Academics > Majors and Areas of Study > Exploratory

Many students enter college without choosing a major or field of concentration. Others enter college with a declared major, only to realize that their interests or talents lie elsewhere. At Thiel, the Exploratory Program supports the investigation of alternative career paths and choice of major by the following:

1. Advising Program -
   1. Every student is assigned a faculty advisor who has volunteered or been selected because of his or her willingness and ability to work with specific groups of students. Advisors of Exploratory students work with their advisees in identifying students' strengths and interests that might lead to identification of appropriate majors.
   2. Every first-year student is part of an advising group that meets together during the first few weeks of the academic year. During this time Exploratory students meet and get to know others who have not declared a major and are engaged in the same search and asking the same questions. Students learn that they are not unique in their situation and also develop a network that further supports them in their quest.
2. Curriculum -
   1. The first-year curriculum is designed so that the majority of courses taken are college core requirements that must be taken by all students. The History of Western Humanities and Oral and Written Expression are both two semester courses taken by all freshmen that account for almost half of the first year credit hours. Additionally, freshman often take a foreign language, Interpreting the Jewish and Christian Scriptures, and/or a math class - all requirements of the college. The design of the curriculum gives students more time to explore the possibilities before them.
   2. First year students are encouraged to take one course in their major or in a field that interests them in each of their first two semesters. These courses serve as the introduction to their major if they should decide to continue in that field or they may serve as part of the core requirement of the college.
   3. The first-year curriculum is designed to expose students to many of the disciplines - English, History, Art, Music, Philosophy, Religion, Foreign Language, and Mathematics are included in the curriculum described above. This exposure is intended to lay an academic foundation for other courses at Thiel, but also serves to introduce the student to major areas of the college.