D: Introduction
Senate Policy: 37-30, Entrance to and Changes in Major Programs of
Study
This section contains three policies that apply to the academic college,
major, and campus location for all undergraduate students:
Policy D-1 Entrance to College and Lower Division Location, focuses
on:
--The lower division years;
--The college common year designation;
--The relationship between remaining at the starting campus location and scheduling
courses that lead to normal degree progress;
--Student-initiated change of location.
Policy D-2, Entrance to Major and Upper Division Location, focuses on:
--The transition from lower division to upper division;
--The student's entry to a major;
--The process for those majors that are under enrollment controls;
--The process for those majors not under enrollment controls;
--The relationship between entry to a major and campus location.
Policy D-3, Change of Major, focuses on:
--The process of a students changing major after entry to
a major.
Principles:
- Colleges and locations are authorized by the executive vice president
and provost to offer degree programs. Authorizations may be for offering
complete or parts of program requirements. Partial offerings are for at least
one year of academic work. Authorizations are registered in the Degree Program
Summary maintained by the University Registrar.
- Undergraduate colleges may offer lower division (up to two years)
undergraduate work for all baccalaureate degree programs as currently authorized.
Specific authorization is required, by location, for offering upper division
baccalaureate degree programs. Specific authorization is required, by location,
for offering complete or partial associate degree programs.
- Penn State undergraduate students are admitted to a college and
assigned to a location. Determination of the admission college is based on
the student's preferred major as specified in the admission application.
Assignments of location reflect student preferences, as modified in the admission
process by available space.
- Students may elect to change their preferred major designation
or their college, though such changes will normally not result in a change
of location sooner than one year of normal course work. Students may petition
for a change of location designation, with the receiving location approving
the change.
- Students apply for entrance to majors, usually at the end of
the second semester but no later than the fourth semester. The college common
year designation is replaced by the student's major designation at the time
the student's petition is approved by the receiving college. Some majors
have special entrance controls authorized by the provost. Entrance to a major
may require a change in the student's location assignment.
- Regardless of location, colleges are responsible for providing
essential advising information and assessing the effectiveness of advising
services provided to students enrolled in both the college common year and
specific majors. This includes, but is not limited to:
--academic requirements for majors;
--recommended course scheduling patterns by major;
--any special requirements for entrance to major;
--easy, remote access to college information;
--consultation opportunities on typical program availability by location;
--a network of college representatives for personal contacts with enrolled
students, regardless of location.
- Regardless of college or major, locations are responsible
for providing advising information and assessing effectiveness of advising
services provided to students enrolled at their location. This includes,
but is not limited to:
--recommended course scheduling patterns by major
as appropriate to the location;
--typical program availability by major for the location;
--easy, remote access to location information;
--consultation opportunities on typical program opportunities by college;
--a network of advisers for personal contacts with enrolled students, regardless
of college.
- All student actions and designations regarding preferred
major designation, college of admission, college common year designation,
location of enrollment, and actual major are recorded in the Integrated Student
Information System (ISIS). Processing of entries to majors and support of
changes to students and administrative offices is provided through the Entrance
to Major System. Students may verify their status via eLion. Processing of
changes in college or location is an assigned responsibility of the appropriate
college or location administrator.
Approved: ACUE (1-8-98)
Revised: Editorial (9-6-01)
Senate Policy: 37-30, Entrance to and Changes in Major Programs of
Study
-
The University may make changes in policies, procedures,
educational offerings, and requirements at any time. Please consult a Penn
State academic adviser for more detailed information. Penn State is
an affirmative action, equal opportunity university.