Declare or Change a Major

Unless you are coming to the university sure of your major, you should begin exploring options in your first year. Choosing Genderal Education (GE) courses in the fields that you are considering is a great way to research your options. Meet with your academic advisor to discuss other activities to try and/or courses to take as you begin to make this very important decision.

If you know what you want to study, it helps to declare early and begin planning for a timely graduation. Declaring your major early provides you with a sense of direction, strengthens your motivation and may help to inform some of your course choices.

How do I declare my major?

Some majors require an information session prior to declaring the major, and others may require you to take a certain number of courses and/or meet certain grades or GPA requirements before being admitted to the major. It is important to find out what a major requires in order to begin and remain on your timeline for completing your degree. Contact the advising office for the major you're interested in to ask whether an information session is required.
Learn the requirements of the major: prerequisite courses, required GPA, or other specific admission requirements. Download this helpful questions guide to help your prepare for your advising appointment.
Once you declare a new major, an advisor will enter it into your record. Expect to see your new listing (as a major or a pre-major) in your My Buckeye Link account the same day the advisor enters it.
- Your new major or pre-major will be visible on your degree audit and in OnCourse the next business day
- Your advising report will display your new major next term if the advisor entered the information after the first day of the this term
When students still have requirements to fulfill before they can be admitted to the major, some colleges will enroll them as pre-majors.
- Being a pre-major does not necessarily guarantee admission to the major

Helpful Resources

Career Counseling and Support Services University Exploration Program

You might need to change your major when:

You are not interested in the courses you are taking for your major
You are not doing well in your major courses
You chose your major due to external pressures or you did not do your research
You keep wondering what it would be like to major in something else

Changing your major may change your fees. Ask the advisor before making your decision.

If you have questions about this information and how it relates to your specific situation, please contact your advisor.

Schedule a meeting with your advisor

Declare or Change a Mager