Career Exploration for Prospective Students
At Minnesota State, we understand that choosing a career path is a significant decision, and we're here to help you explore, discover, and prepare for your future. Whether you’re entering college with a clear career goal or still exploring your options, our career exploration resources are designed to guide you every step of the way.
Discover Your Passion
We offer a wide range of resources to help you identify your interests, skills, and values so you can make informed decisions about your future. Through workshops, self-assessments, and one-on-one career counseling, you’ll gain clarity on potential careers that align with your unique strengths.
Explore Your Major Options
Choosing the right academic path is a key step toward your future career. Our academic advisors and faculty are here to help you explore the wide variety of majors and minors offered at Minnesota State. With our personalized advising, you’ll discover how your academic interests can translate into a fulfilling career.
- Selecting a major is different than choosing a career
Employers are interested in who you are. The whole you. From skills and abilities, to internships, extracurriculars, and overall passions. Majoring in a certain area doesn’t necessarily require you to choose a certain career.
- Pursue a major you’re interested in
Students typically make the best grades in classes they enjoy the most, so why not choose a major that you’re passionate about?
- Explore, research, and have an open mind
The purpose of a major isn’t necessarily to prepare you for one specific job. Your major can help develop you as a whole person and give you the start in life that could be a job that leads to a lifelong career. Consider all the possibilities and passions you can pursue!
Internships & Hands-on Learning
At Minnesota State, we believe that real-world experience is essential to career development. Internship programs, cooperative education experiences, and research opportunities allow you to apply classroom learning in real-world settings. These opportunities provide valuable industry connections, enhance your resume, and often lead to job offers after graduation.
Explore Careers in Demand
With guidance from our career counselors, you can explore fields that are growing and in demand, such as healthcare, technology, sustainability, business, education, and more. We’ll help you identify emerging trends and opportunities within these industries, ensuring that you’re prepared for a successful career.
- Turn your passions and pursuits into a career
No matter your major, the skill sets you gain at a Minnesota State college or university allow you to pursue a wide range of career opportunities. You have access to resources to explore possible careers, industries, positions, and helpful resources.
You can discover a wide range of career options and find what aligns best with your values and your interests.
Take the First Step Today
Your future starts now, and we’re excited to be part of your career journey. Whether you’re looking for clarity on your career path, seeking opportunities for hands-on experience, or preparing for the job market, Minnesota State is here to support you. Explore your options, discover your passion, and set the foundation for a successful career.
Dual enrollment programs like PSEO and concurrent enrollment allow high school students to earn college credit at no cost.
Over 50,000 high school students participate in dual enrollment programs across Minnesota each year, making college education more accessible, more affordable, and can decrease the time to degree completion.
PSEO
The post-secondary enrollment options (PSEO) program allows high school students to take college-level courses on a college or university campus to earn credits simultaneously towards their high school diploma and their college education at no cost.
Concurrent Enrollment
The concurrent enrollment program allows high school students to take college-level courses offered at their high school to earn credits simultaneously towards their high school diploma and their college education at no cost.
Credit for prior learning is academic credit that is awarded to students who can successfully demonstrate college or university-level learning achieved through informal or experiential learning outside of the classroom. You could have your learning evaluated for academic credit, saving you time and money towards earning your degree. Find out by contacting your advisor. Advisors and many faculty play a role in helping you recognize and identify your learning that might have potential for college-level assessment.
Minnesota State colleges and universities may have different guidelines and processes for granting credit for your prior learning through standardized CLEP examinations, military training or service, Advanced Placement exams, International Baccalaureate diplomas, and (in some cases) college course credit by examinations, individualized assessments, portfolio reviews, or competence demonstrations. Our Veterans Education Transfer System (VETS) shows how many academic credits you can receive for military occupations prior to admissions.