Declaring your Major
ADVISORS WILL BE ASSIGNED WHEN YOU FORMALLY DECLARE YOUR MAJOR.
If you declare a second major, minor, or are accepted into a teacher certification program, you are assigned an advisor from each program.
A major is a concentration of courses in an approved academic area or discipline and makes up approximate 1/3 of the 120 credits needed to earn a baccalaureate degree.
Many majors can be declared during the application process or during your freshman year. Other majors are more restrictive and/or competitive. Those majors often require a set of courses (prerequisites) to be successfully completed before accepted into that major.
For the following majors, you will declare an ‘Intent to Major’:
- Accounting
- Business Administration
- Dance
- Exercise Science
- Finance
- International Business & Economics
- Marketing
- Nursing
- Social Work
- Teacher Certification Programs
Meeting Your Advisor
You are required to take an Academic Planning Seminar (APS) during your first semester.
THE SEMINAR’S INSTRUCTOR WILL BE YOUR ACADEMIC ADVISOR UNTIL YOU CHOOSE A MAJOR. ONCE YOU DECLARE A MAJOR, YOU WILL BE ASSIGNED AN ADVISOR FROM THAT DEPARTMENT.
The GEP course you take is dependent on your Admission type. The credits vary from 1-3, and you do not have an option in the course you take.
- Traditional Program—GEP 100
- Honors College—Honors GEP 100
- Educational Opportunity Program—GEP 120
- Emerging Scholar Program—GEP 125
- Fannie Barrie Williams Scholars—GEP 125
- Exceptional Talent Program—GEP 125
This course provides an initial orientation to university life, learning skills, careers, and the information and ideas necessary to plan an overall academic program.
Advisement FAQ
Your advisor’s approval is required for course registration and is demonstrated by a signature on the Undergraduate Advisement Form (for in-person registration) OR use of your advisement key number (for web registration) before registering for any course for the upcoming semester.
What happens if you choose to take different courses than those you and your advisor have agreed upon? You advisor is solely offering advice. However failure to follow that advice could add time to your degree. All classes taken must be applicable to your degree in order for them to be financial aid-eligible.
Undecided on a Major?
Visit the Office of Career Services
Center for Student Services
211 Dailey Hall
SUNY Brockport
Brockport, NY 14420
Once you have declared a major, you will be assigned an appropriate advisor from your new major department.
State Financial Aid Eligibility
From a financial standpoint, declaring a major by your junior year is required by the State Education Department to remain eligible for TAP or any other New York state financial aid. However, the policy does not preclude a subsequent change of major.