If I am not admitted into my major, I plan on changing my major to either Criminal Justice or Recreational Therapy. An interesting fact about the Criminal Justice major is that advanced studies who earn departmental honors have the opportunity to work independently with department faculty. An interesting fact about the Recreational Therapy major is that students engage with youth in the Mighty Monarchs wheelchair sports program, facilitate a senior wellness program in a local geriatric care facility, and assist with Special Olympics. Some careers I can do with a Criminal Justice major include Social and Community Service Managers and Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists. Some options with the career of a Social and Community Service Manager involve directing social workers, counselors, or probation officers. Some of the options with the career of a Probation Officer and Correctional Treatment Specialist include making recommendations for actions involving the formulation of a rehabilitation plan and the treatment of offenders. Some careers I can do with a Recreational Therapy major include a Recreational Therapist and a Therapeutic Recreation Specialist. Some of the options with the career of a Recreational Therapist include recovering basic physical and mental abilities, building confidence, and effectively socializing their patients in order to reduce depression, stress, and anxiety. Some of the options with the career of a Therapeutic Recreation Specialist include working with patients who are challenged by mental or social disabilities in order to design and implement recreational activities that will improve the patient’s behavior, social skills, or coordination. The advisor for the Criminal Justice major is Tammey Nielsen. The advisor for the Recreational Therapy major is Alex Whitney.

If I were to change my major to Criminal Justice, I would have to take a few additional classes (seven). Quite a few of my classes (thirteen) I am either enrolled in or plan on taking will work. The only classes I would not have to take are English 110C, Interpreting the Past, Human Creativity, English 211C, Statistics 130M, Philosophy and Ethics, Literature, Nature of Science I, Psychology 203S, Sociology 201S, Criminal Justice 215S, Criminal Justice 222, and Impact of Technology. If I were to change my major to Recreational Therapy, I would have to take a few additional classes (nine) before doing degree-specific courses. About half of my classes (ten) I am either enrolled in or plan on taking will work. The only classes I would not have to take are English 110C, Interpreting the Past, Human Creativity, English 211C, Statistics 130M, Philosophy and Ethics, Literature, Nature of Science I, Psychology 203S, and Impact of Technology. In order to gain professional experience in Criminal Justice, I could talk to my uncle or other professionals and ask about shadowing opportunities. For Recreational Therapy, I already have some professional experience. I have volunteered with the Ability Center of Virginia, which is an organization that gets people who have disabilities involved with others under similar circumstances.