If I applied as a Linguistics major (I was having an existential crisis over the summer and was doubting my ability to go about being a Microbiology major, I regret this now), will I be able to switch to a Microbiology major? Both majors are in the College of Letters and Science, so I’m hoping the transition is easier, but please let me know what you think. Thank you!
Based on what @10s4life and @Gumbymom have stated, if you are admitted, you go in undeclared. You have to complete prerequisites and then apply for the major later in your college career. So yes, it is totally possible without a hassle to change your major with in L&S.
Yeah you can “swap” at orientation. You’ll enroll in classes that eventually allow you to declare the major you want.
But will it be a hassle having to switch to a major as competitive as Microbio? I’m afraid of the possibility that the major is capped.
@ruthie3546 I mean youll have to decide what major to declare anyways. All majors in L&S require you to apply in. No need to worry until decisions come out.
@ruthie3546 You have misunderstood the process. Some majors at UCLA like this one have what is called pre-major. You can only be admitted to the full major after you’ve completed some prerequisites. See https://www.mimg.ucla.edu/preparation-for-major/
But there is no requirement to first be in the pre-major. Any undergrad at UCLA, in any major or pre-major, can fill out the form to change to the full Microbio major once they’ve completed the requirements and met all the rules. Being listed on the records as pre-microbio means exactly nothing. You can stay as a Linguistics major until you’ve fulfilled the year or so of required classes. You can switch at orientation to be marked as pre-microbio if you’d like.
The only difference is that it may be easier to get a PTE code for a full class (see https://www.registrar.ucla.edu/Registration-Classes/Enrollment-Policies/Enrollment-Restrictions/Class-Restrictions) if you are designated as a pre-major in that subject. But it’s trivial to change the designation as noted above.