College is a time for self-discovery and personal growth. Part of that self-discovery comes from deciding what you see yourself doing in the future, which isn’t always easy. You may think “But that’s so far away," “I’m too young to be thinking about that”- although that may be true, having an idea of what you see yourself doing in the future will help you be as academically successful as you can be here at UMBC. 

Consider these “Do’s” and “Don’ts” for choosing a major:

“DO’s” for Choosing a Major:

Get to know all the majors available at UMBC.

Some major fields may be completely unfamiliar because they were not taught in high school. Interdisciplinary Studies (the “build your own major” major), Health Administration and Policy, Geography and Environmental Systems, and Business Technology Administration are interesting major’s students may not have been aware of prior to arriving at UMBC. There’s no harm looking through the list- you never know what you might find!

Educate yourself on potential majors.

It’s a good idea to talk to a friend or advisor about the major you’re interested in, so that you can get a better understanding of the potential courses and path you may want to pursue in your selected major. Doing research on your own is highly recommended, as well.

List 5-8 possibilities based on your interests and aptitudes.

Take courses that are steered towards potential majors you have chosen. Read the entire catalog sections, all the course descriptions, faculty bios, and any other information about these majors available on the Department websites.

“DON’Ts” for Choosing a Major:

Don’t let anyone else choose your major for you.

Your parents, friends, and siblings all have ideas about what you should major in, but it is very important to make your own individual choice. You are the student and you are making the decision that could affect the rest of your life.

Don’t assume that a college major will necessarily lead directly to a specific type of job.

The skills acquired from college are of a general nature that can be applied to many different professional settings. The workforce is full of people whose undergraduate majors bear only an indirect relationship to the positions they hold.

Don’t stick with a major when it is clear that you are performing poorly in the required courses.

If you notice your grades are low in your major, this is an indication that it is not appropriate for you. Consider other options in which you can be more successful!

**SHAMELESS PLUG ALERT**

To further your exploration of UMBC academic pathways, please check out our upcoming Major Event!

Helpful Links

Advising Contact List

“What can I do with my major?” via the Career Center

List of UMBC majors, minors, and certificates

UMBC Academic Pathways (sample four-year academic pathways for each major)

Name: Subha Mojumder

Internship, Co-op or Research Site: Quark Security Inc.

Position Title: IT/Cybersecurity Intern

Major(s)/Minor(s): Information Systems

Current Class Level: Senior

Work Term: Summer 2019 

Tell us about your internship, co-op, or research opportunity, including your day-to-day responsibilities.

I had the pleasure of working for Quark Security as a IT/Cybersecurity Intern for Summer 2019. My daily tasks varied according to the projects I was working on. For those who are interested in IT and Cybersecurity like me, some of the important tools and platforms I use on a daily basis included Jira, Confluence, VMware Fusion (for virtual testing) and other devOp related tools. Based on the tasks assigned to me, I would conduct research and complete each task on Scrum methodology basis for each project. Some of my projects included migration of the Atlassian platform, writing shell scripts for MacBook based on NIST’s 800 publication, and migration of phone log system and communication channels. This internship taught me a tremendous amount of techniques and approaches. This will be a great addition to my portfolio for future references in the professional environment.

Describe the process of obtaining your position. When did you hear of the position and submit your application?

I applied though UMBCWorks for the internship and submitted my resume as well. A week after applying for the position, a recruiter from the company reached out to me to set up a phone interview. After the phone interview, an in-person interview was scheduled. After two rounds of interviews, within a week, I heard back from the recruiter on an email with an offer letter containing all the details of my start date, duration, and pay rate for the internship. It was a very straightforward and effortless process.  

What have you enjoyed the most about your position or organization? 

I have enjoyed learning more about a cybersecurity related environment. I had the opportunity to meet an amazing team of fun, dedicated, and punctual people that offered me all the help that I needed. 

How do you believe you have made an impact through your work?

I believe that I have made my teams work much easier by helping them with migration, securing their data and by saving time. Since, Quark Security is a cybersecurity organization, they have many contracts with very well-known companies such as Lockheed Martin, Department of Defense, Boeing. They provide cross-domain solutions and Android support to these secured organizations. There are two main teams, the cross-domain solution team and the android solution team and I believe that my contribution to the projects has benefited the entire organization altogether.

What advice would you give to another student who is seeking an internship or similar experience? 

