Have a question? You might find the answer here.
Below you'll answers to some of the most common questions that come to us. If you can't find your solution here, feel free to email the Advising Center or start a discussion on chat.
Majors can be declared by filling out the online major declaration form. Some major programs like to have a short meeting with students before signing off on the major declaration form, but the department coordinator will let you know if that is the case.
Students are encouraged to declare a major as soon as they know which major program they would like to pursue. Students in the CAS are required to declare a major by the end of their sophomore year or second year.
The classes required for each major are provided in the course catalog.
A prerequisite class is a course that you need to take in order to be prepared for the course you want to sign up for. These are important to note as courses with prerequisites begin with the assumption that you have already acquired a particular set of knowledge.
Finding out if the course you want to take has a prerequisite is easy! Just review the course catalog by navigating to the department or program page offering the course using the "A-Z Index" at the top, and choose the "Courses" tab, where any prerequisites will be clearly indicated.
You should meet with your advisor at least once a semester before course registration for the next semester. It is a good idea to email your advisor to set up a time to meet. It is best to come prepared with courses you would like to take and any questions about courses or college life you may have. Your advisor is here to help you! You should feel free to discuss any questions you may have about academics, like course registration, dropping and adding, professors, majors, study abroad, internships, etc.
Yes! Your advisor has the PIN you need to register for classes and you need a different PIN each semester, so you will have to get the PIN from your advisor. Some advisors may opt to give you the PIN via email after chatting about your course plans, which is fine if you have no questions or concerns about your academic progress. But if you do want to discuss your progress, it is a good idea to set up a meeting!
Your advisor should be able to refer you to someone that can help. If they cannot please contact the CAS Advising Center via inadvise@lehigh.edu or by visiting our office in 120 Williams Hall.
Start by talking to your advisor. Be sure to let them know why you want to switch. Try to identify a major you would like to switch to before you meet. There are requirements when changing colleges: Students have to:
- have earned 24 credit hours total, with at least 12 credit hours at Lehigh;
- be in good academic standing
- fill out have signed the college change petition
To switch to the College of Business students will also need to attend an information session hosted by the business college and have credit for or have taken both ECO 001 and MATH 021 or 081 or 075+076 and passed with a C- or better. Detailed information can be found on the College of Business website.
After meeting the requirements, students can fill out a college change petition form which is available online, and start by submitting it to their home college for review and approval.
Yes, and this is an excellent idea as it will help you plan your time and give you a sense of what is next. Please check out the Academic Plan Draft Guide as well as the suggested course schedules and rosters that can be found on the course catalog and the CAS website. Use these as a template. You can also use a new suite of tools that includes a course planner available in your Student Services tab in your student Banner called Registration Tools.
Yes, and it’s easy—reach out to the department office of your major and request a new advisor. If you are not yet declared in a major you may request an advisor change by emailing inadvise@lehigh.edu.
Yes, but a word of skepticism...
Although double majors and dual degrees are available to Arts and Sciences students, they are not necessarily a good idea! Each credential imposes requirements that constrain the student's options and are likely to impose scheduling constraints for the student. Be advised that we do not permit course-credit overloads to facilitate pursuing a double major or double degree. Before deciding to pursue a double major or dual degree, consider:
- completing a single major with one or two minors
- that your transcript is your ultimate credential; plan for a "portfolio" of courses that will be recorded by your transcript and will reflect your interests
- the value of the flexibility in your free electives and the cost of giving up that flexibility to pursue a double major or double degree.
The BA (Bachelor of Arts) degree is the principal liberal arts degree. All of our departments in the College of Arts and Sciences as well as several of our interdisciplinary programs offer at least one BA program. At Lehigh, one earns a Bachelor of Arts in Arts and Sciences with a major in, for example, Music (not a BA in Music). Most BA programs require 30-some or 40-some credits, which leaves a lot of flexibility in the form of free electives. The student can use the free electives to sample widely from other course offerings or to earn an additional credential (a second major, a minor, or some combination of additional credentials).
The BS (Bachelor of Science) degree is offered in Computer Science, Mathematics, Psychology, Statistics, and each of the natural sciences. In contrast to the BA, one earns, for example, a BS in Astrophysics. The BS is best suited to the student who wants to focus more on courses in the major and on 'collateral' courses (like chemistry or mathematics for a major in Geological Sciences) and is willing to give up some of the flexibility of the BA in return for the greater focus. The BS programs still leave some free electives.