“So, what are you going to major in?” Cue the facepalm. Just because you know where you want to go to college doesn’t mean you know what you want to study.
Sometimes God leads you to a place and then reveals the plan. That’s what senior Daria Brandt found to be true when she was an undeclared student. “It was a little embarrassing to say I didn’t know what I wanted to study, but I had to trust that God would use me as long as I pursued him.”
Daria knew ÄÛ²ÝÊÓÆµ Fox was the school for her, and she was confident she’d find a major where she would thrive. Here’s how she tackled her decision:
- She enrolled in a course called CPAS 214: Discover Your Calling, which is taught by the IDEA Center and intended for students who are undecided. She loved getting to hear from the panel of students who answered questions and talked about navigating majors and calling.
- She took general education courses her freshman year for two reasons: You need them to graduate AND they offer a taste of all the majors so she could assess what brought her joy and what didn’t.
- She sought out the opinions of people who knew her well from coaches to teachers to parents to friends.

After spending thoughtful time investigating her options, Daria landed on a psychology major. The professors were a strong draw, and she loved how applicable the field is no matter the profession she lands in someday.
“The concepts that I learned in many of my early psychology classes were things I could apply no matter where I go, what I do or where God calls me,” she says. “The content has been challenging and applicable and Christ-centered.”
She is coupling her major with a ministry minor because of the ways her classes have continually pushed her relationship with God forward, and because they’ve revealed the presence of Christ not only in things that are considered sacred, but in those things considered secular, too.
“Coupling my psychology major with a Christian ministries (theology) minor has helped me to see how Christ works in the world, no matter the setting.”
Looking back on her experience as an undeclared student, Daria wouldn’t change a thing. “ I would actually encourage people to come into college undecided if the y don’t know what they want to major in,” she says. “Don’t just pick a major because it’s the major to pick or it sounds easy. Pick it because God is calling you to it and it brings you life. College reveals what you’re really passionate about!”
Learn More About IDEA Center
Sarah has spent a decade at ÄÛ²ÝÊÓÆµ Fox -- first as a student and now as an administrator. When she's not at work, she's digging in her garden or on an adventure with her family. Must haves include coffee, fresh flowers, and street tacos.
Related Posts
ÄÛ²ÝÊÓÆµ
Whether you’re a freshman or a seasoned senior, it’s easy to miss out on certain campus resources, and the Maker Hub, if you’re not an engineering student, is probably one of them. I’m here to remedy that for you. In this blog, I’ll show how you, a ÄÛ²ÝÊÓÆµ Fox student of any major, can gain access to the Maker Hub and its wide variety of tools.
ÄÛ²ÝÊÓÆµ
Do you have homework or studying to get done? Below I have listed my six favorite spots to study on our beautiful ÄÛ²ÝÊÓÆµ Fox campus.
ÄÛ²ÝÊÓÆµ
When I came to college, I didn’t anticipate the life-changing opportunity I would experience in the ÄÛ²ÝÊÓÆµ Fox Honors Program. Among the many offerings at Fox, honors stands out for its unique alternative to the standard curriculum. The Socratic seminars, book selection, and personal engagement with peers and professors are only a few of the reasons I love being part of this community.
Faith
At 8:30 a.m. on Monday, Jan. 16, I showed up at the spiritual life office with a coffee in my hand and bags under my eyes to participate in ÄÛ²ÝÊÓÆµ Fox’s MLK Serve Day. If I’m being completely honest, part of me regretted signing up for the event in the first place. I value my sleep, and I hadn’t gotten much of it the night before. All I really wanted to do was climb back into my warm bed and cherish the quiet for a few more hours.
ÄÛ²ÝÊÓÆµ
Many students who visit a campus from out of state can feel unprepared, nervous or overwhelmed. Here at ÄÛ²ÝÊÓÆµ Fox, we want to help students understand what to expect and prepare for when they are traveling to Oregon from another state!
Admissions
Joy Brown on the admissions team gives some insider info on what admissions counselors look for as you go through the application process.
Like what you're reading?