Majors and Minors

First-year students are classified as “undeclared”, and they transition to their undergraduate major at the end of the their first year. “Undeclared” is not a degree program and students cannot graduate from Engineering while undeclared. With the approval of their advisor, students can elect to pursue a second major in Engineering or elsewhere. This is only recommended for students with strong academic records containing evidence of success during semesters with a heavy course load.

Our general guidance on majors and minors: 

All students in Engineering have one primary major. Engineering students can earn other majors and minors in Engineering with the approval of their advisor AND the approval of the department that offers the majors and minors. 

• Additional Major - Minor Form (Minor Declaration)

Engineering students can add second major or a minor in the College; see the College website for full details of their policies on earning majors and minors (Ex.: an electrical engineering student could also earn a major in Economics and a minor in history, but she could not also earn a second major in the College).

• It is NOT possible to double major in Engineering and the McIntire School of Commerce; the curricula are too divergent for this to be reasonably achievable. 

Students interested in business experience have many options, including: 

• Engineering Business Minor
• Entrepreneurship Minor
• One-year post-BS MS in Commerce degree from McIntire 
• Second major or a minor in Economics

OR

• Take some classes in business/entrepreneurship areas either in Engineering or McIntire 
• Pursue a post-BS MBA degree 

In general, students with low cumulative GPA should not pursue a second major.  Rather, they should concentrate on succeeding in their first major. In a typical graduating class, about 50% of Engineering graduates (in addition to their Engineering major) earn a minor and about 15% earn a second major.

Changing Your Major

Students who would like to change their Engineering Major need to complete the Change in Major Form.