Enrolling in a Day 1 CPT program allows you to gain practical work experience in your field from the very start, letting you to apply your academic knowledge to the workplace. This unique opportunity can accelerate your career development and offer you a competitive advantage in the job market while you complete your studies.
But how will you know which major to choose as you consider Day 1 CPT? The key is to select a degree program that aligns closely with both your academic background and the job you intend to pursue. This helps guarantee that your work experience is relevant and enriching, and additionally ensures compliance with U.S. visa requirements.
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Importance of Program Alignment
If you’re enrolling in a Day 1 CPT, be aware that the practical training you undertake must directly relate to your field of study at your university. This requirement ensures that your training is not only relevant and integral to your academic development but also aligns with visa requirements and your educational objectives.
In other words, if you enroll in a business analytics degree program, you shouldn’t use CPT to work as a research assistant in a toxicology lab or as a systems engineer for a company that manufactures solar batteries. Instead, you should seek positions such as a market research analyst, ensuring that your employment aligns with your academic studies.
In essence, you’ll need to carefully consider your choice of major for two reasons:
- Alignment with your job. In order for your school’s DSO to approve your Form I-20, your job must align with your major area of study, and not only in a broad sense. This means that the practical work experience must enhance your educational experience in your specific field of study. In a Day 1 CPT program, your employment must be an integral part of the degree program.
- Alignment with your academic background. In order to secure a relevant job for your Day 1 CPT program, you’ll likely need to search for a position that aligns with your academic background. By applying to jobs that line up with your educational qualifications, you become a more attractive candidate for potential employers. Additionally, because your job must align with your major area of study, the major you choose for your Day 1 CPT program will presumably be related to your existing academic background.
Overall, selecting a major that aligns with both your background and your career goals is critical when choosing a Day 1 CPT program. Doing so not only ensures compliance with visa requirements but also enriches your educational and professional development.
Choosing the Right Day 1 CPT Major
If you already hold a master’s degree, choosing the right major for your Day 1 CPT program can be challenging, as you cannot pursue the same major for another master’s degree while using CPT. In other words, if you’ve already been awarded an MS in computer science, you cannot enroll in a Day 1 CPT program majoring in computer science.
Instead, you may want to choose a major that shares a strong foundational overlap with computer science, such as data science. Choosing such a program would allow you to apply your skills in areas such as programming and software engineering to deepen your knowledge of statistical analysis, learn more about machine learning algorithms, or gain proficiency in data visualization tools and techniques.
By selecting a distinct but complementary major, you give yourself the chance to significantly expand your skill set and gain a more comprehensive understanding of complex problems. Moreover, this choice helps to position you as a valuable asset in an ever-changing job market.
The Magic of MBA Programs
If you’re having trouble choosing a new major that aligns with your existing skill set, you might consider enrolling in an MBA program. Widely known for its versatility, the MBA is a coveted major due to its comprehensive coverage of business, management, and leadership throughout the program.
Pursuing an MBA can allow you to choose from a number of concentrations and specializations that might align with your academic interests and skills. These concentrations can range from finance to business analytics to human resources. If you have a background in healthcare, you could excel in pursuing an MBA with a concentration in healthcare administration. If you already hold a master’s degree in software engineering, you may be able to develop your skills further by enrolling in an MBA program with a specialization in information technology management.
Even if you don’t have a background in a business-related field, you may still find the MBA to be an attractive Day 1 CPT major due to its broad applicability and the strategic advantage it can provide in a competitive job market. Regardless of your academic background, the versatility of an MBA program can help you navigate a variety of career paths and unlock opportunities in leadership, innovation, and entrepreneurship across numerous industries.
Popular Day 1 CPT Programs
Whether you choose to pursue an MBA or another major for your Day 1 CPT program, numerous universities offer programs that can help you continue your education and career in the United States.
For instance, Westcliff University in Irvine, California allows MBA students to specialize in concentrations such as global business, data-driven decision making, and digital and strategic marketing. Additionally, several of these concentrations qualify as STEM fields, which may allow you to apply for a STEM OPT extension in the future.
Other schools offering Day 1 CPT–such as Harrisburg University, Monroe College, and Campbellsville University, among others–offer dynamic science and technology degree programs in fields such as computer science, cloud computing, healthcare informatics, and data science. Ultimately, the diversity of Day 1 CPT programs provides a broad spectrum of opportunities for you to align your academic pursuits with your career aspirations in the United States.
Conclusion
Selecting the appropriate major for Day 1 CPT program is an important step in aligning your academic pursuits with your career objectives. Whether you pursue an MBA or another specialized degree, choosing a program that complements both your background and your career aspirations is essential to maximizing this unique opportunity.
With numerous universities offering varied Day 1 CPT programs, you have the flexibility to customize your educational journey and position yourself advantageously in the competitive U.S. job market.
