October 1 is the deadline for major and minor declaration this semester. Students who are undeclared with 58 credits or more completed are required to declare a major to be cleared for pre registration in November for the spring semester.

Students who decide to change advisors  also need to notify the registrar’s office. All necessary paperwork for major and minor declaration and any changes to a major or minor is located outside the the registrar’s office.

“When students are ready to declare they can pick up the major declaration form that is on our literature rack outside our door. They print out their grades from Tigerpaws,” said Eve Christoffersen, graduation coordinator at the office of registrar.

To declare a major, students need to take their declaration paper and transcript to the department chair of the major they want to study. The same process also applies to declaring a minor.

“The chair looks at the classes they have taken and determines whether to accept them for the major and signs the form and the student brings the form to the registrar’s office,” Christoffersen said.

In order to double major, a student first needs to declare a first major and fill out another form to declare the second major. Pursuing a second major is different from obtaining two different degrees.

“There is a difference between a second major and a second degree. A second degree means when you graduate you get two diplomas like a bachelors of arts and a bachelors of science. When you get two diplomas you have to do 30 extra credit hours. Normally you have to have 124 hours to graduate, to get a second degree you have to get 154,” Christoffersen said.

A double major only receives one degree with two  majors instead of two separate degrees. Students who double major do not do extra hours for the two majors.

Students have access to resources in career services to find what jobs apply to their major.

“When you are choosing a major just like when you are choosing a career it should be something you find intriguing. It will easily affect how well you do in it,” said Twyla Hough, director of career services.

“I chose political science as my major because I want to be a lawyer when I graduate. I was still in law school in Mexico but I am planning to go to law school in the United States,” said Gabriela Vazquez, a senior.

Students who do not know how to apply their major to a job can look to Career Services and the alumni database to contact those with a similar major for advice. They can also look to major advisors and department chairs for guidance.

There are also making connections events where students can speak to alumni.

“A major does not always equal a career. There are skills that they are learning, competencies that are valued by employers, but they have to be supplemented by experience and a pathway they’re looking to go into,” Hough said.

Students can always change their major by filling out the same major declaration form and checking the box at the bottom of the form that says they are changing majors. That form then needs to be submitted to the department chair of the desired major.

Forms can be picked up outside of the Registrar’s Office in Northrup Hall, across from the admissions office.