/ Registrar's Office

Declaring a Major

Ready to declare your major? Learn how to do it below.

HELP WITH CHOOSING A MAJOR

Whether you are decided, undecided or somewhere in between, Hope offers a variety of resources to help you better understand yourself, clarify your goals and declare a major that is a great fit for you. We encourage you to talk through the major declaration decision with your academic advisor and to take advantage of the resources at theBoerigter Center for Calling and Career.

HOW TO DECLARE A MAJOR

You may declare a major after your first semester. For most majors, it is as simple as submitting a completedmajor declaration formto the academic department for chairperson approval. At this time, you may email the form to the person indicated below. The approved form will then be forwarded to the Registrar’s Office to be applied to your record and your advisor will be changed. Some departments or majors have a few other requirements in addition to the form, listed below.

Follow the same procedure as above fordeclaring a minor.

你申报的每个专业或次要专业都需要自己的表格，因为需要系主任批准。If you are switching a major to a minor (or vice versa), you do not need to fill out two forms–you can indicate both on the same form.

To undeclare a major or minor, simply fill out the appropriate declaration form and check the "Undeclare a major/minor" box on the form. If you are not also declaring, you may email the form directly to the Registrar's Office.

ART AND ART HISTORY

MAJORS

  • Art education
  • Art history
  • Art studio

PROCESS

Submit your major declaration form to the department assistant,Kristin Underhill, or to the department chairperson,Heidi Kraus.

BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY

PROCESS

Submit your major declaration form to the department assistant,Donna Sova. If you are unable to email it, you may send the hard copy form to Donna via campus mail, c/o Chemistry Department.

BIOLOGY

MAJORS

  • Biology
  • Biology education

PROCESS

Submit your major declaration form to the department assistant,Jackie DeBoard.

CHEMISTRY

MAJORS

  • Chemistry
  • Chemistry education
  • Chemistry with biochemistry emphasis – ACS approved
  • Chemistry – ACS approved

PROCESS

Submit your major declaration form to the department assistant,Donna Sova. If you are unable to email it, you may send the hard copy form to Donna via campus mail, c/o Chemistry Department.You can discuss your options for which type of chemistry major is most appropriate for you with any chemistry faculty member.

COMMUNICATION

PROCESS

Submit your major declaration form to the department assistant,Linda Koetjeor to the department chairperson,Choonghee Han. Majors must complete an academic internship (Comm 399) during their junior or senior year and must maintain a minimum GPA of 2.0 in the major to qualify for the internship program.

COMPUTER SCIENCE

PROCESS

Submit your major declaration form to the department assistant,Cathy Stoel.

DANCE

MAJORS

  • Dance dual major
  • Dance performance/choreography

PROCESS

Submit your major declaration form to the department assistant,Larissa Fall, or the department chairperson,Matt Farmer.

ECONOMICS AND BUSINESS
  • Accounting
  • Accounting/business double major
  • Public accounting
  • Public accounting/business double major
  • Economics
  • Business
  • Business/economics double major

PROCESS

Prior to declaring a major or minor in the Economics & Business Department, you will need to fulfill a few requirements before being accepted. More information can be foundon the department website.

EDUCATION

All of the Education programs are in the process of changing based on new state standards.Elementary education major offerings changed in fall 2021. The majors you can choose from are based on when you entered Hope (fall 2021 or after; or, prior to fall 2021).

ENTRY TERM IS FALL 2021 AND AFTER

ELEMENTARY MAJORS

  • Elementary education (Pre-K–3 grades)
  • Elementary education (3–6 grades)
  • Special education emotional impairments (minor only)
  • Special education learning disabilities (minor only)
  • English as a second language (minor only)

SECONDARY MAJORS (INCLUDES MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL DEGREES, 6–12)

  • Biology*
  • Chemistry*
  • English*
  • French*
  • Geology/Earth science*
  • German*
  • History*
  • Integrated science
  • Latin*
  • Mathematics*
  • Physical and health education*
  • Physics*
  • Social studies
  • Spanish*
  • Special education emotional impairmentsK–12 with 6–12 Math or English minor
  • Special education learning disabilitiesK–12 with 6–12 Math or English minor

ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARYK–12MAJORS

  • English as a second language (minor only)
  • Music - instrumental*
  • Music - vocal*
  • Physical and health education*
  • Spanish
  • Visual arts*

