<p>I am an incoming freshman and applied to the Wiess School of Natural Sciences, but have interests in engineering. Is it possible to switch my department and do engineering instead?</p>
<p>Rice students do not have to declare their major when they are admitted. You should be able to major in engineering without any problem.</p>
<p>Declaring a Major and/or Minor</p>
<p>Undergraduate students must declare a major during or before the spring semester of their second year. Sophomore (or second year) students will not be permitted to register for the fall semester of their junior (or third year) if they have not yet declared a major. The major declaration deadline is listed in the Academic Calendar each year. Undergraduates may declare a major at any time before this deadline and always are free to change their major by completing the appropriate form.</p>
<p>It’s really easy to switch (as long as you aren’t in Architecture or Music you can basically do whatever program you like).</p>
<p>During O-week, make it clear to your advisors that you are interested in engineering, however. You have faculty and student academic advisors that will help you craft your schedule, and it’s more helpful if they’re also engineering focused as well. This happened with me (my advisors were in one area, where I applied for), but my professor helping me (he’s in the natural sciences) went out of his way to help provide me with engineering advice and talked to an engineering professor to help give me recommendations for classes as well.</p>