Your Major Advisor

You and your "major advisor" will work together to declare your academic major and plan your path toward graduation.

Our major advisors are located within the academic discipline you choose and can guide you to the right courses to meet your goals and complete your degree requirements. They can also guide you toward research and other opportunities that complement your studies.

Find Your Major Advisor

Once you've settled on a major, consider which faculty member you'd like to work with as your major advisor. Some criteria we suggest:

Who taught courses you enjoyed?
Who is conducting research you find interesting?
Which faculty teach courses you want to take?

Develop a short list of possible faculty, approach your first choice, and make the ask. Your first choice might have a scheduled leave or other obligation. If that's the case, perhaps your first choice can recommend another faculty member. Or you can return to your list. Or you can get in touch with that department or program and ask for their help.

After a faculty member has agreed to be your major advisor, schedule a meeting to continue with the declaration of major process.

Changing Your Major Advisor

If your major advisor is unavailable for some reason, you need a new one. Either select a new major advisor on your own, or contact your department or program for help. Once you've found a new one, you'll need to complete and submit this form [pdf] to the Registrar's Office.

Note: If you're planning to fulfill a second major, you'll also need a major advisor in the second discipline.