Declaring a Major

Instructions for Declaring a Major/Arranging for a Major Advisor

If you are intending to major in Education, Exercise Physiology, or Nursing, you must be admitted into the program. Applications are accepted during sophomore year. Declaring one of these majors and arranging for an advisor will be done for you upon admission to the program. 

Advisor approval for registration will be done by your FTS advisor until you are admitted to your program. See someone in the department of your intended major for course planning before meeting with your current advisor for approval.

To arrange for an advisor for ALL OTHER MAJORS, see the chart below listed by department. Some departments assign an advisor; see the departmental administrative assistant. Some departments ask students to choose an advisor:

• Look at the department’s section of the catalog for a list of faculty. Do not choose a visiting or part-time instructor.
• If you have a preference from having had a certain professor for a class, ask that person.
• If you are interested in the special interests of a professor listed in the faculty section in the back of the catalog or on their online profile, ask that person.
• If you have no idea who to ask, meet with the department’s administrative assistant or chair for recommendations.

Bring the major declaration form, which you can download from the Registrar's Office homepage, completed by you and signed by your major advisor, to the Registrar’s Office. If you choose a different major later, meet with your new advisor for their signature, and complete and submit the new major declaration form to the Registrar’s Office.

Timing

First-year students can declare a major (other than the above) any time after your first semester. You should be keeping major options open, remembering to declare by the spring of your sophomore year. If you haven’t declared by the fall of your junior year, there will be a hold on your registration until you declare a major and arrange for an advisor.

Transfer students, you can declare your major/arrange for an advisor as soon as you are ready. Be sure to do this prior to the time you register in November of your junior year.

Two Majors?

Although few students double-major, if you do, you need an advisor for each one. For registration, you need approval from only one, although you should meet and confer with both.

Advising

You need one official advisor for approval to register every semester, and for approval of your application for graduation (spring of junior year), but we hope you will seek advice from your whole department and from other campus resources as well, as you:

• choose courses for registration;
• plan when to study away;
• plan when to arrange for an internship;
• explore other academic opportunities and experiences in addition to coursework;
• reflect on what you are learning in your coursework and about yourself.

Arrange an Advisor Chart