I applied to TAMU with my primary major choice being international studies and my secondary being history. Due to the international studies program requiring you to have 4 foreign language classes completed by 60 hours, I didn’t qualify for that major (I have 84 credits with just 2 classes finished). This is the major I really wanted and honestly I don’t want to study history. Anyone know if it’s possible to still change my major to international studies once I am an enrolled student at A&M? Why is it that they have such a harsh requirement for transfer students for this major?
@cpq123456789 have you been following the A&M transfer course sheet for the International Studies major during your school tenure with the idea you would later transfer? http://admissions.tamu.edu/admissions-staging/media/Main/pdfs-transfer2018/LA18-International.pdf
It has very specific in its requirements that may seem harsh to the person who didn’t qualify for the major. You are applying to a top ranked, competitive university. Nothing here will be easy and most everything will have stringent parameters. The cap for many majors for transfer at TAMU is 60 hours, Int. studies being one of them.
History has a maximum of 90 transferable hours. http://admissions.tamu.edu/admissions-staging/media/Main/pdfs-transfer2018/LA18-HistoryBA.pdf
Under additional transfer requirements, it goes on to say,
Transfer applicants should have no more than 60 hours completed at the time of application. The department strongly recommends that students apply for transfer as early as possible.
The Department of History is looking for students who are interested in pursuing our degree as a focus. The essay and supporting materials should reflect that the student is interested in pursuing our degree.
Was your essay focused on International Studies or History?
If you are admitted under History, changing majors will not be easy. Transfer applicants are instructed NOT to accept transfer admission to any major with the expectation of later applying for an on-campus change of
major.
Most competitive universities require at least 3 years of a foreign language, just for general admission. I wouldn’t call it ‘harsh’ to require 4 years…for International Studies…you’re going to need to be proficient in other languages.
It is difficult to change majors, and especially if you’re coming in as a transfer.
Perhaps @Thelma2 can give a link or details.
International Studies actually offers many areas of focus and the major is rigorous for those starting out in it. http://catalog.tamu.edu/undergraduate/liberal-arts/international-studies/#majorstext
Depending on how many hours one has for any major can make a big difference. While many hours may technically transfer for credit, not all of them may satisfy degree requirements, therefore, more hours will have to be taken to fulfill the requirement for the major.
One can get into trouble with having excess hours, 30 beyond the degree requirements, in which the state will then start charging you out of state tuition. http://registrar.tamu.edu/Catalogs,-Policies-Procedures/State-Policies/Excess-Credit-Hours
Colleges don’t want to admit a student whom it will put over this hour limit or hurt their on time graduate numbers.