Change of Major Dates

1. Internal Transfers:
   • Overall GPA of 2.5 or higher (3.0 or higher for: Diettics option: double major; double option)
     
   • Grade of "C" or better in CHEM 1035 or BIOL 1105 or BIOL 1106
2. External Transfers:
   • Competitive GPA (typically 2.5 or higher)
   • Completion or progress toward completion of prerequisite coursework for the major, as outlined on the Admissions Transfer Roadmap.
   • A special emphasis is placed on strong completion of an equivalent to Virginia Tech's  General Chemistry I (CHEM 1035/45 lecture + lab), with applicants highly encouraged to complete this and an equivalent to General Chemistry II (CHEM 1036/46 lecture + lab) prior to enrollment.
3. HNFE students:
   • Overall GPA of 2.5 or higher (3.0 or higher for: Dietetics option; double major; double option)
   • In-major GPA of 2.5 or higher
   • Grade of "C" or better in CHEM 1035, 1036, CHEM 2514 or 2535, HNFE 1004
   • Stdents who do not meet above requirements have one semester of departmental probation. If they do not meethe quality restrictions at the end of one semester they are asked to leave HNFE and are not allowed to return.

1. Incoming Freshmen and External Transfers:
   • SA+D’s undergraduate programs are among the most selective at Virginia Tech. In a typical year, the university receives well over 1,000 applicants to the school's undergraduate programs, and we are able to accommodate less than one-third. While our criteria does not differ from the university’s admission criteria, average SAT scores and high school GPA's for students offered admission to the school's programs are among the highest in the university.
2. Internal Transfers:
   • The university offers students not accepted as freshmen into the school's undergraduate majors (Architecture, Industrial Design, Interior Design, and Landscape Architecture) the option of entering University Studies. In this program, freshmen begin their university education with the opportunity to transfer into the SA+D upon completion of two semesters through a process delineated in the Internal Transfer Policy for the following five steps.
   • Annual Information Session: In mid-October, the four undergraduate program chairs of SA+D hold a meeting coordinated with the University Studies program. It is open to all students, but is directed specifically toward University Studies students. The objectives are to explain the difference and opportunities between the school's various majors and curricula, to communicate the process for applying to the Summer Qualifying Design Lab (Summer Studio), and the requirements for change of major to Architecture, Industrial Design, Interior Design, or Landscape Architecture. The application form, which outlines requirements and conditions, is also provided at the University Studies office in Femoyer Hall and the School of Architecture + Design office in Cowgill Hall. The school's Internal Transfer Policy and the Internal Transfer applications for each of the undergraduate programs are posted on the school's website (http://archdesign.vt.edu/admissions/transfer).
   •  Application Deadline: The application deadline is published each year on the school's website and is generally scheduled sometime in mid-February. Portfolios or other examples of design work are not required, but are allowed to be included with the application.
   • Faculty Screening of Applications: The four program chairs review the applications and interview all of those that meet the minimum academic requirements for acceptance.
   • Notification of Acceptance. By mid-March, the program chairs rank the applicants by degree of academic qualification indicative of an ability to succeed in undergraduate-level study in the design disciplines of Architecture, Industrial Design, Interior Design, or Landscape Architecture acceptance. Admission of internal transfers is conditional upon successful completion of the Summer Studio.
   • Successful Completion of Summer Studio: Summer I and II seek to introduce students to the studio learning environment of the school, and to assess the level of competency of each student to enable appropriate placement in either the first year or second year of their desired major. Successful completion of the Summer Studio ensures acceptance to the SA+D degree program. The restriction on Internal Transfers is viewed as an integral part of the school's overall enrollment management strategy. It is a proven way to regulate the school's overall enrollment of approximately 1200 students (all academic programs within the school, graduate and undergraduate), consistent with capacity constraints, to ensure that the school continues to offer the highest possible quality of education to its students and maintain Its professional accreditation, as well as its high national rankings among undergraduate professional degree programs.

The Creative Technologies, Studio Art, and Graphic Design majors are restricted majors which typically admit an incoming cohort of around 20 first-year and external transfer students each year.

Only when seats open in our program do we have room to allow for internal major changes to these restricted majors.  The availability of internal major changes is most likely during the August major change period in advance of fall semester, but it is never a guarantee that we will have room to accept internal major changes.

In order to transfer to either of these majors, students should have a minimum 2.5 GPA and apply using the change of major form in hokiespa.  Faculty will review the individual petitions for major changes via hokiespa and make decisions on a case by case basis as to whether or not there is room to admit the student to any of these majors.

Portfolios are not accepted as part of the change of major process.

Students exploring these restricted majors are eligible to enroll in our foundation studio classes, if space is available.  Taking these courses does not expedite time towards graduation, or increase the chances of being allowed to change majors.

These courses are:

• ART 1204 - Principles of 2D Art & Design
• ART 1404 - Principles of Drawing
• ART 1504 - Contemporary Art & Practice
• ART 1604 - Principles of 4D Art & Design

When exploring the Creative Technologies, Studio Art, and Graphic Design majors, it is important to consider time towards graduation.  Due to the sequencing of classes, it typically takes students 4 years to finish these majors from the time they successfully change majors.

1. New internal transfer requirements:

For students applying August 2019 and later.

• Minimum in-major GPA: 2.5
• Minimum overall GPA: 2.0
• Completion of: ACIS 1504, MATH 1524, MGT 1104, ECON 2005
• a. At least two of the above courses must be taken at VT (must earn a grade in at least two courses, cannot all be transferred)
• b. No grade lower than C- earned in any of the above courses or any lower division business course attempted
• All non-native Pamplin* students must re-apply when attempting to change or add a major. For example, a student from University Studies accepted into Finance would have to re-apply to change into BIT or add BIT as a second major
• Acceptance based on competitive GPA and space availability in major
• *Real Estate students are subject to internal transfer requirements to change into or add a restricted business major.

1. Completion of MATH 1524 (or equivalent)
2. Minimum GPA of 2.0 in at least 24 credit hours at VT

Admission is offered upon completion of the above requirements and not competitively base among students

1. General Engineering Students to Degree-Granting Engineering Majors
2. Non-Engineering Students to Degree-Granting Engineering Majors
3. Degree-Granting Engineering Majors to Degree-Granting Engineering Majors