Change of Major and Declaration of Minor

Student Populations

N.U.in, London Scholars, New York City Scholars, NU Immerse or Foundation Year

Students enrolled in one of the above-mentioned programs should refer to program-specific change of major procedures and contacts for more information.

Oakland

Oakland students may request a change to Boston-based majors beginning in Spring of their first year. Students must meet the admission criteria listed below and should work with Oakland advising for guidance on the campus and major change process and timeline.

Boston

Boston undergraduate students should follow the process and admission criteria below.

Process (Boston students)

Step 1: Reflection

Before beginning the formal process, evaluate your readiness for engineering coursework. The engineering curriculum assumes completion of one year of pre-college physics, chemistry, and precalculus. Reflect on your interest in applying math and science to solve real-world problems.

Step 2: Academic Advising Appointment 

Students must meet with an advisor for their desired program. The advisor will review change of major criteria, program requirements, and recommended coursework.

Schedule an appointment through the Navigate appointment calendar with the designated advisor:

Step 3: Submit Change of Major Request 

After meeting with an academic advisor and have confirmed that you meet the change of major admission criteria, submit the Change of Major Request Form.

Admission Criteria 

All applicants must meet the following requirements:

• Good academic standing with a cumulative Northeastern undergraduate GPA of 2.0 or above
• Minimum grade of C (or advanced standing credit) in one required math course and one required engineering Chemistry or Physics course
• No more than two deficiencies (F, I, W, U grades) in required program coursework as outlined in the catalog

Deadlines (Boston students)

Students in the College of Engineering  

• Requests are reviewed on a rolling basis throughout the semester
• Students will be contacted within two weeks of submission

Students in Other Colleges 

Petitions to change to the College of Engineering will be reviewed at specific points in each semester as indicated below. Students who’ve submitted their Change of Major petition can expect to hear from COE Advising within 2 weeks of the next review date.

• Fall 2025: October 31st & December 8th
• Spring 2026: January 1st, March 16th, & April 21st
• Summer 2026: May 15th, July 6th, August 24th

• If you are a COE student, please contact your assigned academic advisor to declare a COE Minor.
• If you are a non-COE student, please submit the College of Engineering Declaration of Minor form.  An academic advisor will be in contact with you within 2 weeks of the form submission.
• Students should declare a minor as early as possible and no later than the end of the junior year. Students must fulfill all requirements for the minor and major concurrently and may not extend their program of study to complete a minor. Completion of the requirements of a minor is noted on the transcript.