When to Declare a Major

The minimum requirement to declare most majors at UNCW is to have earned (passed) 24 semester hours; some majors have additional admissions requirements. Consult your catalog and your advisor. In general, most students declare a major at the end of their Freshman year or the beginning of their Sophomore year.

The 45-Hour Rule and Declaring a Major

Undergraduate students must declare and be accepted into a major field of study before or during the semester that they complete 45 semester hours of credit. Students will not be allowed to pre-register or register for the following semester until a major or a pre-major has been declared. Additional advising may be required prior to registration for continuing students who have completed 30 hours or more and have not declared a major or a pre-major.

Transfer students are required to select a major or a pre-major at the time of admission to UNCW. Advising of transfer students is done within the chosen major field.

Schools, departments and programs with admission requirements have a pre-major, and that academic unit provides discipline-specific advice. Students accepted into pre-major status should have a high probability of completing the admission requirements in the major within two semesters of acceptance.