Declaring a Major/Minor

Quick Link

Declaration form

Instructions and Tutorial

Students are expected to reach out to their intended adviser PRIOR to submitting a declaration form. The form is not intended to initiate or replace the advising process that should happen prior to submitting a declaration form. Submitting the form is the last step in the declaration process.

View our Video Tutorial or read the step-by-step instructions below before submitting a declaration form.

  • Click the Declaration form link above to access the online declaration form. You may be prompted to log in with your Colgate credentials.
  • Your identifying information will autofill at the top.
  • Select Major or Minor from the declaring dropdown
  • Next, select the appropriate declaration option
  • Then select the subject you are declaring
  • Answer the transfer credit question, as applicable
    • If you answer Yes, please indicate the term you took the course and the Colgate credit you received
  • Next, select your intended adviser. You must choose an adviser from the relevant department or program.
    • The faculty list includes all active faculty who are approved to serve as an adviser, not just those appropriate to the major or minor you selected. Your request will not be processed by the registrar’s office if you don’t choose an appropriate adviser.
  • Review your form to confirm you’ve entered everything as you intended
  • When you are ready, click submit to send your request to your adviser for approval

 

What happens next?

  • The faculty member you selected will be notified that you have submitted a declaration form and will be asked to take action.
  • If your request is approved, the department chair or program director will be notified and asked to take action.
  • If approved by the chair, your request will be sent to the registrar’s office for processing
  • Once processed by the registrar’s office, you will receive a notification email and will see your declaration on your record in the portal.
  • If your request is denied at any step in the process, you will be notified by email and encouraged to reach out to your adviser to discuss how to proceed.
  • You can view the status of your form at any time but clicking the link in the submission confirmation email. 

Jump to:

Declaration Process

Sophomore Declaration Deadline

Additional Declarations

Declaration Process

  1. Run a What-If audit in Degree Works to review the major requirements and see how your current and previous course work applies to those requirements. You may also view the requirements in the current Colgate Catalog.
  2. Consult the many Colgate resources available to you as you choose a new academic adviser:
    • Chair of the department or director of the program in which you intend to major
    • Your current academic adviser
    • Your administrative dean (If you are not sure who your administrative dean is, contact the office of the Dean of the College
    • Faculty directory (select relevant department/program for a listing)
  3. Meet with the faculty member whom you’ve selected as your new academic adviser in your intended major. Here are some issues you may want to discuss with your new academic adviser when completing the declaration form:
    • Are you considering a second major or a minor?
    • Are you planning to complete requirements in a professional training or certification program?
    • Are you planning to participate in an off-campus study group?
    • What are the requirements for honors or other awards in your department/program?
    • Review your What-If audit together
  4. Submit the declaration form (see link above) by the appropriate deadline.

Sophomore Declaration Deadline

Members of the Class of 2028 are required to officially declare a major by March 6, 2026. 

Members of the Class of 2028 who fail to submit a Declaration of Major form by the deadline will be placed on a major declaration hold and will not be allowed to register for fall 2026 courses. Sophomores who submit declaration forms after the March 6 deadline but before the week of registration will forfeit their assigned registration time and be reassigned a registration time after all other declared sophomores register.

Note:

  • It is the student's responsibility to ensure the adviser and department chair/program director has adequate time to review and approve the form before the deadline (typically a full week).
  • Declaring a minor does not fulfill this requirement. A major must be declare before a minor can be added to a student's record.
  • Minors do not need to be declared by this deadline.

Additional Declarations

A student who wishes to declare more than their initial major may choose one of the following options:

  1. Two majors
  2. One major and one minor
  3. One major and two minors

    No other combinations are permitted. No student may declare a minor in the same field as their major. Please also note that students must declare a major before they can declare a minor.

Course Sharing

Occasionally, two majors or minors may have some overlap of course requirements. Regardless of composition, each major must have 7 unique courses and minors must have 4 unique courses. 

Students planning to declare a second major or minor that may have some overlap are strongly encouraged to consult with a faculty adviser to ensure the feasibility of completing requirements.

Dropping a Major or Minor

If you wish to drop a second major or minor, please email registrar@colgate.edu to request the change to your record. If you are dropping a major or minor in conjunction with adding something else, please use the declaration form to indicate which one you would like removed.

Deadlines

All regular admit students must declare a major no later than their fourth semester and all transfer students must declare no later than their third semester. Subsequently, all majors and minors should be accurately reflected on a student's record no later than the full-term course withdrawal deadline in the fall semester of senior year (or the semester prior to graduation). This ensures proper advising and vetting of requirement completion prior to graduation. 

Go to the Office of the Registrar