College of Science Change of Program
College of Science
Change of Major
Looking to change direction in science or math? The College of Science assists students in exploring new majors that align with their interests and goals.
Change of Major Overview
Thinking about changing direction in science or math? You’re not alone! The College of Science has guided many students in exploring new majors that matched their interests and career goals. Ready to discover your options? Here’s what you are required to do to start the process, and we can assist you along the way, until a decision is made. Want to explore majors outside of the College of Science? Start a conversation with the University Advising Office.
NOTE: (1) This information applies only to undergraduate programs. The terms program and major are used interchangeably. (2) College of Science Change of Major is not automatic, you are required to follow the Change of Program Checklist items.
Academic Performance: Refer to your specific program for minimum GPA requirements in courses relevant to that major. All coursework must be free of grades of D, F, W, or I.
General Education: Applicants must have a demonstrated record of successfully completing general education courses that have been taken so far.
Important Note: Meeting all criteria does not guarantee acceptance into the program. Departments within the College of Science reserve the right to deny a change of program application for any reason, including but not limited to the listed criteria, the student’s academic standing, or their demonstrated ability to complete the program.
Calculus Sequence: Students are strongly encouraged to complete, or begin, the project-based calculus sequence (MATH-181 and MATH-182). This recommendation applies to most programs except Life Sciences programs: Biology, Biotechnology and Molecular Bioscience, Environmental Science, and Neuroscience, which require MATH-161 (MATH-181 and MATH-182 recommended for Computational Neuroscience track).
Lab Science Requirement: Students must complete a full year of lab science courses, with both courses taken in the same discipline. This requirement is more rigorous than RIT’s general education requirements.
Experiential Learning: All students are required to fulfill an Experiential Learning component as part of their degree program. This hands-on experience is essential for degree completion.
- Meet with the associate head of your intended major.
- Once you've had the two meetings, begin the corresponding Registrar Authorization Form:
- If you are requesting a change of program, select “Change of Program / Plan.”
- If you are requesting a double major or dual degree (BS/BFA), select “Double Major Authorization – Undergraduate Only” or “Dual Degree Authorization – Undergraduate Only” depending on your primary degree program.
- Complete the top half on the authorization form, and obtain an electronic signature from your home department. [See FAQ: How to find your academic program and plan in SIS]
- Submit the signed authorization form to your intended academic department.
- If your change of major is approved, meet with your Academic Advisor of your new major to discuss schedule adjustments and course requirements.
Students must meet and submit paperwork by week 9 of the term for program changes in future terms. Exception: Imaging Science reviews requests throughout the term.
Changing undergraduate programs within RIT’s College of Science follows Policy D02.0 V, which requires all changes to be completed by the end of the add/drop period. Requests after this are processed in the next term.
Applications submitted by the week 9 deadline will be reviewed through the next semester. Programs may take up to two terms to decide on a change-of-program application, and timelines vary by department. See details below.
Change of Major Process
To change your major within the College of Science, follow the specific steps and meet the criteria outlined for each department. For more details, select the program you are interested in below.
RIT’s Applied Mathematics BS teaches you how to study and solve problems that can be mathematically analyzed across industries and research disciplines.
The process begins with a meeting with the department or associate head, followed by a meeting with your current academic advisor. Decisions are finalized in early January or mid-May, and you’ll be notified by email. No supplemental materials are required.
To qualify for a program change, students must have:
- A minimum 3.0 GPA in math, science, and computer science courses.
- No grades of D, F, W, or I.
- A B- or better in the Calculus sequence.
- Recommended Coursework: MATH 200, 221, 231, and 251.
Applications must be submitted by the end of Week 9 of the current term.
Contact Dr. Nate Barlow to schedule an appointment:
- Email (use subject line: Schedule a Change of Program Appointment)
- Phone: (585) 475-4077
RIT’s Applied Statistics and Data Analytics BS prepares you to use data-driven methods and statistical modeling to solve real-world problems in science, business, health, and more.
The process begins with a meeting with the department or associate head, followed by a meeting with your current academic advisor. Decisions are finalized in early January or mid-May, and you’ll be notified by email. No supplemental materials are required.
To qualify for a program change, students must have:
- A minimum 3.0 GPA in math, science, and computer science courses.
- No grades of D, F, W, or I.
- A B- or better in the Calculus sequence.
- Recommended Coursework: MATH 200, 221, and 251.
Applications must be submitted by the end of Week 9 of the current term.
