I Changed My Mind: Exploring Why College Students Change Majors to Become Teachers

Abstract

Although teacher education programs have long studied what draws students to choose a career in teaching, a less studied aspect of teacher candidates relates to students who change majors to become teachers. As a phenomenon that is common in teacher preparation, I am interested in better understanding why this happens. This article centers around six participants who began college choosing a science major, changing their course of study after at least one full year. Through questionnaires and semi-structured interviews, a discussion of what led the participants to change majors, what they were looking for when deciding to become teachers, and their motivations to join the ranks of the next generation of teachers is had. The article ends with implications for practitioners, and avenues for further research.