Declare Your Major | University Withdraw Deadline

Declare/Change Your Major/Minor

If you’re ready to declare or change your major, this is a good time to do it! Freshman Advising is ending in February, and students’ academic advisor will change from their Freshman Advisor to a Major Advisor. A major advisor will know more about the intricacies of your major, so it’s best to declare your major as soon as you’re ready. I encourage you, if you’re ready, to declare by January 30; although, the university does not require you to declare your major until September 2015.

To declare or change your major or minor, you need to complete the Change or Declaration of Major/Minor form found on the Office of the Registrar’s website. Here are the steps you need to complete that form:

1. Fill in Your Information.

2. Complete Current Information. 
a. Under the “Current” section, fill in your current major (e.g. Undeclared, Accounting). Check the “no change” or the “drop” box.
b. If you are declared with a pre-professional program, like pre-med or pre-OT, then write that. Check the “no change” or the “drop” box.

3. Complete New Information. 
a. In the “New” section, fill in your new major, second major, minor, or pre-professional program. If you are declaring a major, include the concentration (if applicable) and degree abbreviation. 
b. For each new major, double major, minor, or pre-professional program you are declaring, you need to obtain the signature of the Department Head of the respective major/minor/program. To obtain the Department Head’s signature, visit the Department’s office, which can be found in the Undergraduate Catalog. If you are declaring a pre-professional health program, you need to obtain a signature from Dr. Babcock in the Pre-Professional Health Programs office in the Biosciences Building 3005.

4. Submit Complete Form. Once the form is complete with all of the necessary signatures, take the form to the Office of the Registrar in the Student Success Center to be processed and officially changed in MyMadison.

University Withdraw Deadline

Are you considering leaving the university for a semester or two? permanently leaving? I don’t want to see you leave, but I understand that sometimes that is the best decision for an individual’s circumstances. I want to help you with this if it’s the best decision for you by scheduling a meeting and providing the information below.

Friday, January 30, 2015 is the last day to withdraw from JMU with cancellation of tuition charges. Students must withdraw from all classes to be eligible for cancellation of tuition charges. The Registrar’s Office has put together a Leaving JMU Checklist to help students understand all of the necessary steps that need to take place for this process. This includes a completed and submitting the Non-Returning/Leave of Absence Notice to the Registrar’s Office.

If you are considering leaving the university permanently to transfer to another institution, I do want to let you know that I am not able to advise you on what will transfer to your new institution. You need to contact the Admissions Office of the new institution and ask them about what credits you’ve earned at JMU might transfer. You can get an unofficial copy and request an official copy of your transcript through MyMadison. To learn more about JMU transcripts, please visit the Registrar’s webpage on Transcripts.