Exploring
Many students arrive at Augustana with diverse academic interests or uncertainty about their major. Others are considering a change of major or are interested in constructing their own degree program through Augustana’s interdisciplinary degree program. Exploratory Studies is a program designed to engage students in active exploration of Augustana’s academic programs so they can formulate personalized educational goals and maintain their degree progress.
From the classroom to campus activities and the broader Sioux Falls community, this program enables students to actively explore their options. During their first semester, students enroll in a first-year seminar course (FYS 110) that is taught by a professor within students’ interest areas. This course often introduces students to their academic division and classmates who share their academic interests. Some students pair this course with a career exploration course (GENL 100), which also falls under the well-being area of the core curriculum.
Students also engage in integrated career and academic advising. This advisor is familiar with all of AU’s degree programs and specializes in choosing a major as a certified career counselor. Many students elect to connect with this advisor prior to the start of their first term at AU. Others benefit from routine conversations during their first semester. Students’ exploring advisors also connect them to faculty in the academic areas that they find appealing and opportunities in the community, such as volunteering or shadowing, that permit them to preview the professions that interest them.