Step 2 in Devising Your Plan: An Alternate Major?

If you are not 100% sure of your first-choice major, or if it has qualification requirements that include earning high grades in introductory courses, it's a good idea to identify a back-up major, just in case.  Taking introductory classes for an alternate major that may be of interest to you will help you clarify your goals, and may help you stay on track to a timely degree if you decide your first-choice major isn't a good fit for you.  If your first-choice major is course-intensive or sequential, you may not be able to fit introductory classes for an alternate major into your academic plan -- but keep this in the back of your mind as you plan.

Below is the academic plan for the student we identified in Step 1 -- the student has included introductory courses for the politics major, both to test it out as a possible interest and in case she doesn't meet the sociology major's qualification requirements.  (Of course, if she decides on a politics major, the remainder of her plan will need to change to reflect the politics major's requirements!).  If she takes the classes listed and earns the grades required, she can declare the sociology major at the end of her first year.  Please note that this plan is an example used to demonstrate the academic planning process; it may not reflect accurate requirements for the major or GE catalog you are following.

** Declare major this quarter if meeting major qualification requirements (course and GPA requirements)

Step 3:  General Education