Major Changes and Double Major

How to think about your major

As a student at Cornell CALS, you apply directly and are admitted directly into one of our 20+ majors in the life, agricultural, food, environmental and social sciences. All of our majors are designed to serve CALS’ mission of interdisciplinary problem-solving.

Your major serves as your academic grounding point, and from there, our flexible curriculum encourages exploration of your other interests, as well as experiencing brand new subject matter and ideas. You are able to simultaneously delve into courses in a field that excites you, connect with a community of faculty and peers who share your interests, while also having space to let your interests evolve.

What does your major inform?

The purpose of a major is to guide the selection of courses in an academic area. In most cases, the required courses or types of courses represent the advice of faculty as to how students can best prepare themselves to enter the various fields connected to that major. Only a few majors are directly connected to professional certification programs, and only open-ended “majors” (ex. the Interdisciplinary Studies major in CALS) do not guide the selection of coursework.

Ultimately, the most valuable aspects of your major are the courses you choose, the hands-on experiences you engage in, and the skills you develop. Your choice of major should reflect what you love learning, what you want to excel at, and what motivates you to invest time and effort needed to succeed.

Your college experience is more than your major.

At Cornell, students can choose from a diverse range of majors. While selecting a major that aligns with your interests and career goals is important, it’s just one aspect of your college experience. As a student, you have the opportunity to engage in internships, research, project teams, study abroad, minors, and more. Most majors are intentionally designed to be flexible, equipping students for a wide range of careers in fields like business, health, law, education, and beyond. To explore the diverse career paths pursued by students across various majors, visit our Cornell Outcomes dashboard. Professional recruiters and graduate school admissions committees often appreciate candidates from varied academic backgrounds, recognizing the value in diverse perspectives rather than expecting a direct link between specific majors and particular career paths.,

So, don’t be afraid to think differently. Although students often try to match their major to their career interests, a few will become involved in a major that does not directly relate to their career interests. Even if your intention is to become a lawyer or doctor, you can still prepare for this pathway while taking the time as an undergraduate to explore majors such as agricultural sciences, food science, or global development if those areas interest you. You may also not yet have your career direction determined – and that’s fine too! Many career decisions happen after graduation and your Cornell CALS Bachelor’s degree will be a valuable foundation regardless of what you major in. We encourage you to take a variety of classes by requiring distribution courses and encouraging electives to create a more well-rounded education.

What else should you be focused on?

The experiential aspect of your time at Cornell – what you do outside of formal classes – is also essential to your education. Research, internships, global programs, volunteer work, community engagement and any other non-classroom activities all give you valuable experience in working with others, leadership development, specific job skills, and understanding career opportunities. These activities develop competencies that cannot be gained in a classroom.

5 important questions to ask yourself if you are thinking about changing your major

What is motivating your desire to change your major?

First, it’s important to be clear on where your interest in changing your major is coming from. Is it based on input from a peer, parent, or advisor? Are you being driven by trying to have a competitive edge in your post-graduation pursuits? Are you inspired by coursework and other academic opportunities that better align with another major? Or perhaps just a bit uncertain, as you’re not sure about pursuing the academic/professional path that you originally thought you would?

While all your considerations are valid and worth reflecting on, deciding to pursue a change of major should be focused on the experience you are having currently, as an undergraduate student – including coursework, other academic opportunities, and guidance from your Cornell advisors.

Are you moving thoughtfully forwards in your undergraduate journey?

(not just away from something that wasn’t a fit?)

If you find yourself unhappy in your current major, it’s natural to want to make a change. Rather than jumping right into something else that sounds good, make sure that based on courses you’ve taken and other experiences you’ve had with the community, that you are also genuinely excited about your new major and confident that it will serve as a solid foundation for your undergraduate years at Cornell!

Have you fully explored and considered your various major options?

In the age of immediate gratification, you can easily get caught up in just wanting the major change to be made and done – but for you to be confident in making a thoughtful move forward (and avoid desiring another change down the road) make sure that you take the time to consider your interests from all angles, as shared on the “What To Do” list here. You’ll find that there are many opportunities where two (or more!) majors intersect. You may determine that you don’t need to leave your current major to pursue an emerging area of interest.

Have you looked closely at what changing your major would mean, from a coursework planning standpoint?

When considering a change of major, you should be sure to engage in coursework planning exercises. You should understand what changing your major will mean for the remaining time you have at Cornell before deciding to go down that path.

For example, if you are excited about taking many elective courses, would you still have the flexibility in your schedule to do so if you changed your major?

Have you utilized your support resources?

Pursuing a change of major is not something that you should try to navigate on your own. From your advisor in your current major, to the Inclusive Academic Advising team in CALS Student Services, to the CALS Career Advising staff, to the Advising Coordinator in the major you are interested in (and beyond!) we’re all here to support you in each step of your Cornell journey.

All About Your CALS Major