<p>Hi all.</p>
<p>I don't hear back from UCLA until April, but I figured I'd ask anyway:</p>
<p>So, I'm applying as a philosophy major, but, if I end up attending UCLA, I want to switch to an English major. I'll have a few of the prerequisites completed, but I might need to take five or six, maybe seven, classes before being English-ready. Is this not allowed? spending a few quarters finishing off prereqs for a major I didn't even apply as?</p>
<p>I suppose the crux of it, in my eyes, is that, since I would be a philosophy major, wouldn't it look strange for me to not be taking any philosophy courses? Or: Would there be any possibility of not being able to get the English classes I need, then being stuck in some strange limbo where I'm a senior philosophy major but haven't taken any philosophy courses . . . ?</p>
<p>Sorry if none of that makes sense, but I appreciate any wise words!</p>
<p>Thanks.</p>
<p>Email the English department. If you really have that many prereqs left then there’s a chance that, as a transfer, you won’t be allowed to switch into the English major, at all. (Although… as far as I know English only has 5 prereqs anyway so I don’t understand how you would need to take seven more… but I’m not an English major so I could be wrong.)</p>
<p>Well, I’d need one English-English course, but part of the major, for whatever reason, necessitates the completion of five foreign literature in translation courses. So, sixish prerequisites, really; but it does seem like a lot, huh?</p>
<p>I think you’re confused. The foreign language requirement for English is 3 quarters (so 2 semesters) of a foreign language plus 2 UPPER DIVISION literature in translation classes. At least that’s my understanding. Also I’d still recommend emailing the English dept if you plan on switching once you’re here.</p>
<p>I was unaware that the lit. in translation courses are upper division. I thought they were required for declaration since they’re listed on the Preparation page ([Preparation</a> for the English and American Literature and Culture Majors | Programs & Courses](<a href=“http://www.english.ucla.edu/index.php/Programs-Courses/the-english-major]Preparation”>http://www.english.ucla.edu/index.php/Programs-Courses/the-english-major)).</p>
<p>I’d be taking five of the translated lit. courses, though, because I took four years of foreign language in high school. If you click that link above you’ll see what I mean. And even if I decided to take the three foreign language quarters and two lit. in translation quarters, that’s still five classes. It’s all the same amount of work; I’d just rather keep away from foreign languages.</p>
<p>How do you know that the lit. in translation courses are upper division? That’d be awesome if they were, meaning that English majors take them after declaring the major. . . . But I’m not sure if that’s truly the case!</p>
<p>And yeah, good advice on e-mailing the department. They’re the ones with the definitive answers. (Don’t know why I didn’t think of doing this originally.)</p>
<p>Thanks :)</p>
<p>Ohhh I see, I didn’t realize that transfers could take 5 foreign lit classes instead of 3 language and 2 foreign lit.</p>
<p>On your link it tells you where to find the list of foreign literature in translation classes. Here it is:
[Foreign</a> Literature in Translation Course Listings](<a href=“http://www.registrar.ucla.edu/catalog/catalog11-12-355.htm#445886576_pgfId-1000964]Foreign”>http://www.registrar.ucla.edu/catalog/catalog11-12-355.htm#445886576_pgfId-1000964)</p>
<p>So it looks like not all of them are upper divs, but a lot are. At UCLA upper division is 100-199.</p>
<p>Thanks for the link. :)</p>