Change of Major and Declaration of Minor

Effective September 2026

You can get additional information on major change requests with the College of Engineering on the Undergraduate Academic Advising SharePoint.

Changing from one College of Engineering major to another

Students who are already in the College of Engineering and want to change to another Engineering major should submit the Change of Major Request Form.

After submitting your Change of Major Request Form, you will receive a confirmation email directing you to schedule an advising appointment. If your current academic advisor supports your new intended major, you can schedule an appointment with them. If your current advisor does not work with your new intended major, you will be directed to schedule an appointment with a different advisor, identified in the confirmation email.

Changing to a College of Engineering major from a non-engineering major

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. Review suggested strategies, resources, and other important information on the Major Exploration page.

When you are ready to speak with a College of Engineering academic advisor, submit the Change of Major Request Form.

After submitting your Change of Major Request Form, you will receive an e-mail directing you to schedule an academic advising appointment with a designated advisor for your intended major. Please wait to schedule your meeting until you receive your designated advising contact.  During this meeting, the advisor will review the change of major criteria, program requirements, and recommended coursework.

Admission requirements for students changing majors

• Must be in 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.

If the criteria are not met, admission to the College of Engineering will be denied and you will remain in your current college.

Deadlines

Major change applications to the College of Engineering are accepted throughout the year and reviewed at set points each semester. You can expect to hear from our office within two weeks of the next College of Engineering Change of Major deadline:

• Fall 2026:Mid-semester: October 20, 2026, and End-of-term: December 23, 2026
• Spring 2027:Mid-semester: March 9, 2027, and End-of-term: May 4, 2027
• Summer 2027:Summer A: June 30, 2027, and Summer B: August 25, 2027

IMPORTANT NOTE for F-1 & J-1 International Students

• Undergraduate F-1 international students are not eligible to change their major until they have completed one academic year, with full-time enrollment and appropriate on-ground presence, as a degree-seeking F-1 student. This is a new rule established by the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP), effective September 15, 2026. Updated September 15, 2026: The DHS rule that was scheduled to take effect on September 15, 2026, has been postponed as a result of a nationwide court injunction issued on September 14, 2026. All current F-1/J-1 regulations remain unchanged while litigation continues. OGS is closely monitoring the developments regarding this rule. Because the situation remains subject to ongoing legal and regulatory developments, OGS will continue to monitor the matter and provide updates as new information becomes available. Students’ change of major request will be sent to the Office of Global Services (OGS) at the conclusion of the semester for which they submit a major change petition to confirm eligibility. 
• Undergraduate J-1 international students are generally not eligible to change their major. Students’ change of major request will be sent to the Office of Global Services (OGS) at the conclusion of the semester for which they submit a major change petition to confirm eligibility.

For more details, please visit the OGS website: “Guidance on New DHS Rule”

• 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.