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NorthStar STEM Direction Guide

Explore the directions before taking the assessment.

NorthStar helps students connect interests, strengths, learning style, and STEM major choices. Start by browsing 18 STEM direction profiles, then choose the assessment path that fits your readiness.

Assessment paths

Start light, then go deeper when the decision matters.

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14-question Quick Scan

For early exploration: Top 3 directions with short explanations, clearly labeled as an initial scan.

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42-question Full Assessment

For planning conversations: generates a Lite Report and emails a secure report link.

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STEM Directions Guide

18 direction profiles for self-checking fit

This guide introduces broad exploration directions. Quick Scan groups related directions, and Full Assessment compares specific university majors. These profiles are not final recommendations and should be validated through courses and projects.

Software & App Development

Turns ideas into working apps, websites, tools, and automations.

Fit signal

You enjoy breaking problems into steps, debugging patiently, and improving tools after real people try them.

Assessment path

Software and Computer Science → Computer Science

AI & Machine Learning

Uses data, models, and algorithms to make predictions or generate useful outputs.

Fit signal

You are curious about how models learn and are willing to work through math, data quality, testing, and imperfect results.

Assessment path

AI, Data, and Statistics → AI / ML, Data Science, Statistics

Data Science & Analytics

Finds meaning in messy information through statistics, visualization, and structured reasoning.

Fit signal

You ask whether a pattern is real, what explains it, and how evidence should change a decision.

Assessment path

AI, Data, and Statistics → AI / ML, Data Science, Statistics

Cybersecurity

Protects systems, accounts, networks, and data by thinking carefully about risk and misuse.

Fit signal

You like finding edge cases, thinking like both a builder and an attacker, and documenting how systems can fail.

Assessment path

Software and Computer Science / Computing Hardware and Systems → Computer Science; Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering

Robotics & Automation

Connects software with sensors, motors, mechanisms, and real-world behavior.

Fit signal

You can tolerate repeated testing and enjoy integrating code, electronics, and moving parts into one system.

Assessment path

Robotics and Mechanical Systems / Computing Hardware and Systems → Robotics, Mechanical Engineering; Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering

Game & Interactive Media

Combines programming, design, storytelling, systems, and user interaction.

Fit signal

You care about both how an interactive system works and how it feels when someone uses it.

Assessment path

Software and Computer Science → Computer Science

Engineering Design

Solves physical-world problems through prototypes, testing, materials, and trade-offs.

Fit signal

You enjoy making, measuring, revising, and accepting that every physical design has constraints.

Assessment path

Robotics and Mechanical Systems → Robotics, Mechanical Engineering

Electrical & Computer Engineering

Works close to hardware, circuits, embedded systems, signals, and computing infrastructure.

Fit signal

You want to understand what happens below the app layer and are comfortable connecting software to physical devices.

Assessment path

Computing Hardware and Systems → Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering

Biomedical & Health Technology

Applies STEM thinking to health, biology, medical devices, data, and human wellbeing.

Fit signal

You care about health problems and want to solve them through devices, data, experiments, or engineering systems.

Assessment path

Bioinformatics and Biomedical Engineering / Life Science and Medicine → Bioinformatics, Biomedical Engineering; Biology, Medicine / Pre-Med

Environmental & Sustainability Tech

Uses science, data, and engineering to address climate, energy, water, waste, and resources.

Fit signal

You want technical work to connect with ecosystems, communities, policy, and measurable public impact.

Assessment path

Chemistry, Materials, and Environment → Chemistry, Environmental Science / Engineering

Space & Aerospace Systems

Explores flight, satellites, propulsion, orbital systems, and high-reliability engineering.

Fit signal

You like physics-heavy systems and can accept long validation cycles where small errors matter.

Assessment path

Physical Science and Aerospace → Physics, Aerospace Engineering, Applied Mathematics

Math & Theoretical Computing

Studies abstraction, proofs, algorithms, optimization, and the deep logic behind technology.

Fit signal

You can stay interested in abstract structures before their practical use becomes obvious.

Assessment path

Physical Science and Aerospace / AI, Data, and Statistics → Physics, Aerospace Engineering, Applied Mathematics; AI / ML, Data Science, Statistics

Product Design & UX

Shapes how people experience technology through research, interface design, and prototyping.

Fit signal

You notice friction in products, ask what people need, and enjoy testing several versions of a solution.

Assessment path

Architecture and Built Environment / Software and Computer Science → Architecture; Computer Science

Digital Business & Entrepreneurship

Combines technology, market insight, communication, and execution to build useful products or services.

Fit signal

You enjoy deciding what should be built, explaining its value, and coordinating people to make it real.

Assessment path

Software and Computer Science / AI, Data, and Statistics → Computer Science; AI / ML, Data Science, Statistics

Education Technology

Designs tools, content, and learning experiences that help others understand and practice better.

Fit signal

You enjoy explaining difficult ideas and improving how people learn through technology and design.

Assessment path

Software and Computer Science / Architecture and Built Environment → Computer Science; Architecture

Scientific Research

Builds knowledge by asking careful questions, running experiments, and analyzing evidence.

Fit signal

You can tolerate uncertainty, slow progress, failed experiments, and answers that create more questions.

Assessment path

Physical Science and Aerospace / Life Science and Medicine / Chemistry, Materials, and Environment → Physics, Aerospace Engineering, Applied Mathematics; Biology, Medicine / Pre-Med; Chemistry, Environmental Science / Engineering

Smart Cities & Infrastructure

Applies computing, sensors, planning, and systems thinking to transportation, buildings, and communities.

Fit signal

You like problems where technology, physical space, public systems, and human behavior interact.

Assessment path

Architecture and Built Environment / Computing Hardware and Systems / Chemistry, Materials, and Environment → Architecture; Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering; Chemistry, Environmental Science / Engineering

Technology Leadership

Guides teams, explains trade-offs, and connects technical decisions with people and goals.

Fit signal

You enjoy understanding enough technical detail to coordinate decisions, communicate trade-offs, and help a team move forward.

Assessment path

Software and Computer Science / Robotics and Mechanical Systems → Computer Science; Robotics, Mechanical Engineering

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