Major and Minor Selection Advice

All undergraduate students in the College of Arts and Sciences must complete at least one major to be eligible to graduate. Minors or multiple majors are optional. Exploring and determining a major field of study is an important choice. Want to talk through this decision with an advisor? Stop by the Academic Advising Support Center.

Majors and Minors in the College of Arts and Sciences

Resources for Major and Minor Exploration

• To Change Your Major

• Adding a Major, Degree, or Certificate 

• New Advisor Notification

Double Degree vs. Double Major

How additional majors, degrees, or certificates are displayed on transcripts and diplomas

Majors and Minors in the College of Arts and Sciences

The College of Arts and Sciences offers many different majors and minors for undergraduate students to choose from. You can review a list of majors and minors offered in the college and search individual degree requirements through the course catalog.

Resources for Major and Minor Exploration 

Your assigned academic advisor is always available to assist you in exploring different academic fields. You can also visit the Academic Advising Support Center to discuss major discernment and to connect with faculty in different academic departments.

To Change Your Major

1. Download and complete the Change of Major, Degree or Specialization form from the Office of the Registrar.
2. Log into SU Online, print a “what if” Program Evaluation and bring it and this form with you to the new department/program; if a "what if" Program Evaluation is not available, bring an unofficial transcript.
   1. "What if" program evaluations are available on the Student Menu of SU Online. When printing a program evaluation, instead of selecting your current degree program, select a different degree program from a drop-down menu.
3. Have the new department review your request, check approve or deny, sign the form, and, if approved, enter new advisor name. Departments will also note any conditions of acceptance, degree variation, and/or specialization.
4. Bring the form to currently declared major department/program for signature.
5. Return completed and signed form to the Office of the Registrar in USVC 103.
6. You will receive an email notifying you whether your major has been changed. 

NOTE: You must meet the minimum entry requirements of the new major and satisfy any additional requirements of the new School or College in order to earn the new major. 

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Adding a Major, Degree, or Certificate

1. Download the Addition of Another Major, Degree, Specialization, or Certificate form from the Office of the Registrar. 
2. Acquire required signatures.
3. Submit the completed form to the Office of the Registrar in USVC 103.
4. You will receive an email notifying you when your additional major, degree, specialization, or certificate has been added.

NOTE: Adding a major, degree, or certificate are all distinct options. Speak with your advisor before submitting the form to ensure that you have selected the appropriate option. 

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New Advisor Notification

If you change your major a new academic advisor will be assigned by your new academic department/program. Students with two majors are not required to have an advisor in each department, but most opt to have an advisor in each academic discipline. When a new advisor is assigned, you will receive an email notifying you of the new advisor’s name and contact information:

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Double Degree vs. Double Major

Below are the main differences between a double degree and a double major. For further information refer to the Second Baccalaureate Degree and Double Major (76-2) policy on the Office of the Registrar’s website.

Double Degree

• 225 minimum credits required (*MRC students, see below)
• Core requirements for both degrees must be completed
• Major requirements for both majors must be completed
• Two Diplomas will be issued

Double Major

• 180 minimum credits required
• Core requirements for the primary degree/major must be completed
• College requirements for the secondary major must be completed (i.e. College of Arts & Sciences requires the 15 credit Modern Language Series and an additional History course)
• Major requirements for both majors must be completed, including any Core courses required within the second major
• One Diploma will be issued with two majors listedNOTE:  
NOTE:  

Students who wish to pursue a double major in two different colleges (i.e. Albers School of Business and Economics and Arts and Sciences) would likely benefit from declaring a double degree in lieu of a double major due to the fact that they will likely meet the 225 credits given the variation across colleges. 

MRC STUDENTS: Students pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in Humanities may not select the double major option; they must select the double degree option and will be required to complete 180 credits for both degrees, not 225 credits.

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How additional majors, degrees, or certificates are displayed on transcripts and diplomas

• 2nd degree – both listed on transcript, two diplomas issued
• 2nd major – noted on transcript, diploma names the degree and then notes the additional major with an “additional major in...”
• Minor – noted on transcript, but not mentioned on diploma
• Departmental Honors – noted as a specific major on both the transcript and diploma.  If you received a BA in English, and then applied and received departmental honors, the transcript and diploma would note BA in English with Departmental Honors
• Specialization – noted on transcript, not mentioned on diploma
• Certificate – noted on transcript and a certificate, not a diploma, is issued, so a person getting a certificate and a degree get both a certificate and a diploma.

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