Majors: What they are
By the end of their Sophomore year, every student must declare a major on the Portal. This will be the discipline in which you complete your advanced study. For more information about the many majors and minors available at SMCM click here.
What you need to decide
The first year is a good time to explore possible interests!
If you are Undecided, skip this course selection and move to selecting your Course #2. That section will tell you how to approach filling in Course #1 when you are Undecided.
If you already know what you would like to major in, write it down on the worksheet. Many majors have a list of courses that first-years often take, so it will make this process of choosing classes go quickly!
The Fall 2025 Start Your Major Spreadsheet will give you an idea of what courses you would take during the first semester of each major or minor. Each major/minor has its own tab along the bottom of the spreadsheet so click on the major you are interested in and take a look!
Some majors have REQUIRED courses the first year. If you are even possibly considering a major in Biology, Biochemistry, Chemistry, Marine Science, Neuroscience, or Physics, you should look carefully at the list of courses you NEED to take (it may be one or sometimes two courses) in order to stay on sequence. If your major requires a second course, you will add that course during your 1-on-1 Zoom meeting with your Summer Advisor.
To get more information about any particular major or minor, you can visit the websites of each program where information on major requirements and course descriptions can be found. A list of majors and minors with links to their websites can be found here.
If you are interested in more than one major/minor, again, write them down. Your Summer Advisor can help you to strategically pick some courses so that you can explore the options you're interested in.