What's the connection?

The knowledge and experience gained from attending Illinois State has provided me with the flexibility to attain any employment position I have desired and the ability to excel and progress upward in the job market.

Change Your Major Plan

A change in your plan can occur for a variety of reasons. It can be an exciting opportunity or a frightening process, and you may want to work with a counselor in Student Counseling Services to sort out your feelings and begin the process of working out a new plan.

It may not be practical to change your major if you are a junior or senior in a major, especially if the new major will significantly lengthen the time it will take you to complete your degree. Two policies you need to consider include the following:

75 Hour Policy - Can you realistically change your major?
Truth in Tuition - How much would a change of major cost?

Common reasons students change their plans include:

A change in career focus or learning about a new career option may lead to a change of plan.

If you are now interested in pursuing a different career, talk with a Career Counselor or Academic Advisor about ways that you could work toward your career goals. Questions to ask include the following:

Is there a way to pursue your new goal by adding a minor?
- By changing sequences within your major?
- By obtaining an internship?
- By developing your transferable skills?
- By going on to a graduate program of study?
Is a change of major an option for you at this point?

A desired major may not admit a student.

Because majors have limited space, students may not gain admission to a desired major. While that is disappointing, it may lead to a student finding a major that better suits his or her strengths and which he or she will enjoy. Take a look at more options.

Some students choose to work to improve their credentials and then reapply to the major they would like to enter, but there are no guarantees that a reapplication will lead to a different result.

I can't stay in my major.

Students who do not meet requirements to continue in their majors or who are dismissed from a major should carefully consider their situations and explore their options. While it may be possible to reapply to a previous major, in some cases reapplication will not be an option. If you don’t know whether or not you could reapply to your previous major, talk with your departmental academic advisor. If readmission to that major is not a possibility, it’s time to look at other options.

If you are on academic probation, Project Success is designed to help you. As one part of the process, you will meet with your Academic Advisor, who can help you assess your current situation and your options.