My advice to anyone would be to apply to as many places as possible. Apply to many internship opportunities that spike your interest. Go through as many interviews as possible but never lose hope! Don’t forget to explore and once you find a good company, know about the company as much as possible. Try to mingle with as many departments as possible to get to know what kind of work they do. Also, don't be scared to ask lots of questions! Good luck!

Also, the Career Center is amazing and they will provide you with all the help you need. I would highly recommend taking the practicum workshops offered by the Career Center because those are also very helpful!

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#UMBCintern

Want to be the next Intern of the Week? Make sure to fill out this form and stay tuned. New interns are announced every Friday!

Spring 2020 registration is just around the corner, and the process starts with connecting with your academic advisor.  

Your advisor is a vital member of your support team at UMBC. Often your advisor is a professor in your major department, but could also be a professional (full-time) advisor.  If you have any doubt at all about WHO your advisor is, below is a link to the department contacts for all majors. The person listed as “advising coordinator” or “advising contact” can help you find out who your advisor is, or assign you an advisor. 

·         Departmental Advising - Main Campus 

·         Departmental Advising - Shady Grove 

When should I meet with my advisor?  

We encourage you to schedule an appointment with your advisor as early as possible. In order to register for Spring 2020 classes, your advisor must first provide you with registration clearance (permission). This happens during your appointment when you discuss your semester progress and develop a plan for the next semester.  

**Want to connect with someone in your department sooner? Join us for a Majors Fair on October 3^rd as part of our office’s 2^nd Annual Major Event**

What should I do to prepare?  

Review your degree audit and, if applicable, transfer credit report in advance and go with a list of topics/questions to cover.  

If you need help planning your coursework, our Academic Pathways provide a suggested four-year pathway for completing your degree program. 

The Schedule of Classes will be available on Monday, October 21nd. Please review the courses that are offered and be prepared to bring a list of courses that you are interested in when you meet with you advisor.  

Be ready to discuss any outstanding items or questions you might have from previous advising meetings. We also recommend that you take notes; never go to an advising session without the capacity to take notes, whether with pen and paper or on laptop.  

When can I register?  

Spring 2020 registration begins Monday, October 28th. Your exact registration date depends on the total amount of credits earned. Please note that the dates reflect the earliest time you are eligible to register for courses. You can still register for courses after your designated date and time. Information regarding your exact registration time will be available in early October.  

Have questions?   

Check out information on several personalized degree planning tools offered at UMBC

Share your concerns in the comments section below or contact the Office of Academic & Pre-Professional Advising at oapa@umbc.edu.  

If you have a quick question, send us a DM on Instragram @umbc_advising!  

Volunteers are needed as Junior Achievement (JA) partners with more than 75 businesses to host the expansion of JA Inspire. 

JA Inspire is a career exploration fair for more than 8,000 8^th grade students which will feature an interactive, hands-on showcase of careers with Maryland businesses, government agencies, and post-secondary institutions. This volunteer opportunity will help with the flow of students, safety and mentoring for about 5 hours on November 13 or 14 for JA Inspire at the Timonium Fairgrounds.  Most positions are inside, a few outside and no preparation is required. Volunteers will be on their feet most of the time.  P

lease check out the video below to see what JA Inspire is all about!

https://youtu.be/knNiizRkPPM

INTERESTED, CONTACT:

Lene McCollum | Director of Partner Engagement 

Junior Achievement® of Central Maryland

10711 Red Run Blvd | Suite 110 | Owings Mills, MD 21117

O: 410.753.3286 | lmccollum@jamaryland.org

The National Aquarium is looking for interns for What Lives in the Harbor!

As a What Lives in the Harbor intern, you will work with Baltimore City students in grade 6 to teach them about what it means to live in a watershed. You will help students investigate what lives in the harbor by identifying organisms found there and taking water quality samples.  The internship provides unpaid work experience.
ROLE OF INTERNS
Interns will assist instructors in leading activity stations during field investigations with middle school students. Field investigations take place at the National Aquarium’s campus on Inner Harbor Piers 3 and 4. Interns’ duties and responsibilities include:

•    Becoming familiar with program content
•    Becoming familiar with how to operate scientific equipment
•    Setting up and breaking down station supplies
•    Monitoring stations and supplies when students are not present
•    Escorting students to their stations upon arrival at the Aquarium
•    Teaching program content to groups at their assigned stations
•    Assisting with monitoring student behavior and safety

Interested applicants should contact learn@aqua.org