Declaration or Change of Major

Declaration of Major

Students who have declared a major at the time of their admission to the university are officially enrolled in the college in which their designated major is offered and are referred by the college dean to the chairperson of the designated major for assignment of a faculty advisor.

Although the university does not require students to declare their major fields until they have achieved 60 semester credits, an early decision by students will greatly facilitate the selection of appropriate prerequisite courses for major fields.

Students enrolled in the College of Fine Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences are strongly encouraged to declare their major fields by the end of the freshman year. Students contemplating majors in chemistry or environmental sciences should initiate prerequisite course work immediately upon entrance to the College of Fine Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences and should make a declaration of major at this time or prior to the end of their freshman year.

Students in the Zuckerberg College of Health Sciences should not delay declaration of major beyond their freshman year.

Additional course work beyond the minimum degree requirement and extension of the normal four-year period of study may be expected when individuals declare a major later than recommended above.

Students who make no declaration of major prior to the end of their sophomore year are listed as undeclared students for their first two years. Individuals who wish to designate a major which is offered by the college in which they are enrolled as undeclared students must secure the signature of the appropriate department chairperson (or the chairperson of the committee which exercises jurisdiction over an interdepartmental major) on a declaration of major form and must file the completed form with the Office of the Registrar. Individuals who wish to designate a major which is not offered by the college in which they are enrolled as undeclared students must file an approved form for intercollegiate transfer and declaration of major with the Office of the Registrar. This form requires the signatures of the dean of the college to which the student transfers and the appropriate department chairperson.

Undeclared students are advised that openings may be limited or unavailable in some programs and that different admission criteria may be applied to program or college applicants when staffing or facilities render it necessary to establish limits upon enrollments.

Students seeking professional advice regarding selections of majors, second majors, and minors should consult a college dean or a faculty advisor.

Declaration of Second Major

Students who wish to declare a second major should consult with their college dean to determine if a second major can be completed within specified degree requirements or will require additional study beyond the minimum degree requirements and extension of the regular period of baccalaureate study. Students who wish to declare a second major in the college in which they are enrolled as degree candidates ordinarily may do so by filing an approved declaration of second major with The Solution Center. Students who wish to declare such a major in another college of the university may do so only when regulations of that college and the college in which they are enrolled as degree candidates both permit. Such declarations require the approval of both college deans. Students who are permitted to carry two majors are assigned an advisor in each major department.

Except as noted under the heading Dual Degree Program below, students who elect academic majors in more than one college are candidates for one degree only; and they are considered to be degree candidates in the college of their initial major unless they indicate to the contrary by filing for intercollegiate transfer at the time they make a declaration of second major. Accordingly, a student who pursues academic majors in two colleges is subject to all degree requirements as specified by the college of his or her initial academic major and is subject only to major course requirements (including collateral and prerequisite courses for the major) as specified by the department of his or her second academic major. Individuals who pursue double majors within different degree programs will receive the degree that is designated for their initial academic major unless they also filed for intercollegiate transfer when they filed their declaration of second academic major.

Professional programs in business administration, engineering, public health, clinical laboratory sciences, nursing, exercise physiology, industrial management, industrial technology and Bachelor of Music programs may be designated as degree majors only. Although students in these programs may be permitted to pursue a second major in an academic field offered by another college, they are subject to all degree requirements as specified by the college for their professional major. 

Students who declare an additional (second) major may share up to two courses from the additional major with the Breadth of Knowledge requirements in the Core Curriculum (for those entering prior to Fall 2015, with the distribution requirements of General Education [AH, SS, SC]).

Dual Degree Programs

Students who wish to pursue a dual degree program must establish simultaneous matriculation in both programs and designate their candidacy for two degrees. The curricula for dual degree programs are approved by participating college faculties and must be completed as prescribed. It is therefore imperative that a student who wishes to pursue an approved dual degree program obtain a copy of the specified curriculum that enumerates the specific semester-by-semester course requirements. Students interested in this program must receive authorization from all relevant chairs and deans. The minimum credits to receive two degrees is 150.

Change of Major

Once students have begun a program of major studies, they may change their major field only by filing an approved change of major form with The Solution Center. Students who make substantial changes in their plans of study after the beginning of their sophomore year, regardless of major, may find it difficult to complete degree requirements within the normal four-year period of study.

Change of Major within College of Enrollment

Students who wish to change their declaration of major within the college in which they are enrolled as degree candidates are required to file an approved change of major form with The Solution Center. This form requires the approval of the chairperson of the major department to which the student desires to transfer and should be filed by Nov. 1 for spring semester transfer and by April 1 for fall semester transfer to insure proper advising during the periods of fall and spring registration. Filing after the recommended dates may be permitted by the chairperson of the department with jurisdiction over the new major.

Change of Major with Intercollegiate Transfer

Students desiring to transfer from a baccalaureate online or professional studies program to a baccalaureate day program, to transfer from a baccalaureate day program to a baccalaureate online or professional studies program, must complete appropriate paperwork in the Admission Office.

An individual seeking an intercollegiate transfer must file a change of major form with the chairperson and dean having jurisdiction over the program to which transfer is desired. Following endorsement by both the chairperson and the dean, this form must be filed with the Office of the Registrar. Individuals petitioning for intercollegiate transfer are required to satisfy and maintain the admission requirements of their desired college and program.

Individuals seeking transfer from one college to another are advised that openings may be limited or unavailable in some programs, that different admission criteria may be applied to program or college applicants when staffing or facilities render it necessary to establish limits on enrollments, and that the completion of degree requirements within the customary four-year period may not be possible since the correction of deficiencies cannot always be accommodated within the schedule of course offerings.

The official date of intercollegiate transfer is the first day of the semester following approval of a student’s application. Since course registration may be conducted prior to the official date of transfer, students should make immediate arrangements for advising with the dean of the college to which they will transfer. Subsequent to approval of a student’s application for transfer and prior to the official date of transfer, the college dean will review the academic record of the student to determine the applicability of previously completed courses to the requirements of the college and, if appropriate, to the new major.