- Is it bad to come into college undeclared?Absolutely not! 5.69% of first-year students enrolled at Chico State for the 2024-2025 school year are undeclared (that’s 125 first-year students!), and many students who do enter the university with a declared major change their major before graduation. Being undeclared gives new students the opportunity to explore Chico State’s unique collection of majors and minors while completing GE courses in their first two years. For more information on ways that we suggest exploring majors, check out the Suggested Introductory Courses page to see a list of intro courses broken down by major. Happy exploring!
- When do I have to pick a major?Technically, students are not required to formally declare a major until they apply for graduation (you can't apply to graduate without a declared major that matches your coursework); however, it is highly recommended that students declare their major when they are confident in their major choice and have successfully completed course(s) in the major.
- How do I declare a major?Before declaring a major, it is highly recommended that you make an appointment with the major faculty advisor and discuss the coursework and career options to make sure that you understand the requirements of the major and get your questions answered. We also recommend that you explore any student organizations offered by that major and successfully complete course(s) in the major to help you solidify your choice.
When you're ready, use the Plan Change Form to declare your major! - What if I want to change my major?It is still highly recommended that you make an appointment with the major faculty advisor and discuss the coursework and career options to make sure that you understand the requirements of the major and get your questions answered before committing to changing your major.
When you're ready, use the Plan Change Form to declare your new major! - Are there any classes that will help me pick a major?Yes! Check out the Suggested Introductory Courses page to see a list of intro courses broken down by major!
- Are there any tools that will help me pick a major?Yes! Check out the Focus2 tool and the Major Exploration Worksheet (PDF) to learn more about your interests and how they connect to majors available on campus.
Undeclared Students - Frequently Asked Questions
Undeclared Checklist
Check out FYE’s Undeclared Checklist (Google Doc) for a curated list of things to do that add up to a successful first-year at Chico State!