Contact Dr. Carly Metcalfe to schedule an appointment:
- Email (use subject line: Schedule a Change of Program Appointment)
- Phone: (585) 475-6529 or (585) 475-5387
RIT’s Biochemistry BS offers a molecular-level approach to understanding biological systems, with strong foundations in both biology and chemistry.
The process begins with a meeting with the department or associate head, followed by a meeting with your current academic advisor. Decisions are made three times per year—in January, May, and at the end of summer—and notifications come by email from Dr. Tubbs. No supplemental materials are required.
To qualify for a program change, students must have:
- A minimum 2.5 GPA.
- Recommended Coursework: CHMG 141/145 and CHMG 142/146.
Applications must be submitted by the end of Week 9 of the current term.
Contact Dr. Jeff Mills to schedule an appointment:
- Email (use subject line: Schedule a Change of Program Appointment)
- Phone: (585) 475-2445
RIT’s Bioinformatics and Computational Biology BS prepares you to analyze complex biological data and explore problems at the intersection of computer science, biology, and math.
The process begins with a meeting with the department or associate head, followed by a meeting with your current academic advisor. Decisions are made in January and May, and you’ll be notified by email by your advisor. A one-page personal statement is required.
To qualify for a program change, students must have:
- 3.0 GPA
- Recommended Coursework: General or Intro Biology Sequence (BIOL 101/103 and 102/104, or BIOL 121 and 122).
Applications must be submitted by the end of Week 9 of the current term.
Contact Dr. Kate Wright or Dr. Susan Pagano to schedule an appointment.
Dr. Kate Wright
- Email: (use subject line: Schedule a Change of Program Appointment)
- Phone: (585) 475-4669
Dr. Susan Pagano
- Email: (use subject line: Schedule a Change of Program Appointment)
- Phone: (585) 475-7343
RIT’s Biology BS provides hands-on experience in molecular biology, ecology, genetics, and more, preparing you for careers in the life sciences or graduate and health professions.
The process begins with a meeting with the department or associate head, followed by a meeting with your current academic advisor. Decisions are made in January and May, and you’ll be notified by email. A one-page personal statement is required.
To qualify for a program change, students must have:
- 3.0 GPA
- Recommended Coursework: General or Intro Biology Sequence (BIOL 101/103 and 102/104, or BIOL 121 and 122).
Applications must be submitted by the end of Week 9 of the current term.
Contact Dr. Kate Wright or Dr. Susan Pagano to schedule an appointment.
Dr. Kate Wright
- Email: (use subject line: Schedule a Change of Program Appointment)
- Phone: (585) 475-4669
Dr. Susan Pagano
- Email: (use subject line: Schedule a Change of Program Appointment)
- Phone: (585) 475-7343
RIT’s Biotechnology and Molecular Bioscience BS combines lab experience and coursework in genomics, cell biology, and microbiology to prepare you for roles in industry or research.
The process begins with a meeting with the department or associate head, followed by a meeting with your current academic advisor. Admission decisions are made in January and May, and notification will be sent via email. A one-page personal statement is required.
To qualify for a program change, students must have:
- 3.0 GPA
- Recommended Coursework: General or Intro Biology Sequence (BIOL 101/103 and 102/104, or BIOL 121 and 122).
Applications must be submitted by the end of Week 9 of the current term.
Contact Dr. Kate Wright or Dr. Susan Pagano to schedule an appointment.
Dr. Kate Wright
- Email: (use subject line: Schedule a Change of Program Appointment)
- Phone: (585) 475-4669
Dr. Susan Pagano
- Email: (use subject line: Schedule a Change of Program Appointment)
- Phone: (585) 475-7343
RIT’s Chemistry BS gives you a deep understanding of matter and its interactions, with options to explore materials science, environmental chemistry, and more.
The process begins with a meeting with the department or associate head, followed by a meeting with your current academic advisor. Decisions are made in January, May, and the end of summer. You’ll receive a notification email from Dr. Tubbs. No supplemental materials are required.
To qualify for a program change, students must have:
- A minimum 2.5 GPA.
- Recommended Coursework: CHMG 141/145 and CHMG 142/146.
Applications must be submitted by the end of Week 9 of the current term.
Contact Dr. Jeff Mills to schedule an appointment:
- Email (use subject line: Schedule a Change of Program Appointment)
- Phone: (585) 475-2445
RIT’s Computational Mathematics BS teaches you how to use computers as problem-solving tools to develop mathematical solutions to real-world challenges in engineering, operations research, economics, business, and the sciences.
