When to declare a major?

Each student must declare and complete a major in order to graduate. When you declare a major you meet the requirements for that major under that year’s catalog. This is important because if a department makes changes in the major requirements, you will then have the option of choosing the old or new requirements. If you take courses toward a major and wait to declare, you may find the courses you have taken will no longer meet the current requirements.

First-year students may declare a major any time after fall quarter begins. During the first quarter of their sophomore year, students who have not already declared a major will be sent a “Change of Major/Minor/Advisor/Degree” form asking them to either declare a major and a new advisor, or to declare an exploratory focus ("undeclared") and be advised by the Academic and Career Advising staff. The ACA staff is trained to help students who are undecided and will work with them to explore and evaluate different majors. If an undeclared student wishes to retain his/her original advisor, this can usually be arranged. Students are expected to declare a major by the end of the sophomore year; declaring a minor is optional.

For more information see Section 5: Academic Rules and Procedures in the College Catalog

How are majors and careers connected?

Academic and Career Advising (ACA) works with students to explore how they can apply different majors to different career fields. For an individual appointment with one of our staff, give us a call. Students can also start by checking out “What Can I Do With This Major?”

How to declare a major?

To declare a major a student must pick up the “Change of Major/Minor/Advisor/Degree” form at the Registrar's office or at ACA. The students must have their current academic advisor sign it, as well as the new advisor in their major area of study. The completed form is then turned into the Registrar’s office.

Changing or dropping a major?

A student may change or drop a major at any time by completing a “Change of Major/Minor/Advisor/Degree” form. This is available from the Registrar's office or ACA.

Declaring more than one major?

Students may declare more than one major. However, this means a student will have an academic advisor in each major area and will need to work with both advisors in order to register. The student is also responsible to meet all writing requirements for both majors (ask your advisor in each major for details).

Declaring a Minor?

A student can declare a minor any time. A minor is a concentration of 25 to 30 quarter hours, offered at the discretion of each program that offers a major. See the listing in the Principia College Catalog of the minors available. Frequently asked questions about minors:

How do I declare a minor?

Pick up a "Change of Major/Minor/Advisor/Degree" form from ACA or the Registrar’s Office. Fill it out, get signatures and return it to the Registrar’s Office.

Do I need to have an advisor for my minor?
There are only three programs that require you to have a minor advisor: Education, Music, and Philosophy.

Who keeps track of the requirements for a minor and how can I be sure if I am taking the right courses?

The student must take the responsibility for tracking a minor. If you have questions about which courses meet the requirements for a minor, discuss this with the department chair or Registrar. Check the Principia College Catalog for more information.