Declare, Drop, or Change

What is your request?

Requests have a processing time of 3-5 business days and are effective for either the current term or the following term. To be effective for the current term, requests must be processed by the end of the 2nd week of the term. Requests made after the end of the second week will be processed for the next semester. If you have any questions about any process, contact our office.

Preparing to Declare

• Research: Explore all CAHSS majors, minors and certificates and their requirements before you declare.
  • Students majoring in Writing Studies must complete a minor or second major in a field other than Professional Writing or the Digital Writing, Literature & Design minor.
  • Students majoring in Music B.A. must complete a minor or second major in a field other than the Jazz Studies minor.
• Advising: You are welcome to schedule an appointment with a CAHSS Departmental Representative or a CAHSS Professional Academic Advisor to discuss your ideas or plans or to ask questions.
• You are encouraged to use Grad Planner to assist in planning your degree requirements.

Declare/Change a CAHSS Major:

• For current CAHSS students who want to change to a different CAHSS major: Complete the CAHSS Major Change form
  • Exceptions:
    • To declare a Cultural Entrepreneurship major, use the following Google form. 
    • To declare the History-Specialist subplan, download this document.
    • To declare a different or additional Music major, use the following Google form.
• Additional major: This is also the correct form if you want to declare an additional major of the same degree type (adding a BA when you already have a BA, or BFA + BFA, or BMus + BMus)
• Dual degrees: If you want to add an additional degree (for example, your first major is a BA program and you want to add a BFA, BMus, BS, BBA, BAS, etc.), submit the Dual Degree application instead.
• For non-CAHSS students: Complete the Change of College application to apply to CAHSS.

Declare/Change a CAHSS Minor or Certificate:

• Declare minor: Submit your request through the CAHSS Minor Change form.
• Declare a certificate: Complete the online application form when you register for the last class in the certificate you are pursuing.

I want to drop a major or minor

• Drop major: Complete and submit the CAHSS Major Change form. 
  • Students must declare a new major before dropping their only major.
  • Students wishing to drop a Dual Degree must do so via the Dual Degree form.
• Drop minor: Submit your request through the CAHSS Minor Change form.

I want to declare a program not offered within CAHSS

• Research: Search the UMD Catalog to find the collegiate unit that offers the major/minor that you seek.
• Advising: Contact the appropriate collegiate advising office to ask questions about programs outside of CAHSS.
• Apply for the major/minor:
  • Change colleges: If you want to switch from CAHSS to another collegiate unit at UMD, submit the Change of College application.
  • Declare a dual degree: Instead of changing colleges, if you want to add an additional degree (for example, your first major is a BA, BFA, or BMus program and you want to add a BS, BBA, BAS, etc.), submit the Dual Degree application.
  • Declare a minor through the college that hosts the minor: z.umn.edu/declareCEHSP, z.umn.edu/declareSCSE, z.umn.edu/declareLSBE
  • Declare a certificate: Complete the online application form when you register for the last class in the certificate you are pursuing.

I want to change my advisor or catalog year

Request a change to your advisor or to your catalog year (for your CAHSS major, minor or Liberal Education Program) by submitting the CAHSS advisor/requirement year online form. (UMD policy on Catalog Use.)  

• Note: Music students must contact the Music department for a separate advisor request process.

CAHSS Departmental Representatives

Meeting with a departmental representative provides students with the opportunity to create a strong connection to the department and mentoring relationship.

Search UMD directory for contact and office information.

Search UMD directory for contact and office information.

* Initial contact person.

January 2024 last updated, pks