The process begins with a meeting with the department or associate head, followed by a meeting with your current academic advisor. Decisions are made in January and May, with email notifications from SMS staff. No supplemental materials are required.
To qualify for a program change, students must have:
- A minimum 3.0 GPA in math, science, and computer science courses.
- No grades of D, F, W, or I.
- A B- or better in the Calculus sequence.
- Recommended Coursework: MATH 200, 221, 231, and 251.
Applications must be submitted by the end of Week 9 of the current term.
Contact Dr. Nate Barlow to schedule an appointment:
- Email (use subject line: Schedule a Change of Program Appointment)
- Phone: (585) 475-4077
RIT’s Environmental Science BS integrates biology, chemistry, and fieldwork to help you address pressing environmental challenges in ecosystems, sustainability, and policy.
The process begins with a meeting with the department or associate head, followed by a meeting with your current academic advisor. Program decisions are made in January and May. Notification will come from your academic advisor via email. A one-page personal statement is required.
To qualify for a program change, students must have:
- 3.0 GPA
- Recommended Coursework: General or Intro Biology Sequence (BIOL 101/103 and 102/104, or BIOL 121 and 122).
Applications must be submitted by the end of Week 9 of the current term.
Contact Dr. Kate Wright or Dr. Susan Pagano to schedule an appointment.
Dr. Kate Wright
- Email: (use subject line: Schedule a Change of Program Appointment)
- Phone: (585) 475-4669
Dr. Susan Pagano
- Email: (use subject line: Schedule a Change of Program Appointment)
- Phone: (585) 475-7343
RIT’s Imaging Science BS combines physics, math, computer science, and engineering to study how images are captured, processed, and analyzed, preparing you for careers in imaging, remote sensing, medical technology, and more.
The process begins with a meeting with the department or associate head, followed by a meeting with your current academic advisor. Decisions are made in January and May, and you’ll be notified by email. A one-page personal statement is required upon request.
To qualify for a program change:
- Students complete a transition semester that includes three program-specific courses. A grade of B or better is required in each course.
To schedule a change of program appointment, contact Dr. James Ferwerda.
Applications can be submitted at any time.
Applications must be submitted by the end of Week 9 of the current term.
Contact Dr. James Ferwerda to schedule an appointment:
- Email (use subject line: Schedule a Change of Program Appointment)
RIT’s Physics BS equips you to understand the fundamental laws of nature and explore careers in research, technology, and engineering.
The process begins with a meeting with the department or associate head, followed by a meeting with your current academic advisor. Decisions are made on a case-by-case basis and finalized in January and May. Notification is sent by email from Dr. Hollenbeck. No supplemental materials are required.
To qualify for a program change, students must have:
- A minimum 2.5 GPA in math
- Recommended coursework varies and is determined individually.
Applications must be submitted by the end of Week 9 of the current term.
Contact Dr. Dawn Hollenbeck to schedule an appointment:
- Email (use subject line: Schedule a Change of Program Appointment)
- Phone: (585) 475-6652
FAQs
Before You Begin: The following guidelines outline RIT’s official policy and timelines for changing your program or plan of study. Refer to RIT Policy D02.0 – V. Program/Plan Change, which states in part: “All program/plan changes (i.e., college, department, and program) must be completed by the end of the add/drop period (Policy D03.0) in a given term. Changes requested after this time will be effective in the ensuing term.”
For future-term change of program requests, meetings must be scheduled and paperwork submitted no later than week 9 of the current term.
Exception: Imaging Science will meet with students and consider change of program requests throughout the term.
Research the new major to determine how it aligns with your academic and career goals, Schedule a meeting with the unit’s associate head/designee to discuss your findings, and address any questions you and the unit’s representative may have.
RIT Change of Major Resources:
- RIT’s Career Services Self Assessments - Career Counselors are available to help you understand your assessment results.
- Dewey Lawrence, assistant director of University Advising works with RIT students who are considering a change of major.
Satisfying all criteria does not guarantee acceptance into the program. Schools within the College of Science reserve the right to reject a change of program application for any reason. You can find our Change of Major Degree Requirements Guide here.
It may. However, once the unit for the new major makes its decision, you will have the opportunity to discuss all degree requirements and whether the change will affect your time to degree completion. Therefore, it’s important to research and reflect on how this new major aligns with your academic and career goals.
The program may take up to two terms to make a decision whether to accept or reject the change of program application.