Career Exploration Studies

Career Exploration Studies allows deaf and hard-of-hearing students to enter RIT/NTID before identifying an academic program of study. Students may be first-year students or transfer students who have minimal transfer credit from another university or community college.

The benefits of being a "New RIT/NTID" student in Career Exploration Studies:

• Students will have the opportunity to explore RIT/NTID and its programs in greater detail before committing to a program of study.
• The first year will focus on core general education courses that will meet requirements across many NTID majors.
• Students will receive personalized academic advising that also focuses on career exploration and student development.
• Students will enroll in Career Exploration Seminar to experience a blend of guided and self-discovery exercises designed to develop academic and career objectives.

In Career Exploration Studies, students will have up to one year to explore their interests, values, and career goals to make an informed decision for a major and resulting career.
 

Current RIT/NTID students who are re-considering their major choice are encouraged to schedule an appointment with Kiersten Blankley, director of CES, to discuss their options. If after this appointment a student wants to request a change of program into Career Exploration Studies to explore and discover a new major, a student is considered an internal transfer to Career Exploration Studies.

Internal transfer students will need to be in their first or second year by credit hours and meet all admissions requirements. All internal transfer students to Career Exploration Studies will be required to successfully complete Career Exploration Seminar their first term in the program.  

Changing into Career Exploration Studies is not an option for students in their third year or higher, however, they are welcome to consult with the director of Career Exploration Studies to talk about other options and to gain information about the general change of major process.

Career Exploration Studies students are assigned a counselor/academic advisor who will assist them every step of the way through the exploration process. Advisors will know their students personally as they transition through college and discover their final major.

Role of the Counselor/Academic Advisor:

• Effectively communicate major/program requirements
• Encourage students to assume responsibility for their educational plans and decision making.
• Create an environment where mutual respect and trust allow students to define and develop realistic personal, academic, and professional goals.
• Monitor and accurately document students’ progress toward meeting these goals.
• Serve as a teacher/mentor in providing students with guidance, support, and advocacy.
• Be accessible for meeting with students in person or through telephone or email.
• Provide students with information about and strategies for utilizing campus services and resources.
• Uphold the integrity of the RIT degree by enforcing institute policies.

Role of the Student Advisees:

• Schedule an appointment with their academic advisor at least once each term.
• Come prepared to their appointments with questions or issues for discussion.
• Ask questions if they do not understand an issue or have a specific concern.
• Organize official documents in a way that enables students to access them when needed (Advising Portfolio)
• Complete all assignments or recommendations from their advisor.
• Clarify goals and provide accurate information regarding their interests and abilities.
• Become knowledgeable about institute programs, policies, and procedures.
• Read their RIT emails frequently.
• Accept responsibility for their decisions and actions (or inactions) that affect their educational progress.
   

One of the most important components of deciding on a major is experiencing the major or a content area through "sample courses". 

Click program names to view admission requirements.

Visual Communication Studies 

• 3D Graphics Technology AAS
• Design and Imaging Technology AAS
• Design and Imaging Technology AOS
• 3D Graphics Technology AA

Business Studies

• Accounting Technology AAS
• Administrative Support Technology AAS
• Business Administration AAS
• Business AS
• Business Technology AOS
• Hospitality and Service Management AS

Engineering Studies 

• Applied Mechanical Technology AAS
• Civil Technology AAS
• Computer Aided Drafting Technology AAS
• Computer Aided Drafting Technology AOS
• Precision Manufacturing Technology AOS

Liberal Studies

• Applied Liberal Arts AS

Science and Mathematics

• General Science AS
• Laboratory Science Technology AAS
• Laboratory Science Technology AOS

Information Computing Studies

• Applied Computer Technology AAS
• Applied Computer Technology AOS
• Applied Computer Technology AS
• Mobile Application Development AAS

Career exploration counselor/academic advisors get to know their student advisees well and this one-on-one relationship helps the advisors select sample courses that best fit their student advisees’ interests. Many sample courses also satisfy general education requirements.

During NTID’s two-week orientation program called the Summer Vestibule Program (SVP), orientation students will spend significant time on career sampling. They will have the opportunity to learn about majors and careers in each NTID department. From this meeting they will choose their top two departments to take in-depth classes with and get a hands-on feel. They also will be supported by a professional staff person functioning as a career seminar instructor for the length of SVP. After going through this process students can either interview with a department they are interested in studying or remain with Career Exploration Studies. Students who stay in Career Exploration Studies will receive guidance and support and translate their career assessments into possible RIT/NTID majors. Then students will start their major research by identifying majors of interest in the RIT Undergraduate Bulletin.

Completing a worksheet for top three majors of interest helps guide students through a process of exploring what they may like and dislike about a program, often leading to a list of questions for a department chairperson such as "What type of job will I have with a degree in laboratory science technology, mobile application development, or 3D graphics technology?" 

Once students have narrowed down their interests, identified a few programs of study, meeting with departments will help clarify and validate interests. This referral to a department gives students the opportunity to ask questions about careers, program requirements, and the process for changing into that major.

In most cases, when students are ready to apply to a major it involves completing one simple form, a Change of Program form, which they then submit directly to the director in Career Exploration Studies. There are a few majors that do require supplemental application materials or they may have artistic portfolio requirements as well. A very small number of majors also may mandate a fall start. The counselor/academic advisors in Career Exploration Studies are all aware of these details and effectively communicate them to their student advisees. It should be noted that students also are advised to research a “Plan B” major should they not be qualified for and accepted into their first-choice major.