Change of Major

Change of Major Procedure 

How do I switch my major to Animal Science?

Transferring into the Animal Science (ASCI) major is not an automatic process. Students desiring to change into the Animal Science major must meet the minimum qualifications and follow the application procedures outlined below.

General Guidelines: 

• Students must complete at least one quarter at Cal Poly before entering into an Individualized Change of Major Agreement (ICMA). 
• Review Cal Poly’s General Change of Major Policy in full. 
• Students are allowed 1 ICMA per major.  Students who do not meet the conditions of their ICMA will not be issued another ICMA for that major.  
• Students must be able to graduate in a timely manner. A realistic quarter-by-quarter graduation plan may be required to demonstrate whether this is feasible. Generally, this means within 4 years for students that started as first time freshman, and 2 years for transfer students.

 

Step 1: Research 

Students are expected to research their options and make a well-informed decision. Choose two of the following research opportunities:

• Carefully review the Change of Major Policy
• Attend a Change of Major Workshop (https://success.calpoly.edu/workshop-schedules)  
• Meet with a Career Counselor (https://careerservices.calpoly.edu/our-story/our-team)  
• Meet with an academic advisor in your current major/college. (https://advising.calpoly.edu/advising-centers)  
• Meet with an advisor in the Mustang Success Center if you are a first-year student.
• Career Services Career Exploration Online tools: https://careerservices.calpoly.edu/explore-services/resource-toolkit/explore-majors  

 

Step 2: Complete the Change of Major Inquiry Form

• Complete the Change of Major Inquiry Form through your Cal Poly Portal. Instructions can be found here: https://advising.calpoly.edu/change-major
• You will receive an email response from the CAFES Change of Major Coordinator within 10 business days letting you know if you are eligible or ineligible.
• Eligible students will receive an email with next steps to set up their ICMA. 

 

Step 3: Eligible Students Meet with the Change of Major Coordinator

• During this meeting, the Change of Major Coordinator will initiate an Individualized Change of Major Agreement (ICMA) using the criteria below.
• Individualized Change of Major Agreement (ICMA) Criteria: The following ICMA Requirements are typically required for students trying to switch into Animal Science:
  • Cal Poly Cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher (CPSLO GPA)
  • Maintain a 3.0 CPSLO GPA for the length of the ICMA (1 – 2 quarters)
  • Completion of three contract classes:
    • ASCI 112 (Principles of Animal Science)
    • CHEM 127 (General Chemistry I: pre-vet)
    • BIO 111 (General Biology) OR BIO 161 (Intro to Cell & Molecular Biology: pre-vet) 
  • Students must receive a 3.0 average GPA across the three classes with the lowest possible grade being a C.
  • Classes must be taken at Cal Poly (transfer credit is not accepted). If you have completed these classes via AP credit or at a community college, alternate contract classes will be decided on by the Change of Major Coordinator and ASCI department. This may require taking higher level classes for your ICMA.

**Please note that completing courses in your major of interest, even when receiving high grades, does not guarantee your eligibility to switch into ASCI and can set you back in your degree progress.** Students are not evaluated on whether or not they have completed ASCI curriculum courses at the time of their inquiry.

For more information, contact the Change of Major Coordinator, Chelsea Kidwell, at clkidwel@calpoly.edu. In order to schedule an appointment, you must have completed Step 2 and submitted a Change of Major inquiry on your portal.