A major is a concentration of courses that give a student a basic knowledge of a field of study. A major prepares you to go on for graduate work in the same field or for particular types of professions. A chemistry major, for example, typically prepares a student to take a masters degree in chemistry or to take a job as a chemist in a drugs and medicines company.

Majors are offered by departments within a college or school. An economics major may be housed within a college of arts and science or a college of business. The school or college will require you to take courses in the fields beyond your major. For instance, an economics major may be required to take specific statistics, history, and math courses.