AUA students have the opportunity to change their major if needed. The process goes through the Registrar’s Office, where students need to fill out a petition form to change their major. This usually requires additional coursework and sometimes tuition payments. However, students who receive financial aid will not lose their aid while changing majors as the same percentage of payment reduction will continue its application. Major changes are allowed no later than after completing four semesters. There are some rare occasions when students change their majors in their junior year. However, it is only done with the approval and permission from the Provost. Every student approaches this important decision differently, yet they rarely have regrets or doubts afterward.
For Liana Vahanyan, EC sophomore, deciding on a major was rather puzzling. “I was in BAB. My second choice was ES,” says Liana. “In summer, I wanted to transfer to DS but came to EC instead.” Her ultimate decision to transfer to EC was because she thought it was the most creative major at AUA. “Even if I don’t end up in this field in the future, I want to spend the remaining two years studying something exciting,” she says. As a “math person,” succeeding in subjects such as literature made Liana realize she can overcome anything she puts her mind to.
Emma Hovhannisyan, DS sophomore, recently changed her major from Business to DS, after finding a passion for coding and challenge-taking. Despite the widespread stereotype that studying Data Science is extremely difficult, Emma’s experience showed that there will be no problems with the necessary amount of effort. She admits that overcoming challenges has become a new hobby for her and has made her more patient.
Vardan Babayan, EC sophomore, completed his first year in ES. For Vardan, in his new major, classes are more student-centered. He feels that the lecturers always encourage students to participate and are open to discussions. Studying new subjects has also been a self-exploring experience for him. “Finding one’s true self is a lifelong experience that sometimes requires one to get detached from the past and focus on the present,” says Vardan, who has come to find writing to be one of his passions in EC.
Changing majors can positively impact one’s academic performance and, consequently, mental health. “Studying and not succeeding in academic life can result in low self-esteem,” states Vardan. “It requires confidence and self-determination to realize that grades do not define your knowledge, but it is just a number that rates your performance.” After changing his major, Vardan’s academic experience has improved significantly as students are prone to study when they are passionate about the subject.
Students change their majors for many reasons. When changing majors, starting the process early on is very important. “Students who consider changing their major should act quickly,” advises Chaghig Arzrouni-Chahinian, the registrar. “For example, if they are sure they want to change their program by October, they should apply right then and not wait for the end of the semester,” she adds. It will prevent students from facing difficulties registering for their new program’s core courses due to the need to increase the number of their limited seats. Despite the meticulous process of changing majors, it is a rewarding adventure. You can always reach out to the Registrar’s office and your fellow students, who have already gone through that experience, for some advice and guidance.
Thank you for the insightful information.