Exploratory Studies Frequently Asked Questions

Yes. Exploratory Studies is housed within the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. Although you cannot graduate with a degree in Exploratory Studies, it can be declared until you choose another major.

Yes. Butler has a Core Curriculum in which all students participate regardless of major. Exploratory Studies academic advisors will help you explore your options while still satisfying the Core Curriculum so you can explore and complete graduation requirements at the same time. Many majors do not get into concentrated degree requirements until second or even third year anyway.

Butler does not have a set deadline for students to declare a major. Most Exploratory students choose within their first two years. If the process begins to take longer, academic advisors can help you become more proactive in the search to ensure that you are doing all you can to graduate on time. Once you have declared, you will be assigned an academic advisor in your new area of study.

Yes. Our services are available to any student enrolled at Butler University. If you are trying to decide between two or three majors, you would benefit from the same process as a student who has not yet identified any specific options. If you are Pre-Health or Pre-Law but are trying to choose the best major for that route, you can also benefit from Exploratory Studies. If you are considering adding a second major or a minor, you may also meet with our academic advisors. Exploratory Studies exists to aid any student interested in exploring his or her academic options.

Yes! Most careers do not require one specific major; there are usually many paths to the same destination. Exploratory academic advisors will help you connect your interests and skills to a major that is a good fit for you while also helping you to understand how to connect your education to your career needs.

Exploratory majors come from all different backgrounds and abilities. Exploratory majors are not students who don’t have interests; instead, they are usually very high achieving students with a wide variety of interests and abilities. Oftentimes, it is not a matter of finding something that they are interested in, it is actually a matter of narrowing down a wide variety of options. Exploratory majors can be found in the Honors Program, on the Dean’s List, in student government, student athletics, Pre-Health and Pre-Law, Greek Life—you name it. Wherever you find Butler students, you are likely to find Exploratory majors.

Definitely not! At Butler, it is not just okay to be Exploratory; it is something that is fully embraced by the Butler community. We want you to explore, try new things, and be exposed to new ideas. Exploratory Studies may have between 150–190 students at any one time. In fact, we are one of the biggest departments on campus.

Not at all. The Exploratory Studies Major does not have a maximum quota, so declaring the major has no effect on your admission.

There are a few things to consider in this decision. First of all, there is simply no need to rush into the decision. All Butler students must take the same Core Curriculum anyway, so you can still be fulfilling graduation requirements without declaring a major. Also, if you are not sure that it is the right major for you, it can actually create more problems in the long run. When you jump into a program right away, you begin taking courses specific to that major. Then, if you change after a year or so, you may find that not all of those specific classes transfer to a new major. By declaring Exploratory, you can be sure that you will have an academic advisor that is specifically dedicated to working with students who are exploring a wide range of options.