Timeline for Choosing a Major: The End of Your Sophomore Year
Are you nearing the end of your sophomore year? Is your unit total close to 84? If so, you’re about to reach a turning point in your academic career—You’re about to leave your lower-division years behind.
That means that it’s time to make an important decision. It’s time to choose your major.
By now, you have explored many disciplines as you fulfill your general education requirements, and you probably have the choice narrowed to two or three possibilities. To hone in on your final choice, talk to as many people as possible.
One good source of information is a student who has pursued the major you are considering. Talk to peer advisors in the departments (and read a sample of their advice in the Major Clips column of this newsletter.) Or make an appointment to discuss your options with a dean, advisor, or peer in the College of Letters and Science; phone: (805) 893-3201. Sometimes a sounding board is all you need for your own strengths and interests to become clear. At that point, the choice often becomes easy.
Special note to students who want to graduate in four years:
It is particularly important for you to declare a major in a timely fashion. In many majors, the major requirements alone require more than two years of coursework.
Warning to those who complete 90 units without declaring a major:
Your future registration may be blocked. Students who complete more than 89 units and have not declared a major receive a letter or GOLD message indicating when this will happen. If you receive such a notification, be sure to follow its instructions carefully.
