Declaring your major

Major declaration

One of the learning goals of a St. Lawrence education is "a depth of understanding in at least one field." By the middle of the second semester of your sophomore year (or the semester after you have earned at least 11 units of credit), you must declare a major. A second major and/or minor may be declared at that time or later, if desired. You may also change your primary major at any time after major declaration.

Your major at a liberal arts college need not be directly tied to a specific career path. Because the focus of your education is on developing the adaptive critical thinking, problem-solving, and communication skills that will help you in any profession, you should choose a major whose content excites you. Students (and their families) sometimes erroneously assume that particular majors lead to better job prospects after graduation, but the data do not support that belief. While students in some majors can expect to have a higher starting salary right out of college than others, mid-career salaries are similar across majors. The greatest booster of long-term salary is completing graduate training after an undergraduate degree. Given this, you should major in what you love!

If you do not know what you want to major in by the first semester of your sophomore year, you should review your transcript and reflect on which classes stimulated and inspired you the most and which ones seemed to help you understand the world better. You should also discuss your passions and academic trajectory with your current academic advisor, who might be able to offer insights that will help you decide. Any work you have done with the Center for Career Excellence might also help you figure out the best major for you.

Once you have decided on a major, you need to find an academic advisor in the relevant department for your major. Unless your current academic advisor is in that department, this will mean finding a new advisor. Choose an academic advisor whose classes you have found stimulating or with whom you already have a strong connection. Most important is that you find someone with whom you can cultivate a relationship of openness and trust, so that you feel comfortable going to them with your questions and seeking advice about your future. If the professor you ask is able to be your advisor, you should plan an initial meeting in office hours to discuss major requirements and your long-term academic and non-academic goals.

To declare the major, you must submit an online major declaration form, which requires approval from your new major advisor and the chair of your major department. The form does not require the approval of your current advisor, but it is courteous to notify them of your major declaration and offer thanks for the advising you have received. If you wish to retain your current advisor as an additional advisor after major declaration, fill out that option on the form.

If you need help deciding on a major, please be in touch with us in Academic Advising well ahead of the deadline.

Students who fail to declare a major by the deadline will receive an "advising hold" which will prevent them from registering for courses for the next semester until they have declared a major or have reached an understanding with the Executive Director of Advising, Retention, and Student Success.

It is a graduation requirement that all students must complete at least one major, and must earn a 2.0 or higher grade point average in it.

Owing to the value of breadth in a liberal arts education, students are not allowed to take more than fourteen courses—just under half of their program—in one department, and are not allowed to have three majors.

Combined and Interdisciplinary Majors and Multi-Field Majors

In addition to stand-alone departmental majors, there are a number of possibilities for combined and interdisciplinary majors. Consult the full list of majors and minors for all of the options.

It also possible to design a major oneself, combining at least two programs or departments. Students who wish to pursue this option should consult the information on the multi-field major. Multi-field majors must be approved by the Academic Advising Committee before they can be declared, so it is important to start early if you think you might want to pursue this option. Contact the Executive Director of Advising, Retention, and Student Success if you plan to pursue the multi-field major.

Minors

Minors are not required but are offered by most departments and programs. These need to be declared by submitting a minor declaration form. Students with a single major may elect up to two minor fields; students with a double major may elect one minor field. Note that there is no deadline to declare a minor, except for graduating seniors, who must declare a minor (or change their major/minor) at least a month before the last day of classes in the semester in which they plan to graduate.

 Additional Reading:

For more information on Majors and Minors at St. Lawrence, please see the "Major Requirements" section of the most current University Catalog.