a graduate degree is essential for career advancement. While graduate school can be a deeply enriching experience, faculty and staff would agree that a master’s or doctoral degree does not always lead to higher salaries or more job opportunities. Students need to ask themselves: "why do I want to go to graduate school?" and "what will I get from the experience?"

The Career Exploration Center works individually and with groups of students to support, to educate and empower them in their academic and career decision making. Additionally, we work administratively to support the academic and career goals of the students we serve. Here are some examples of these efforts:

CEC counselors and peer professionals regularly deliver presentations and workshops on academic and career decision-making topics to a variety of student groups, organizations, classes, etc., i.e. FIGs (Freshman Interest Groups), First Year Transfer Students, TIP Programs (Texas Interdisciplinary Plan), EDP classes focused on first-generation students, residence halls, fraternities and sororities, professional and/or culturally based student organizations.
CEC counselors serve as facilitators for Freshman Interest Groups (FIGs).
First year students comprise approximately 28% of the students counseled at the CEC (in contrast to freshman representing only 15.3% of UT’s overall population).
The CEC trains and supervises counseling interns from Austin area graduate programs in counseling psychology and social work.
The CEC develops student leadership by training and supervising select student interns employed as either career assistants or project assistants. These are paid positions for which students sometimes earn academic credit.
CEC counselors address graduate school planning needs of the UT-Austin student body through individual counseling, presentations, and an annual Graduate and Professional School Day fair.
The CEC library maintains a Faculty/Staff Contacts Database, which allows students to identify faculty/staff who share their academic or career interests. Students are encouraged to use these faculty/staff contacts as an informational resource for decision making.
The Center works closely with the School of Undergraduate Studies and the Center for Strategic Advising to maximize the delivery of our services to students.
CEC counselor serves on the Provost’s Council on Academic Advising.
CEC counselor serves as a liaison to the Academic Counselors Association.

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Opening and maintaining your credentials account My online account Contents of a credentials file How to submit a mailing request Mailing prices and delivery guidelines Frequently asked questions Student Information Form Intern with us	How We Support Academics What characterizes a motivated learner? One characteristic seems to be the learner’s clarity of major or career choice. Students who are focused on their academic and career goals have been found to be much more likely to graduate. With over one hundred undergraduate majors offered at UT-Austin, many students struggle to gain the clarity of purpose needed to support them in their academic pursuits. The experience often takes an existential turn, with questions such as "why am I taking this class?" and "where is this taking me?" More than 65% of UT-Austin students change their major at least once. Many base these major decisions on commonly held misconceptions about their options and about the world of work. Here are some of the misconceptions that we address with students: the belief that all undergraduate degree plans "should" prepare students for a specific occupation or career field. While some fields like engineering, accounting or nursing do prepare students for specific occupations, the majority of undergraduate programs develop skills that can be applied to a variety of career fields. the idea that an undergraduate degree is "the ticket" to fulfilling career opportunities. Certainly, research has demonstrated that college graduates do have greater earning power than those who do not graduate college. However, the last thirty years has seen increased awareness of the importance of co-curricular activities to prepare for the work world. Internships, study abroad, volunteerism and work are now integral parts of the college experience. These activities complement academic learning and make students more marketable in the work world. the generalization that a graduate degree is essential for career advancement. While graduate school can be a deeply enriching experience, faculty and staff would agree that a master’s or doctoral degree does not always lead to higher salaries or more job opportunities. Students need to ask themselves: "why do I want to go to graduate school?" and "what will I get from the experience?" The Career Exploration Center works individually and with groups of students to support, to educate and empower them in their academic and career decision making. Additionally, we work administratively to support the academic and career goals of the students we serve. Here are some examples of these efforts: CEC counselors and peer professionals regularly deliver presentations and workshops on academic and career decision-making topics to a variety of student groups, organizations, classes, etc., i.e. FIGs (Freshman Interest Groups), First Year Transfer Students, TIP Programs (Texas Interdisciplinary Plan), EDP classes focused on first-generation students, residence halls, fraternities and sororities, professional and/or culturally based student organizations. CEC counselors serve as facilitators for Freshman Interest Groups (FIGs). First year students comprise approximately 28% of the students counseled at the CEC (in contrast to freshman representing only 15.3% of UT’s overall population). The CEC trains and supervises counseling interns from Austin area graduate programs in counseling psychology and social work. The CEC develops student leadership by training and supervising select student interns employed as either career assistants or project assistants. These are paid positions for which students sometimes earn academic credit. CEC counselors address graduate school planning needs of the UT-Austin student body through individual counseling, presentations, and an annual Graduate and Professional School Day fair. The CEC library maintains a Faculty/Staff Contacts Database, which allows students to identify faculty/staff who share their academic or career interests. Students are encouraged to use these faculty/staff contacts as an informational resource for decision making. The Center works closely with the School of Undergraduate Studies and the Center for Strategic Advising to maximize the delivery of our services to students. CEC counselor serves on the Provost’s Council on Academic Advising. CEC counselor serves as a liaison to the Academic Counselors Association.