What is a Major
A major is a coordinated group of lower- and upper-division
courses in a field of specialization. The courses for any
particular major are specified in the UCR General Catalog
by each department or departmental group; they must include
a minimum of 36 upper-division units of credit for the
B.A. degree and 40 upper-division units for the B.S. degree.
Major requirements are established and revised, subject
to approval of the Executive Committee and faculty, by
the respective departmental faculties or curriculum committees.
Faculty advisors are authorized to approve exceptions to
major requirements and/or permit course substitutions according
to established departmental or committee guidelines. This
is frequently necessary for students who offer transfer
credit that is not precisely equivalent to UCR course offerings
but meets the spirit of our requirements. Substantial deviations
may require more formal action by the departmental chairperson
or appropriate departmental faculty committees. Prior to
the end of each degree granting period (December, March,
June, and September), the Student Academic Affairs Office
consults with the major department to certify that their
graduating seniors have satisfied all major requirements
as well as the 2.0 GPA required in the major (assuming
satisfactory completion of work in progress).
All courses designated for a major must be completed in
regular or summer session at UCR. Exceptions to this policy
must be approved by the student’s departmental or
program chairperson and in some cases, the Associate Dean.
A student who is a candidate for the Bachelor of Arts degree
may not receive more than 80 units of credit toward the
degree for work taken in his/her major department or nondepartmental
program; in other words, all degree candidates must have
at least 100 units of credit for work taken outside the
major department program. Candidates for the Bachelor of
Science degree may not receive more than 108 units toward
the degree in their major department or program.
If the major department decides that the student is not
complying with the minimal progress standard, the student
may be discontinued from the major until there is evidence
of adequate progress in major courses. In the interim,
the student will be changed to "undeclared." It
is recommended that future coursework be in search of a
new major.
Selecting a Major
The selection of a major is one of the most important
decisions. Quite simply, it is impossible to graduate from
the University without one. You need not decide quickly.
However, you must declare a major by the end of your sophomore
year.
Deciding on a major is personal, and we recommend that
you consider the following: choose a major that excites
and challenges you intellectually and in which you have
particular talent and enthusiasm. Talking to someone who
is knowledgeable in a field that interests you is one of
the best ways to get information about a major and its
associated careers. Vocational testing can serve as an
additional tool for assessing your interests and strengths
and it is available through the Career
Service Center.
UCR has many people who can serve as excellent resources
for you--advisors, faculty, and the emeriti
faculty in the Office of Student Academic Affairs.
If you are considering professional or graduate school
after graduation, do not assume that only one major is
appropriate. Professional schools such as law, medicine,
or business, accept students from a wide range of majors.
Admission boards are concerned more about good grades,
high scores on admissions exams, and strong letters of
recommendation rather than a particular major. Consult
a catalog from the schools that interest you since some,
like medicine, have specific prerequisites for admission.
Graduate programs are similar. It is possible to major
in one discipline and attend graduate school in another
providing grades and Graduate Record Exam scores are high,
letters of recommendation are good, and you have demonstrated
either with prerequisites or a trial period that you are
competent in the discipline.
Changing a Major
Students in good academic standing can petition to transfer
from another college to the College of Humanities, Arts,
and Social Sciences or from one major to another within
the College, provided they complete the new major within
the 216 unit limit. In order to change your major, complete
a change of major petition and meet with the department
advisor to receive departmental approval. The deadline
for submission of major changes is the end of third week
each quarter. Changes are not permitted while on probation
or during the final senior year (135 units or more).
Students who fail to attain a grade point average of 2.00
("C") in preparation for the major or courses
required for the major may be denied the privilege of entering
or continuing in that major.
New students may change their major from that indicated
on the application for admission by filing a petition for
change of major in the Undergraduate Admission’s Office
prior to the end of the third week of their first quarter.
If, after you arrive at UCR and realize you have chosen
the wrong major, don’t despair! Just file a "Change
of Major Petition" available at the Student Academic
Affairs office of the proposed major. Some students have
no idea what they want to study. Others are overwhelmed
by the range of disciplines available, and they want time
to explore these new offerings. Whatever the reason, being
in the Undeclared program provides students the opportunity
to explore a large range of courses while fulfilling breadth
requirements and searching for a major.
College Departments and Majors
Offered
Listed below are all of the undergraduate majors offered
in the College of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences
at UCR.
Review the list of majors. Of the majors that interest
you, consider examining them by taking a class in that
major. Remember that graduation requirements for a bachelor's
degree at UCR require that you complete 180 units of work
which include general education requirements, in addition
to your major. Thus, while you explore various possibilities,
you will be fulfilling your general education requirements
and contributing to the total number of units required
to graduate.
Also, there are some cooperative majors with Administrative
Studies or Law and Society.
Administrative Studies
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Law and Society
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Double Majors
Students may select a second major within the College
of HA&SS or a second major in a department or program
of another college. Both majors must be completed within
the maximum limit of 216 units and approval must be obtained
from advisors in both departments or programs. A double
major form obtained from the Student Academic Affairs Office
of your primary major must accompany the change of major
petition when declaring a double major. If the majors are
not in the same college, one of the two majors must be
designated as the primary major for the purpose of satisfying
breadth requirements. If a student declares multiple majors
in different colleges with different degrees (B.A. and
B.S.), students must meet both sets of breadth requirements.
A declaration of two majors in different colleges must
be approved by the Associate Deans of the colleges concerned
and filed by the student with the college of the primary
major. No more than 8 upper-division units may count for
both majors simultaneously.
Minors
A minor is a series of courses focused on a single discipline
or interdisciplinary area. Each minor consists of not fewer
than 16 nor more than 28 units of organized upper-division
courses. Students are required to file a declaration of
a minor with the CHASS Student Academic Affairs Office.
Unlike a major, students are not required to select a minor.
Courses in the major may not be used for requirements for
a minor.
Dispel
the Myths . . .
MYTH: Everyone
who enters college must have a major.
Fact: It is estimated
that between 20% to 50% of all entering college students
are undecided about their major, while 50% to 70% of college
students will change their majors at least once.
MYTH: You should
choose a career that is in high demand.
Fact: The job market
moves in cycles. The careers that are in high demand now
may become glutted by the time you finish your degree.
You will have the most doors open for you after college
if you have a successful academic career. The best insurance
for that is to major in something that genuinely interests
you and in which you have particular talent and motivation.
MYTH: You must
pursue a specific undergraduate major to gain admission
to postgraduate or professional schools such as medicine,
law, or business.
Fact: While some graduate
and most professional schools require or recommend certain
academic prerequisites, specific majors are not usually
required. The development of broad skills, such as the
ability to read or write critically, is an asset when applying
to post-baccalaureate programs. A wide variety of majors
will provide entrance into the graduate or professional
school you desire. Their admissions require good grades,
high scores on the entrance exams (for law, business, or
medicine), and strong letters of recommendation.
MYTH: An academic
major leads to a specific career.
FACT: The
Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that the average person
changes her/his major five times in a lifetime. A few majors
such as Nursing, Computer Science, and Accounting prepare
students for specific career fields. However, most majors
give graduates a wide range of options.
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