FAQ - How do I change my major?
| ALL MAJORS AND PROSECTIVE MAJORS: If you are an out-of-state student from within New England and Legal Studies is your primary major, you may be eligible for the New England Regional Students Program (NERP). Please check the NERP Information on the Registrar's Page. You will need to request this status at the Registrar's Office, and there are deadlines for each semester's billing schedule. |
Still debating about becoming a Legal Studies Major?
If you are uncertain about changing your major to Legal Studies, take Legal Studies 250. This will give you a feel for what the major is all about. While Legal Studies 250 is not required before entering the major, it will give you a good idea of what the major is like.
Please be aware that freshmen are not admitted to LS 250, you must wait until sophomore year to take this class. In addition, when registration starts, we do not ramp on seniors until the sophomores have had a chance to register for the class.
If you have find you have questions about the major, please feel free to chat with Tami Paluca (413-545-9698) or any of our faculty members. Review the major requirements and give the decision some thought. Note that many of our Legal Studies majors also do minors and second majors. Legal Studies lends itself to crossing disciplines.
Once you've decided you want to change your major:
- Get a Change of Major form
from your academic dean's office/advising center, the Registrar's Office in 213 Whitmore, or from the Main Office of Legal Studies, 102 Gordon Hall.
- Get signed into Legal Studies
Go to the Legal Studies Office in Room 102 and have yourself SIGNED IN to the Legal Studies Major. Pick up the major requirements sheets etc. If you fall under the Global Education requirements, pick up a booklet from us as well, and a declaration form. Make sure you have the appropriate signature(s) if you are doing a double major, or if you are doing Commonwealth College.
- Get signed out of your old major
Go to your current (old) Major Department and have them sign you out of your old the major. They will give you your undergraduate folder, please drop that off to us in the Main Office in 102 Gordon Hall when you get a chance.
If you are undeclared, go to the College of Arts and Science undeclared advising office in 615 Goodell to be signed out of your old major.
- Declare your Global Education Option
Make sure you are familiar with the Global Education Requirement. All students entering UMass September '99 and later, with a primary major in the Social and Behavioral Sciences (including Legal Studies), fall under the Global Education Requirement. When you change your major, you must fill out and submit a Global Educaction Declaration form with the Records Office in E-20 Machmer. They have advisors to help you figure out how best to meet this requirement. (Note, this is a 15 credit requirement, requiring 5 courses of college level work. There are no exemptions based on high school courses or fluency in another language).
- Drop off your Change of Major form
to the Registrar's Office, 213 Whtimore. You're DONE!
- Check on Spire to make sure it's processed
It would be wise to follow up in a few days to see that your Change of Major has been processed by Whitmore. Do this by checking your demographic information in SPIRE. Once in a while, they lose a form, or someone's major is changed to something unexpected.
Adding a second major?
- Get a Change of Major form and repeat the process
The form and the process are exactly the same, you are just "adding" a secondary major. Often you can just get the signature from the second major and take the form straight to 213 Whitmore.
- Be savvy -- research any changes in your requirements
You will have to fulfill requirements for both majors, and you may have requirements from more than one College, if your 2nd major is not in SBS.
Make sure you learn whether you can "double count" any courses. For example, we are happy to let you use your "law related" courses for other majors or minors. Other programs, however, may not let you double count and you can only do so with their permission. The same is true for Junior Writing. As long as you graduate with a 2nd major, we are happy to let you take Junior Writing in another department (just let Tami know which course you're using for your other major's writing requirement). Other departments may not be willing to accept 450, however.
Note also that the placement of your primary and secondary major can effect your College Requirements. Contact the Advising Office for each Dean's Office to find out more. The most common example of this is having a 2nd major outside of the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences. Iif you use your non-SBS major as your primary major, you will not have to fulfill the Global Education Requirement.
