Choosing a major

Many students enter the University without knowing what their major will be. Such students have the Academic Center for Entering Students (ACES) listed as their school or college. "Exploratory" is the term used for students who have not yet chosen a specific major. If a student is truly undecided, then he or she can remain an exploratory student for several semesters until he or she finds an interesting area of study. Students who are "pre-majors" are unable to apply for their program of study until halfway through their sophomore year. This applies to students who are interested in Allied Health Professions, Education, and Pharmacy. "Shadow" majors are students who know what they want to major in, but are not officially a part of that program. This applies, for instance, to students who want to be business majors, engineering majors, nursing majors, etc. Students in a shadow major should wait until they have a strong history of academic performance (generally 2-3 semesters) before petitioning to change their major.

The University offers many opportunities for students to explore their options, with multiple resources for assistance. Faculty members are a wonderful resource. The faculty advisor is a mentor to help the student discover his or her academic strengths, and discuss how those gifts can be applied in the world of work. Students should also take advantage of the resources in the Academic Advisory Center, which provides advisement and information on all majors available at the University. Students are also encouraged to utilize the resources in the Career Services Center at the main campus in Storrs. A Career Advisor visits the campus several times a year to meet with students.