Explore Your Options

Undecided about what to study for the next four years? As a student in the Discover Program, you'll be able to explore all academic options across the academic units at UD — the College of Arts and Sciences, and our professional schools, School of Business, School of Engineering and the School of Education and Health Sciences.

If you are unsure of exactly which major fits you best, or you are participating in the program as a stepping stone to the professional schools, we are here to help you find your vocation and success at UD.

Student in the Discover Resource Center


Resources for Discover Program Students

Discover Resource Center

The Discover Resource Center is a space for all students exploring their major and career path at the University of Dayton. Located on the lower level of Hathcock Hall, the center is a student’s first stop to discuss major exploration. Our team of advisors and support staff are available to meet with students to explore, plan and take action to develop a path that will set them up for success during their time at UD and beyond.

Students in the Discover Program

All students in the Discover Program are assigned a professional advisor who will work with them until the declaration of a major. Discover Advisors help students explore their interests and make sure they continue to make progress toward degree requirements, understand benchmarks to apply various majors and establish goals that will lead to major declaration.

Students Changing Their Major

All UD students are able to make use of the resources in the Discover Resource center, whether they start in the Discover Program or are a declared major looking to explore other options. Students can stop by the Discover Resource Center to set up a meeting with an advisor or they can email us.

Holistic Advising

All students in the Discover Program will work with a dedicated professional advisor who specializes in helping students explore their skills, values and interests in order to help them define their path at UD.

A student’s advisor will work with them up until the point that they have declared their major.

First-Year Experience Program

All students in the Discover Program will participate in an introductory course that provides an opportunity for students to explore their academic interests.

Major Exploration Fair

During our fall Major Exploration Fair, students can speak to different departments about all the majors and minors that are offered at UD.

Career Services

An approach to figuring out what you might want to study in college can be looking at what career path you may like to pursue. Career Services has many great resources to help you think about career options which in turn can help with choosing your major.


Discover Program Curriculum

As part of the Discover Program, students will take Discover seminars which aim to help them navigate campus resources, explore a vocation and take steps toward identifying a path at UD. Students will be enrolled in a Discover seminar course each semester until they've declared.

Semester One: Introduction to the University

Discover Seminar I gives students an opportunity to explore the various resources and opportunities available to them at UD. In this course, students will familiarize themselves with life at UD and begin to explore the various programs and majors available to them.

Semester Two: Vocational Exploration

Discover Seminar II allows students to engage in deeper exploration of their own vocational interests. Through reflective activities and career panels with professionals from the Dayton community and alumni, students will be exposed to a wide variety of career opportunities and begin to grow their networks.

By helping students explore their interests, values and skills, this class will prepare them to think critically about the person they want to be at UD and beyond.

Semester Three: Experiential Learning

Discover Seminar III invites students to engage in experiential learning experiences and reflect on how those experiences inform their chosen path at UD. Through various opportunities, including networking, campus engagement, service, leadership, job shadowing and informational interviewing, students will create a personalized plan to continue to explore and reflect upon their interests, values and skills in an experiential setting.

Semester Four: Developing a Plan

Discover Seminar IV focuses on helping students who are still in the Discover Program to develop a concrete plan for major declaration. As part of this seminar, students will working one-on-one with an advisor to understand their options and make decisions that will lead to successful major declaration by the end of their fourth semester.


Come Fly With Us

Visit Campus

Interested in learning more about the Discover Program? We’d love to meet with you. Email us at discoverprogram@udayton.edu to schedule an appointment.
Aerial photo of campus