Advice on Declaring a Major
All Students Must Officially Declare a Major by the End of the Third Semester
Following first-year seminars, students begin to explore the possibilities for declaring a major. They may select their major at any time after the first semester, and are required to declare no later than the end of their third semester.
Double Majors
Any student who wishes to complete a second major must officially declare by the end of the fourth semester of study.
Adding or Changing Majors
After the fourth semester, students wishing to add a second major, or change majors, must petition and gain approval from the new department or program to ensure that the student can complete the major by the end of the eighth semester. Some highly structured programs, particularly those involving study in the foreign languages or the natural sciences, are facilitated by a declaration of major by the end of the second semester.
Contacting the First-Year Seminar Advisor
If you are a sophomore preparing to declare a major, you might begin the process by contacting your first-year seminar adviser for an appointment. At that meeting you might discuss both the completion of your distribution requirements and your moving on to a new major and a new adviser. Your first-year seminar adviser can help you sort through the interests you have developed in your time at Middlebury. Ask him or her for an appointment, or go to office hours.