Rethinking Traditional Approaches to Major and Career Development: The Major and Career Ecology Model

Colleges and universities face mounting pressure to demonstrate their value in the face of high tuition costs, mounting student debt, the rise of affordable short-term credentials and online certificates, and lackluster college completion rates (Brink, 2022; Brown, 2018; Fain, 2020; NCES, 2021a). A major reason why people attend college is for career preparation and better career prospects; however, whether students are getting the skills they need to succeed in the workplace and pursue a fulfilling career path remains a top concern among graduates and the American public alike (Brown; Eagan et al., 2015; Pew Research Center, 2016; Stolzenberg et al., 2020).