Declaration of Undergraduate Major

Policy

Declaration of Undergraduate Major- Policy.pdf

All degree-seeking undergraduate students at Minnesota State University, Mankato are required to declare a major (program of study) within their first year of study. Students may change their major at any time during their enrollment. Undecided students will be assigned to the Open Studies B.S. program and assigned to an advising team to help them explore options. Readmitted students without a declared major must declare at the point of readmission or prior to registration, whichever is earlier.

Students will be expected to fulfill the program requirements of that major according to the academic catalog that aligns with the year of admission or a catalog that is released in the years following admission. Please refer to the Undergraduate Requirements for Degree/Award Policy for information on the catalog validity period.

Some programs have additional admission requirements beyond admission to the university (e.g., GPA, prerequisite courses). Declaration of a major may not guarantee admission the program. Admission, progression, and completion standards for academic programs can be found in the annual academic catalog.

This policy applies to all degree-seeking undergraduate students. Non-degree, certificate-only, and visiting students are excluded.

Definitions

Declared Major: An academic program recorded in the academic catalog and official student information system (SIS) that leads to a recognized undergraduate degree.

Attempted Credits: Institutional credits attempted plus any accepted transfer/test credits recorded on the academic record.

Exploratory/Undeclared: Institutional student status for degree-seeking students who are exploring options for majors.

Readmitted: Students returning to the University after more than 720 days since their last enrollment.

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Rationale

Declaring a major ensures students receive quality advice about program requirements, co-curricular activities, and career preparation, and increases the likelihood of timely completion of the degree.

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History of Revisions

• Effective Date of Last Review: August 1, 2026
• Date of Last Review: September 2025
• Revisions Made:
  
  • 2025: Name change from Undergraduate Student Degree Program Declaration to Declaration of Undergraduate Major
  • 2025: Revised the policy and procedures to clearly outline existing practices regarding major and minor changes, as well as when new and transfer students declare their major. Provided clarification on the timing of faculty advisor assignments and established guidelines for handling situations when a faculty advisor is on sabbatical or leaves the university.
• References:
  
  • Microsoft Copilot. (2025, October 29). Conversation regarding separating policy from procedure in the Declaration of Undergraduate major. Retrieved from https://copilot.microsoft.com

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Procedure

Declaration of Undergraduate Major- Procedure.pdf

This procedure establishes a clear and efficient process for declaring undergraduate majors, assigning advisors, maintaining accurate advising records, and ensuring timely advising transitions.

Declaring a Major

All new first year and transfer undergraduate students will declare their intended major during orientation.

If a student decides to change their major, they must update their selection in their academic record in the student information system using the University’s major declaration online form (e.g., “the Major Button”).

Assigning Academic Advisors

It is recommended all undergraduate students meet with their assigned advising team or faculty advisor at least once a semester to review program requirements, degree progress, and develop academic plans.

Students who are exploring major options (“undecided”) will be assigned to the Open Studies B.S. program and advised by the professional advisors in the University Advising Center.

First year students with a declared a major will be advised by a college advising team until the end of their first year (approximately 30 credits). The college advising team will then assign students to faculty advisors related to their major starting with their second year. Students who have declared a major that uses secondary, program-specific admission requirements will continue to be advised by the college advising teams until they are admitted to a major.

Most transfer students will be assigned to a faculty advisor by college advising staff upon admission, but students pursuing majors with secondary, program-specific admission requirements will continue to be advised by the college advising teams until they are admitted to a major.

When students submit a request to change their major using the online form (“Major Button”), college advising staff will assign a new academic advisor based on their major and number of completed credits. Students are not assigned an advising team or academic advisor based on minors.

In the event that a faculty advisor is on sabbatical or other leaves of absence, the academic department will work with the college advising team to reassign advising responsibilities and notify students.

When a faculty advisor is no longer affiliated with the university, the department will notify the college advising team. The college advising staff will adjust student records to end-date the advising relationship, reassign the student to a new faculty advisor, and communicate the change directly to the student and advisor.

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History of Revisions

• Effective Date of Last Review: August 1, 2026
• Date of Last Review: September 2025
• Revisions Made:
  
  • 2025: Name change from Undergraduate Student Degree Program Declaration to Declaration of Undergraduate Major
  • 2025: Revised the policy and procedures to clearly outline existing practices regarding major and minor changes, as well as when new and transfer students declare their major. Provided clarification on the timing of faculty advisor assignments and established guidelines for handling situations when a faculty advisor is on sabbatical or leaves the university.
• References:
  
  • Microsoft Copilot. (2025, October 29). Conversation regarding separating policy from procedure in the Declaration of Undergraduate major. Retrieved from https://copilot.microsoft.com

Rationale