Submit materials to:
Graduate Division
120 Aldrich Hall
Zot Code 3180
alanders@uci.edu
(949) 824-1244
STUDENT
CHANGE OF MAJOR
FOR GRADUATE STUDENTS CHANGING MAJOR WITHIN THE SAME ACADEMIC UNIT
AND STUDENTS IN GATEWAY PROGRAMS MOVING TO A PERMANENT ACADEMIC UNIT
Complete this section first, and then forward this petition to your new home department office. Your new
home department will be notified if/when the petition is approved. If you change your major during your
academic career at UCI while maintaining F-1 or J-1 student status, it is important to update your
document to reflect the change with the International Center.
Student ID Number:
Student Name:
Last
First
Student Phone: (
)
Home
Department/Program:
Middle
Student E-mail Address:
Effective Date (check one):
Fall
Winter
Spring
Year
Current Major:
I wish to change to:
Major Code (if known): _
___
Major Code (if known): _
___
(New major)
STUDENT’S AUTHORIZATION:
DATE:
(signature)
DEPARTMENT
Complete this section, then forward this petition to the Graduate Division
Attention: A. Bannigan, 120 Aldrich Hall, Zot: 3180
*Signatures 1, and 2 if applicable must come from the proposed program not current program
APPROVED
1.
Department Chair/Graduate Advisor (Print & Sign Name)
Date
2.
Associate Dean (Print & Sign Name)
Date
NOT APPROVED
(Required for: Biological Sciences, Engineering, Humanities, Medicine, Social Ecology, Social Science & ICS)
For Students in Gateway Programs Only
Please indicate if the student is in good academic standing by checking
either the box for yes or no.
YES
NO
Gateway Program Coordinator (Print & Sign Name)
Date
GRADUATE DIVISION
APPROVED
NOT APPROVED
UCI Graduate Division
Dean of the Graduate Division
Date
Revision date: 12/04/2014
Page 1 of 2
GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS
Note to the Student on the proper use of this
Change of Major Petition:
This form is to be used only when a student intends to change from one major to another major within the same
academic unit1. If you intend to change your current major to one that lies outside your current academic unit, then you
must submit a new application. If you change your major during your academic career at UCI while maintaining F-1
or J-1 student status, it is important to update your document to reflect the change with the International Center.
For more details regarding UCI’s policies on changing graduate majors, please see the information presented below
(adapted from Section VII of UC Irvine’s Graduate Policies & Procedures Handbook:
http://www.grad.uci.edu/forms/faculty-and-staff/Graduate%20Policies%20and%20Procedures.pdf).
Change of Degree Program (Major) Within an Academic Unit
Within the same academic unit, the unit's committee that oversees graduate affairs for a change of degree program may
consider a student's request to be admitted to a different program. If the committee approves such a change, the
recommendation should be transmitted to the Dean of the Graduate Division in writing using the “Change of Major
Petition” form (Attn: A. Bannigan, Enrolled Student Affairs Officer, 120 Aldrich Hall, Zot: 3180). Upon recommendation of
the committee, the Dean will ordinarily approve and formally recognize the change.
Change of Degree Program (Major) and Academic Unit
A current student who wishes to transfer to a graduate program offered by a different academic unit should first consult
with the Faculty Graduate Advisor of the desired program or unit. The Graduate Division may request the current
custodian of the student's departmental academic records to forward copies of certain documents to the academic unit the
student wishes to enter.
The receiving unit may require the student to submit additional information, such as current letters of recommendation, as
necessary and appropriate. If the change is not approved by the academic unit that the student seeks to enter, formal
notice should be sent to the student with copies to the Dean of the Graduate Division and the student's current academic
unit.
If the unit's graduate affairs committee recommends acceptance of the student, a copy of the formal admission letter must
be sent to the Dean of the Graduate Division and the student's current academic unit. However, if the student seeks an
advanced degree from the initial program, all requirements for that degree must be completed before the change of
program or unit becomes effective.
Students transferring from one program to another must also complete a Withdrawal Form available through both the
Graduate Division and the Registrar. For "reason for withdrawal," the student should write "transfer from _____ to ____."
The three-digit program codes, if known, should also be included. The student must sign and date the form and submit it
to the Graduate Division (Attn: Joanna Itoh, Graduate Admissions, 120 Aldrich Hall, Zot: 3180) to complete the transfer
process.
1 An
academic unit is defined in UCI’s Graduate Policies & Procedures Handbook as follows:
(a) Department.
(b) If "a" fails, Interdisciplinary Program.
(c) If "a" and "b" fail, the graduate program which oversees the student's progress.
(d) If "a", "b" and "c" fail, the School (or ICS, or DOE).
(e) In cases where multi-campus programs are involved, the same definitions will apply across all campuses
relevant to the program.
UCI Graduate Division
Revision date: 12/04/2014
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