A Phenomenological Study on the Career Decision-Making Experiences of Students Double-Majoring in Counseling Psychology

This study explored how undergraduate students who double majored in counseling made career decisions, their experiences, and how they constructed meaning. In-depth interviews were conducted with ten participants who had completed or were pursuing a double major in counseling, and data were analyzed using Giorgi’s descriptive phenomenological method. The analysis yielded three essential meaning structures, thirteen core components, and thirty-two detailed meaning units. First, motivations and early decision-making included ambiguity about career paths, dissatisfaction with the primary major, practical strategies, and accessibility of the counseling major. Second, the psychological journey and growth involved early anxiety, feelings of being an outsider, reorientation of goals, integrative learning, and supportive relationships. Third, career clarification and inner growth emerged through career awareness, immersion in counseling, satisfaction from intense learning, and self-exploration. These findings provide insights into career counseling practice and double major programs in higher education.