Student Advising Services

Students must declare a major near the end of their sophomore year, before they can pre-register in April for their fall courses.

By filling out a Change of Major/Advisor Form, found on the Advising Forms webpage, or the Registrar’s Office Forms page.

Changing your major is always an option. There a few things to keep in mind when contemplating changing your major. First and foremost, are you changing your major for the right reasons? Are you not enjoying your classes? Has an internship or volunteer experience in another field led you to think that a different major may be more suitable for your chosen career path? Is it feasible at this point in your academic career? Get input from your current advisor and from faculty in the prospective major(s).

The cornerstone of a liberal arts degree is its potential to prepare you for life after college in any career. In this manner, the skills gained in a liberal arts curriculum provide many of the skills that most employers or graduate schools expect graduates to possess.

Most liberal arts students graduate with the ability to communicate effectively both orally and in writing, possess strong interpersonal skills, are highly adaptable to change, have developed keen critical and analytical thinking skills, and display well-honed problem solving abilities. These five skills are five of the top 10 qualities employers seek in job candidates.

Yes. Minoring in a field is a great way to diversify your specialization.

Many students decide to declare a minor to either complement their major (political science and history), or to broaden their education (biology and English). To declare a minor, use the same form you would use for changing majors or advisors. An advisor is not required for minors.

Absolutely not. The correlation between academic major and career paths is relatively low. It is not uncommon to find many people in careers unrelated to their major.

The most important point is to gain skills pertinent to your chosen career field. These skills, often referred to as “transferable” skills, can be gained by working hard in any major. And by engaging in the ‘life of the college’ while simultaneously taking advantage of the wealth of experiential learning opportunities (research, job shadow, internship, work-study, community based service and learning, and campus clubs and organizations).

Employers look for…

1. 1. Communication skills
2. 2. Motivation/Initiative
3. 3. Teamwork
4. 4. Leadership
5. 5. Academic achievement (GPA)
6. 6. Interpersonal skills
7. 7. Flexibility/adaptability
8. 8. Technical skills
9. 9. Honesty and integrity
10. 10. Analytical/problem solving skills