What is a major?

A "major" or an "academic plan" is a set of courses within a particular subject area that must be completed along with University-wide Graduation Requirements in order to receive a bachelor's degree. Majors often equate with a department at the U, such as "Biology" or "Linguistics." Click here for a list of UNIVERSITY OF UTAH MAJORS.

How do I declare a major?

Speak with the departmental advisor for the major of your choice regarding requirements for that academic plan. Some majors are "open," whereas others have special admissions requirements. The advisor will let you know what you need to do to be accepted into the major. Here is a list of DEPARTMENTAL ADVISORS' PHONE NUMBERS. You can also read about major requirements in the General Catalog.

When do I need to declare my major?

The U's Major Declaration Policy states that you are expected to be admitted to a major by the end of your sophomore year (60 semester credit hours).

What types of undergraduate degrees does the U offer?

There are several types of Bachelor's degrees with different requirements. The most common are the Bachelor of Science (BS) and the Bachelor of Arts (BA). For the BS a student must take at least two upper-division Quantitative Intensive courses from an approved list (see the UGS Bulletin for more information) and for the BA a student must demonstrate second-year proficiency in a foreign language. Art, Ballet, Modern Dance, and Theater majors may pursue a Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA), and Music majors may pursue a Bachelor of Music (BMus). There is also a Bachelor of University Studies (BUS) which can be obtained by students who design their own major.