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Undecided Major Policy for Undergraduates (AE 16.2)

OWNER: Office of the Registrar
Phone: 702-992-2110
CATEGORY: Admissions and Enrollment
POLICY ID#: AE 16.2
EFFECTIVE DATE: 2/01/2023
VIEWING/DOWNLOADING OPTIONS:
Web – Formatted (this page)

 

POLICY STATEMENT

This policy clarifies the purpose of the Undecided major classification for undergraduates and establishes a limit to the number of credits undergraduate students may earn before declaring a major.

DEFINITIONS

Core Curriculum: A set of required courses or disciplinary or topical areas (e.g., Social Sciences, Cultural Diversity) required of all students, regardless of major, to develop a breadth of knowledge and skills.

Degree-Seeking: Status of students enrolled at Nevada State with the intent to complete and earn a formal degree or credential.

Non-Degree-Seeking: Status of students enrolled at Nevada State College without the intent to obtain a formal degree or credential. Non-Degree-Seeking students are limited in the number of credits they can enroll in during a single term as well as the number of credits they may apply toward a degree or credential if they decide to formally pursue a program at Nevada State.

PROCEDURES

I. Purposes of Undecided Classification

The Undecided designation allows eligible undergraduate students who are unsure about their preferred major to enroll at NSC, take Core Curriculum courses, and explore academic options while retaining their classification as Degree-Seeking students.

II. Limit on Undecided Classification

All undergraduate students are encouraged to declare a major as early as possible to increase their likelihood of successfully earning a degree in a timely fashion.

A. Undecided students must declare a major by the time they complete thirty (30) credits. An enrollment hold will be placed on the accounts of students who have more than thirty credits and have not chosen a major; students must meet with an academic advisor and either declare a major or convert to Non-Degree-Seeking status to have the hold lifted.

B. Students with an Undecided major will be eligible for financial aid during the time they are permitted to enroll as Degree-Seeking students.

C. Transfer students admitted to Nevada State with thirty-one (31) or more accumulated credits cannot declare the Undecided designation.

D. Only classes that fulfill a Core Curriculum requirement will be eligible for financial aid. Undecided students should meet with an academic advisor to discuss their planned coursework, how the classes may apply to specific major requirements, and the financial aid implications.

E. Students in the Undecided designation cannot declare an academic minor.

F. Students who are potentially interested in a major in the natural or physical sciences, health sciences (including nursing), business, education, speech pathology, or mathematics should be aware that these programs have rigid course sequences, including specific requirements for some Core Curriculum coursework, that require several terms to complete. Failure to begin the required course series early in a student’s degree may lead to substantial delays in degree progress and graduation.

III. Support Initiatives for Undecided Students

The support initiative(s) described below provide crucial guidance and support for students to help them explore their options and make informed decisions for their future.

A. Undecided Student Exploratory Career Advising: Requiring Undecided students to meet with a Career Advisor during their first year provides students with the resources and tools to make a better informed and more confident choices on majors and careers.

1. Semester 1: Students who do not have a major declared by the first day of courses in their first semester at Nevada State have a registration hold placed on their account informing them they must meet with a Career Advisor in Career Services to have the hold removed.

2. Semester 2: Students who entered as Undecided will receive another registration hold on their account during their second semester requiring them to meet with a Career Advisor to have the hold removed.

FORMS/INSTRUCTIONS

ADDITIONAL CONTACTS

Academic Advising Center
aac@nevadastate.edu
702-992-2160

Career Services Center
career@nevadastate.edu
702-992-2611

RELATED INFORMATION

HISTORY

  • Updated May 2022 to clarify policy applies to undergraduates.
  • Replaces AE 16.1.

APPROVALS

Approved by Dr. Vickie Shields, Provost, December 5, 2022.
Approved by Dr. DeRionne Pollard, President, January 31, 2023.