Hello, I am going to be a freshman one week from today at my college, and I’ve decided to change my major now. Only downside is, my school doesn’t offer the programs I’m interested in. What can I do to forward my progress or at least prepare me for a transfer in a year or two? I don’t want to have these years wasted…
Thanks.
we need more information. what school are you going to? what is your current major? what do you want to change to? are you set on where you will transfer to?
What is your current major? If you intend to transfer to an engineering school, you are going to have to take, at the minimum the foundation math and science courses that would ordinarily be part of the first two years of an engineering major. These include Calculus (integral and differential, typically covered in a Calculus I and II sequence), vector and multivariable calculus (Calculus III typically), differential equations (which may be a dedicated, separate course or a Calculus IV course), calculus-based (not algebra-based) physics including Mechanics (typically Physics I and II), electromagnetism (Physics II-III), modern physics (relativity, basic quantum mechanics, etc.) including labs, Chemistry I and II including labs, calculus-based thermodynamics (second year), and others. If your school does not offer engineering, you won’t be able to take the interdisciplinary and discipline specific foundation engineering courses that are given in the first two years (electronic circuits, strength of materials, statics, dynamics, engineering thermodynamics, engineering design labs, fluid mechanics, systems theory, and others).
An example of the first three semesters of a typical civil engineering curriculum (Stevens Institute of Technology) is:
Term I:
Course # Course Name
CH 115 General Chemistry I (3 credits)
CH 117 General Chemistry Laboratory I (1 credit)
E 101 Engineering Experiences I (1 credit)
E 115 Introduction to Programming (2 credits)
E 120 Engineering Graphics (1 credit)
E 121 Engineering Design I (2 credits)
MA 121; MA 122 Differential Calculus; Integral Calculus (4 credits)
CAL 103 Writing And Communications Colloquium (3 credits)
Total credits: 17
Term II:
Course # Course Name
CH 116 General Chemistry II (3 credits)
PEP 111 Mechanics - Physics I (3 credits)
E 122 Engineering Design II (2 credits)
MA 123; MA 124 Series, Vectors, Functions, and Surfaces; Calculus of Two Variables (4 credits)
CAL 105 CAL Colloquium: Knowledge, Nature, Culture (3 credits)
MGT 103 Introduction to Entrepreneurial Thinking (2 credits)
Total credits: 17
Term III:
Course # Course Name
MA 221 Differential Equations (4 credits)
PEP 112 Electricity and Magnetism - Physics II (3 credits)
E 126 Mechanics of Solids (4 credits)
E 245 Circuits and Systems (3 credits)
E 231 Engineering Design III (2 credits)
Hum Humanities Elective (3 credits)
PE 200 Physical Education (0 credits)
Total credits: 19
The interdisciplinary engineering courses would not be given by your school, so you would have to make them up after you transfer. Additionally, you have to take calculus and calculus based physics. Courses such as “Calculus for Business” or non-calculus based physics courses won’t be accepted for transfer by the engineering school. You may want to consult with the academic advisor at your school and with engineering schools to which you may be interested in transferring as to identify equivalent coursework between them that will transfer for credit. It is unlikely (again, depending upon your major) that you will be given credit for the entire first two years by the engineering school, and you may want to prepare to be attending for more than four years (some schools have 3-2 programs or articulation agreements with engineering schools in which the engineering school agrees to take certain coursework for transfer credit provided the student gets an acceptable grade in them).
Try to transfer as soon as you can, preferably after the first year. Taking most of your coursework in the engineering school will result in few courses to be transferred. The fewer courses you need to transfer, the better your chances of graduating on time.