Program of Study vs. Major

A program of study is a specialized field of study a student pursues at MVC for an associate degree or certificate. A major is a specialized field of study a student pursues at a four-year school that leads to a bachelor's degree.

Match Your Major to Your Program of Study

MVC places students under programs of study that set you up for success as you pursue further learning. Your STEM counselor can help you determine the ideal program of study for your major and tailor your required courses to your goals.

Make a Counseling Appointment

Programs of Study have a direct impact on what courses are recommended through EduNav, MVC's registration and planning tool. EduNav will recommend required courses needed for an associate degree or certificate but it will not automatically include any additional courses required for a transfer major. Since MVC does not offer certain majors, counselors place students under the closest program of study based on a student’s chosen major and customize course requirements on their EduNav Student Educational Plan (SEP). While the major students pursue at a university may not share the same name as their program of study at MVC, they can still complete the courses required to transfer.

That's why meeting with a STEM counselor is so important: they can assist you in selecting the best program of study for you based on your major, recommend the required courses for your chosen major and set you up for transfer success.

Here's an engineering student example: engineering majors are assigned a mathematics program of study at MVC. When STEM counselors create a Student Educational Plan (SEP) for engineering majors in EduNav, MVC's registration and planning tool, they will see their program of study as mathematics. Then, counselors customize that plan to the educational needs of their desired major so a student only takes the courses that allow them to transfer into universities and colleges of engineering.

Choose a STEM Field

Choose a field and discover the majors that fall under MVC's STEM programs of study. 

This list is a sample of some common science majors that fall under MVC's biology program of study. It does not include all science majors.

  • Animal Science
  • Biochemistry
  • Biomedical Engineering
  • Biology
  • Biotechnology
  • Botany
  • Chemical Engineering
  • Chemistry
  • Entomology
  • Environmental Sciences
  • Genetics
  • Geology
  • Geophysics
  • Microbiology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Neuroscience
  • Pharmaceutical Sciences
  • Plant Biology
  • Pre-Med
  • Pre-Pharmacy
  • Pre-Vet
  • Zoology

This list is a sample of some common allied health majors that fall under the math and science program of study. It does not include all related majors, as most allied health majors such as dental hygiene, medical assisting and kinesiology fall under the School of Business, Health and Human Services.

  • Bioinformatics
  • Nursing
  • Diagnostic Medical Sonography
  • Radiologic Technology

This list is a sample of some common technology majors that fall under the computer science program of study. It does not include all technology majors.

  • Computer Engineering
  • Computer Science
  • Computer Systems
  • Game Development
  • Software Engineering

This list is a sample of some common technology majors that fall under data science program of study. It does not include all technology majors.

  • Data Science

This list is a sample of some common technology majors that fall under the information technology or cybersecurity programs of study. It does not include all technology majors.

  • Cyber Security
  • Information Systems & Technology

A paid apprenticeship program is also available for MVC students pursuing a career in cybersecurity and information technology.

This list is a sample of some common engineering majors that fall under the mathematics program of study. It does not include all engineering majors.

  • Aerospace Engineering
  • Architectural Engineering
  • Civil Engineering
  • Construction Engineering Technology
  • Electrical Engineering
  • Environmental Engineering
  • Industrial Engineering
  • Manufacturing Engineering
  • Materials Science and Engineering
  • Mechanical Engineering
  • Mechatronic Engineering
  • Nuclear Engineering
  • Petroleum Engineering
  • Physics

This list is a sample of some common majors that fall under the math and science program of study. It does not include all majors.

  • Architecture

This list is a sample of some common math majors that fall under the mathematics program of study. It does not include all math majors.

  • Actuarial Science
  • Applied Mathematics
  • Economics
  • Math
  • Math for Secondary School
  • Statistics

Accounting falls under the School of Business, Health and Human Services