Declaring majors

Colleges and Universities A-Z University of California - Berkeley
1

<p>What is the latest you can declare your major without being adversely affected by telebears? It took me a little while to decide on my major, so I won't be able to complete all my pre-reqs until the first semester of junior year. The major I am applying to (IB) allows students to declare with only ~6/8 pre-reqs completed, but the last 2 of the 6 classes won't show up on my transcript until the end of this year. Can you declare late (or shortly after) the end of the semester, or is it only possible the first 1-8 weeks of the semester?</p>

<p>If I am unable to declare IB my sophomore year, I will probably declare another major that I do have all the pre-reqs for and then switch majors as soon as possible. Is this a good idea?</p>

2

<p>If you are not declared in a major, or declared in a different major, you may have lower priority when registering for courses that take students in specific declared majors first.</p>

<p>For example, IB 117 has a bucket of spaces reserved for declared IB majors, and another bucket of spaces reserved for new junior transfers. Everyone else has to try to get into the remaining bucket of spaces (which the first two groups of students can also go into).</p>

<p><a href=“http://infobears.berkeley.edu:3400/osc/?_InField1=RESTRIC&_InField2=43123&_InField3=11D2[/url]”>http://infobears.berkeley.edu:3400/osc/?_InField1=RESTRIC&_InField2=43123&_InField3=11D2&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

3

<p>The point above is that most of the IB courses that have restrictions benefiting declared IB majors don’t give any special treatment to any other major. The one or two that do, allow only a small specific set of other majors some preferential access, everyone else is lumped in with undeclared. </p>

<p>Going through this Fall’s list of UD classes, here are the classes that have preferences, listing the majors besides IB that have access to extra seats:
IB 117 - no other major
IB 118 - no other major
IB 123A - no other major
IB C125 - no other major
IB 127 - no other major
IB 131 - a few MCB, PH, NS, etc majors that require this course
IB 131A - no other major
IB C139 - no other major
IB 144 - no other major
IB 153 - no other major
IB C156 - no other major
IB 157 - no other major
IB 159 - no other major
IB 160 - no other major
IB 164 - no other major</p>

<p>The evidence is clear that having a different major will not get you into one of those classes where you otherwise could not register, with the one exception of IB 131. The prereqs for those specific tracks and emphases of other majors that could get into IB 131 are also substantial so you may not be able to declare them either. </p>

<p>The only thing that declaring some major will do for you is move you forward a bit in your telebears slot, as it gives some preference to those with declared majors within the range of slots given out to those in the same class level. The downside of declaring some other major is that you will spend time chatting with an advisor, faking interest in the major, planning a set of courses to complete the major, and securing an advisor code before registering. However, switching to IB from that mystery major will be easy once you are ready.</p>

<p>It does appear that declaring only is possible in the first 8 weeks of a semester, but there is a tiny bit of wiggle room that may allow you to declare either end soph or beginning of junior year. The qualification is no longer 6 of 8 courses, it is attainment of 70 grade points (units of each pre-req class times the numerical equivalent of the grade you earned. e.g. A- in a 4 unit class earns 4 x 3.7 or 14.8 grade points). If you are going to be close to the 70 already by second semester soph year and are taking the classes that should take you over the line when completed, talk to the advising office as they may allow declaration based on what is in progress if you are close enough.</p>

4

<p>Thanks so much for the detailed responses. I don’t really want to declare another major for the reasons that you mentioned, but I’ve heard that if you don’t declare by a certain point then your registration on telebears is blocked. At what point does that take effect?</p>

5

<p>The college of L&S indicates that if you have not declared a major by the time you start your fifth semester (first semester of junior year), then you are subject to a registration block. If you have not registered because you still lack something but the advising staff for the major can be convinced you will be able to complete the major by the end of your senior year, they can get the block cleared. Pretty straightforward but a minor hassle because you need to go the major office, bring documentation, then carry their approval to the registrar’s office. </p>

<p>However, I don’t think it will come to that. You have to think carefully about dates to realize what I mean. When you start your junior year first semester, you are ALREADY registered for that semester. A block will affect registering for second semester junior year. Your telebears phase I appointment is partway through the semester, not right at the beginning. </p>

<p>For example, for this year, the phase I period for spring registration will begin on October 17 for athletes and DSP students, then the rest are given appointments thru November 8. Lets imagine that as an undeclared junior you are given a slot of October 26, then the block will only affect you if you aren’t declared by then. You have about eight weeks within the semester to declare.</p>

<p>The way it will work with IB is that if you are currently registered in classes that will get you over the limit of grade points and able to declare, then as long as you are not listed as failing mid-semester, they will sign off on the declaration. You have to then make an appointment and meet with your assigned advisor who assures you have a reasonable plan for the coming semesters to finish up the degree. </p>

<p>It can help to take a course or two that you will need to complete the major, even if you are not declared yet, as that reduces the remaining classes you would need to take in the next three semesters. </p>

<p>Anyway, here is what you should be doing right now. 1) calculate your current grade points towards the requirement for declaring. The higher the grade you earned, the more points you accumulated and the closer you may be to declaring than you think. 2) read about declaring and fill out the forms for declaring IB. 3) go to the advising office early-ish in your fourth semester (second half of soph year) to go over where you are on the grade point scale and how close you are. They may allow declaration if you are close already. Worst case they have checked over your paperwork and you will know you are ready to declare in the next semester. </p>

<p>So - probably will work out without a block, you will be allowed to declare either late in soph year or in the first 6 weeks of junior year first semester. If the worst happens and you see a block listed on bearfacts, you can get it removed by going to the advising office, who will see you are close to declaring and either let you declare right away or at a minimum get the block removed from telebears. </p>

<p>No way will you end up unable to register for classes, as long as you have a realistic chance to enter and finish the degree. If you have been failing the prereqs or earning very low grades and you can’t declare until late in junior year, they may determine that it is unlikely you will meet their requirements for a degree within your four years. if that is the situation, you have a differnet problem, not a registration block problem but the need to find a new major that you can declare and finish by end of senior year. L&S has advisors to help someone find a major that will allow them to graduate - might not be something you are overjoyed about or really care for, but you can get declared and eventually your BA or BS degree.</p>

6

<p>Thanks so much! That makes me feel a lot better : )</p>