Changing Major or Declaring Minor

DECLARING OR CHANGING YOUR MAJOR

All students must complete a major as part of the bachelor's degree.  UC Merced students are:

• Expected to declare a major before reaching 60 total units
• Required to declare a major before reaching 90 total units

• Total units includes units in progress and units earned from:
  • AP exams
  • IB exams
  • College courses taken during high school
  • College courses taken while attending a previous college or university
  • UC Merced classes

CONSIDERING DIFFERENT POSSIBLE MAJORS?

Organize information about your interests, values, and strengths on the BAC Major Exploration Worksheet as you explore different majors.

For a list of majors and minors:  see the current Catalog and select Academic Programs in the left column.

FALL 2024 FIRST YEAR ADMITS:

FIRST SEMESTER MAJOR CHANGE

Fall 2024 first year admits can submit a Major Change Form during your first semester up until Friday, December 20, 2024 without meeting any criteria or completing any specific classes in that major.

To do this:

1. Speak with your BAC academic advisor during walk-in hours or in an appointment.
2. After meeting with your BAC academic advisor, submit the Major Change Form before December 20, 2024.

For this major change process:

• If you have not spoken with your BAC academic advisor before submitting the Major Change Form, the form cannot be processed.
• You do not need to have a draft graduation plan loaded in MyDegreePath.
• You do not need to complete any specific courses before you declare.
• It may take 8-10 business days for the change to be reflected on your record.

FALL 2024 FIRST YEAR ADMITS:

SECOND SEMESTER MAJOR CHANGE

The second semester major change requirements for Fall 2024 first year admits are in effect:

• December 21, 2024 - May 16, 2025

Read the current School-Specific Requirements (see below) to declare a major in your intended School.

In addition to the School-Specific Requirements, you will need to be in good academic standing based on your Fall 2024 grades to submit a change of major starting December 21, 2024.

Note:  second semester first year admits are not required to load a draft graduation plan in MyDegreePath (MDP) for a major change submitted before May 16, 2025.

UNDECLARED STUDENTS IN THIRD OR LATER SEMESTER

If you are undeclared, talk with your BAC academic advisor about the policies to declare your major based on your initial term of enrollment at UCM.

Undeclared lower division transfers have different requirements than undeclared continuing students to declare a major.

General guidelines for an undeclared student to declare a major after your first year:

• Completed at least one semester at UC Merced (fall or spring) and
• Cumulative GPA of 2.00 or higher at UC Merced and
• Good academic standing at UC Merced and
• Draft graduation plan for your intended major loaded on MyDegreePath and
• Completed the School-specific requirements to declare your intended major (see below) and
• Submitted the Major Change Form.

To declare:

1.  Read the current School-Specific Requirements (below) to declare a major in your intended School.

2.  Load a draft graduation plan on MyDegreePath (MDP) for your intended major.  A draft graduation plan is required for all Major Change Forms submitted after the second semester.  Your draft grad plan does NOT need to be perfect!

• See a quick video with step-by-step instructions on how to load a draft grad plan in MDP.
• Use the sample graduation plan for your intended major.
• Talk with your BAC academic advisor if you have questions as you develop your draft graduation plan on MDP.

3.  Submit the Major Change Form.  When you submit, you will need to confirm that you have already loaded a draft grad plan on MDP.

SCHOOL-SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS:

MAJOR CHANGE IN SECOND SEMESTER OR AFTER

As of December 2023, the faculty-approved requirements for first years to declare or change your major in the second semester are listed below.

All requirements must be completed (cannot be in progress) before you submit the Major Change Form.

School of Engineering (SOE) majors

• Good academic standing at UC Merced and
• 2.00+ cumulative GPA at UC Merced and
• 2.00+ prior term GPA at UC Merced and
• Certain courses completed with C- or higher based on your total number of units (including AP, IB, and college courses taken in high school) and
• Additional courses completed to declare BIOE, CE, CSE, EE, ENVE, ME, or MSE major based on your total number of units* and
• Must be able to complete entire degree within 10 semesters (not including optional summers)

* IMPORTANT NOTE starting January 2024 for SOE major changes in the second semester only:

• "Total number of units" for SOE major change is based on units completed at UCM only and does not include AP, IB, or college units completed in high school.
  • However, specific courses completed (calculus, chemistry, etc.) by AP, IB, or college work during high school will count toward required classes for the major change.
• Talk with your BAC academic advisor if you have questions about the SOE major change criteria.

School of Natural Sciences (SNS) majors:

• Good academic standing at UC Merced and
• 2.00+ cumulative GPA at UC Merced and
• 2.00+ GPA in math and science classes taken for intended major and
• First college math (MATH 5 or 11 or 21) completed with C- or higher and
• Must be able to complete entire degree within 9 semesters (not including optional summers)

For the first math course that must be completed before you declare a major in SNS, the following are accepted:

• Passing MATH 5, 11, or 21 at UCM with a C- or higher grade
• An official AP exam score already posted on your UCM record that is the exact equivalent of MATH 5, 11, or 21
• An official IB exam score already posted on your UCM record that is the exact equivalent of MATH 5, 11, or 21
• An official college transcript with a transferable college course already posted on your UCM record with a C or higher grade that is the exact equivalent of MATH 5, 11, or 21

NOTE:  successfully passing a UCM placement exam in math will NOT count to satisfy the first college math course required to declare a major in SNS.  Passing a UCM placement exam does not give you units toward your degree.

School of Social Sciences, Humanities & Arts (SSHA) majors:

• Good academic standing at UC Merced and 
• 2.00+ cumulative GPA at UC Merced and
• Must be able to complete entire degree within 9 semesters (not including optional summers)

DOUBLE MAJORS

First year students are able to submit the Multiple Major Packet to apply for a double major starting in their third semester (second year) at UC Merced.

Talk with your BAC academic advisor if you are considering a double major.

The Multiple Major Packet requires a detailed graduation plan with specific courses planned for each semester.  The faculty in both majors will review your application for a double major.

You must be able to complete your double major within the time frame listed above for that School.  There are no additional semesters allowed to complete a double major.  Summers do not count against the maximum number of semesters allowed.

See the Catalog section on Multiple Majors for more information.

DECLARING A MINOR

A minor is not required at UC Merced but is a great option for students with multiple interests and abilities.

Minors are offered in some areas in which majors are not available.

See a complete list of minors in the current Catalog.

• Select Academic Programs in the left column.

REQUIREMENTS TO DECLARE A MINOR:

FIRST YEARS AND UNDECLARED STUDENTS

First semester first years:

• Have spoken with your BAC academic advisor about intended minor before submitting Minor Change Form

Second semester first years:

• Good academic standing at UC Merced and
• Have spoken with your BAC academic advisor about intended minor before submitting Minor Change Form

Undeclared students (in any semester):

• Can declare a minor only after you have declared a major and
• Major change appears on your UCM record and
• Have spoken with your BAC academic advisor about intended minor before submitting Minor Change Form

General guidelines that most minors require:

• 2.00 cumulative GPA at UC Merced and
• Good academic standing at UC Merced and
• Fewer than 90 total units (including AP, IB, previous college courses, and current units at UC Merced) and
• (strongly recommended/required in some minors) Already completed one or more classes in the minor with a C or higher.

Talk with your BAC academic advisor if you are interested in declaring a minor.