Undeclared

MORE INFORMATION
Bruce Bukowski, Director
Advising and Exploration Center
(262) 472-5220
advising@uww.edu
Web site

Admissions Office
UW-Whitewater
Whitewater, WI 53190
(262) 472-1440
Fax:
(262) 472-1515
uwwadmit@uww.edu
Web site

Being "undeclared" is an option for students who are not ready to officially declare a specific major at UW-Whitewater. Most undeclared students have chosen to remain undeclared while they evaluate the many majors and careers available. They have made a conscious decision to explore their talents and abilities during their first semesters at the university.

At UW-Whitewater, exploration is enabled by a strong general education program which requires students to complete a set of core courses and electives that can be used to sample a variety of academic disciplines. Exploration is also enhanced by an advising program which provides advisors to help undeclared students understand the university curriculum and to introduce students to the resources available as they make decisions about their academic careers.

Only the student can do the hard work and exploration required to make a decision about a major; however, the university has resources to help facilitate that choice.

Career Services (Andersen Library 2002b) assists students with all aspects of career development, from career planning through securing employment. These services include computer and other tests and inventories to help students explore occupational options, majors and minors, a library for career and major research, workshops, courses and individual counseling. Visit their website at www.uww.edu/stdrsces/career/index.htm.

Academic Advising & Exploration Center (Roseman Hall). Undeclared students will be assigned an academic advisor from the AAEC, who will assist them in exploring majors, understanding university processes and policies and dealing with any concerns they may have about their experiences at UW-Whitewater.

Although there is no university deadline for declaring a major, there is a commonsense guideline that it is best to select a major by the end of the freshman year or at the latest, the first semester of the sophomore year. By that time, students will have completed most of the all-university requirements. They will want to tailor their general education electives to fit their major in order to most efficiently pursue their undergraduate degree.

As long as they meet the entry requirements for their chosen majors, students may declare a major at any time. They simply go to the AAEC, fill out a declaration form, and take the form, along with their advising records, to the new department.

The UW-Whitewater proficiency and general education curriculum provide students with a set of courses that all students must complete to graduate. Because these courses form the basis of an all-university curriculum, they are good alternatives for the exploring student. A sample freshman year program might include:

Semester 1 (15 units)
English 101 - 3 units
Math 141- 4 units
The U.S. Experience in a World Context or Global Perspectives (core courses) - 3 units
The Individual and Society (core course) -3 units
New Student Seminar - 1 unit
Personal Health and Fitness - 1 unit

Semester 2 (16-17 units)
English 102 - 3 units
Lab Science - 4-5 units
The World of the Arts (core course) - 3 units
Speech 110 - 3 units
Elective/Diversity - 3 units

Those students who have narrowed the majors they are considering may be taking upper-level math or other courses targeted toward potential majors, instead of some of the core courses listed above. Advisors will help students understand those requirements.