DROP/ADD occurs after your initial registration when students can make schedule adjustments. Students can drop/add classes on-line (provided they have their term pin) until the Last Day to Add a Course date, usually at the end of the first week of classes. After that date freshmen must go to the CAS Academic Advising Center to speak to an advisor, complete a Schedule Change Form, get the professors signature and submit the form to the Assistant Dean's Office to drop a class. Dropped classes are not recorded on your transcript.

Students may withdraw from a course from the Last Day to Drop Date until the Last Day to Withdraw Date in the Academic Calendar. Freshmen must go to the CAS Academic Advising Center, complete a Change of Schedule Form, obtain the professor's signature and submit the form to the Assistant Dean's Office. A 'W' will appear on student transcripts to indicate withdrawals. The 'W' is not counted into the GPA.

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Students who come into the University of Scranton with a major will take their Freshmen Seminar class with a professor who teaches in that major. As you take classes and learn more about your major you may decide you want to change your major. The resources mentioned above (resources for choosing a major) will help you decide on a new major.

Be sure to come to the CAS Academic Advising Center to begin the process of changing your major. You will want to do this before you begin the pre-registration process for the fall semester your sophomore year.

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Learning about the curriculum of a major is an important part of deciding on a major. The curriculum is the courses you must take to successfully graduate from a major. The courses you take will be different for each major.

The course requirements are divided into major requirements, cognate requirements and general education requirements.

• Major requirements are courses that are in your major. Some major requirements are very specific, for example History majors must take History 110 and 111 as well as other specific history courses. There are also History courses History majors will choose to take as major electives. All together history majors must take 39 credits of History courses, some specific courses and others are major electives. Each department will determine their major electives.
• Cognate requirements are courses that are related to the major. Some majors have very specific cognate requirements, such as Biology whose cognate includes Chemistry 112 and 113 as well as Math 114. Other majors, such as English, have no specific cognate requirements. You should discuss your cognate options with your advisor to choose courses that compliment your major. Students often use their cognate to add minors or double majors.
• General Education requirements are courses all students must take to graduate from the University of Scranton, regardless of the major. Some courses are very specific, such as COMM 100 and INTD 100. Other requirements are satisfied by choosing electives within specific areas. The general education requirements are coded so students understand which courses satisfy requirements.

Students may choose courses to satisfy general education requirements that also can be applied to minors, double majors or concentration.

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After the first semester freshmen year students may declare a double major. To complete a double major, students must complete all major, cognate and general education requirements of both majors. Often the general education requirements of both majors can be completed by taking the same courses, but other times specific courses are required for one or both majors. Know requirements for both majors. A minimum of eighteen credits must be taken in the second major that is not in the first major. An academic advisor can help you understand the requirements for specific majors.

Minors are offered in many areas. Each minor is different but a minimum of 15 credits is required, but most often 18 credits are required. Courses counted toward the major may not be counted toward the first 15 credits of a minor. However, courses used to complete the cognate and general education requirements may be used in minors.

Concentrations are composed of courses taken from different departments but all have a specific topic. For example, the Latin American Studies Concentration is composed of courses in Spanish or Portuguese, history, political science and philosophy or theology. The common topic of the courses is Latin America, however. Concentrations are also offered in Catholic Studies, Environmental Studies, Human Development, Italian Studies, Judaic Studies, Peace and Justice Studies, Women's Studies, and Aerospace Studies.

The CAS Academic Advising Center will assist freshmen in declaring a double major, minor or concentration.

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During Summer Orientation the University of Scranton offers a number of tests that determine appropriate placement in various disciplines.

• Math Placement Test - All incoming freshmen are required to take the Math Placement test.
• Language Placement Test - Freshmen who plan to continue the study of French, Italian, German or Spanish and who have studied the language for 2 or more years in high school should take a foreign language placement test. Also freshmen who have no formal language background but with some fluency in French, Italian, German or Spanish should also take the test. There are no placement tests for Japanese, Arabic, Chinese, Russian, Portuguese, Latin or Greek. If you have studied these languages or have knowledge from family or experience, you should speak to the professor of the course about placement.
• Chemistry Test - Students planning on majors that require Chemistry should take the Chemistry placement test.

If you cannot come to Summer Orientation the CAS Academic Advising Center will arrange for you to take the appropriate placement tests before the fall semester classes begin. For more information on placement tests contact the CAS Academic Advising Center.

There are also exemption exams that enable a student to test out of General Education skills courses. Students must register in writing two weeks before the date of the scheduled exam.

• Computer Literacy
• Oral Communication
• Written Communication

Exemption exam dates are available in the CAS Academic Advising Center.

Students who have taken the SAT Advanced Placement Tests for particular subjects must have those scores sent to the Registrar's Office. After receipt, a decision will be made as to whether credit will be awarded.

Students who took college level courses in high school or at other colleges must have the official transcripts sent to the Registrars Office at the University of Scranton.

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Many students at the University of Scranton plan on continuing their education at a professional school after graduation. The major you choose is not as important as the requirements needed for acceptance in the professional schools. Students interested in the pre-professional programs should speak to advisors in these programs as well as their faculty advisor after their freshmen year.

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Pre-Law
Pre-Engineering
Pre-Medical