ENTRY TERM IS PRIOR TO FALL 2021

ELEMENTARY MAJORS

  • Comprehensive major with one of the following options:
    • Early childhood education(birth to K) with K–5 grades
    • Special education emotional impairments K–12 with general education K–5 grades
    • Special education learning disabilities K–12 with general education K–5 grades
  • English language arts (K–8 grades)
  • Integrated science (K–8 grades)
  • Mathematics* (K–8 grades)
  • Social studies (K–8 grades)

SECONDARY MAJORS (INCLUDES MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL DEGREES, 6–12)

  • Biology*
  • Chemistry*
  • English*
  • French*
  • Geology/Earth science*
  • German*
  • History*
  • Integrated science
  • Latin*
  • Mathematics*
  • Physical and health education*
  • Physics*
  • Social studies
  • Spanish*
  • Special education emotional impairmentsK–12 with 6–12 Math or English minor
  • Special education learning disabilitiesK–12 with 6–12 Math or English minor

ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY MAJORS

  • English as a Second Language (minor only)
  • Music - instrumental*
  • Music - vocal*
  • Physical and health education*
  • SpanishK–12*
  • Visual arts*

PROCESS

*These majors require approval from the subject's academic department. See that section of this page for details for declaring an education major in that subject.

Submit your major declaration form to theDepartment of Education. It is recommended that you declare your major as soon as you determine it so that you can be advised by a faculty member within the department. Prior to being admitted to the education program, the department will have a list of requirements that need to be completed (one of which is submitting the major declaration form).

ENGINEERING

MAJORS

  • Engineering science
  • Engineering – ABET approved (no concentration)
  • Engineering– ABET approved with one of the following concentrations:
    • Biochemical
    • Biomedical-bioelectrical
    • Biomedical-biomechanical
    • Chemical
    • Civil
    • Computer
    • Electrical
    • Environmental
    • Mechanical

PROCESS

Submit your major declaration with specified concentration, if applicable, to theDepartment of Engineering.

ENGLISH

MAJORS

  • English
  • English – writing emphasis
  • English – secondary education

PROCESS

Submit your major declaration form to the office manager,Michelle VanDenend.

GEOLOGICAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES

MAJORS

  • Environmental science with one of the following concentrations
    • Biology
    • Chemistry
    • Geology
  • Geology
  • Geology education

PROCESS

Submit your major declaration form to the department chairperson,Brian Bodenbender. You can communicate with the chairperson if you have an advisor preference.

GLOBAL STUDIES

PROCESS

Submit your major declaration form to the prorgram director,Har Ye Kan.

HISTORY

MAJORS

  • History
  • History education

PROCESS

Submit your major declaration form to the office manager,Michelle VanDenend.

KINESIOLOGY

MAJORS

  • Exercise science
  • Physical and health education K–12

PROCESS

Submit your major declaration form to the department chairperson,Kirk Brumels.

MATHEMATICS

MAJORS

  • Mathematics
  • Mathematics – elementary education
  • Mathematics – secondary education

PROCESS

Submit your major declaration form to the department chairperson,Mark Pearson.

MUSIC

MAJORS

  • Music
  • Music education – instrumental
  • Music education – vocal
  • Music performance
  • Music performance – jazz
  • Music performance – organ
  • Music Performance – piano
  • Music Performance – violin/viola
  • Music Performance – voice

PROCESS

In addition to submitting the major declaration form to theDepartment of Music, submit a brief statement about your goals and reasons for pursuing a music major.

NEUROSCIENCE

PROCESS

Submit your major declaration form to the department assistant,Ann Schutt.

NURSING

PROCESS

To declare a major in nursing, you must first be accepted into the nursing program. Admission to the nursing program occurs twice a year and application materials must be received by February 1 or October 1 to receive a response prior to registration for the following semester.

More information can be found on theDepartment of Nursing website.

PHILOSOPHY

PROCESS

Submit your major declaration form to the department assistant,Rajean Wolters.

PHYSICS

MAJORS

  • Physics
  • Physics education
PROCESS

Submit your major declaration form to theDepartment of Physicsor to the department chairperson,Paul DeYoung. You may also indicate if you have an advisor preference.

POLITICAL SCIENCE

PROCESS

Submit your major declaration form to the department assistant,Kimberly Finses.

PSYCHOLOGY

PROCESS

  1. Submit your major declaration form to the department assistant,Marcye Van Dyke.
  2. Complete thePsychology Major Interest Form.
  3. Attend a required major declaration meeting. Dates are listed on thePsychology Department website.
RELIGION

MAJORS

  • Religion
  • Religion – biblical studies
  • Religion – Christian history and theology
  • Religion – ethics, culture and social witness

PROCESS

Submit your major declaration form to the department assistant,Rajean Wolters.

SOCIAL WORK – CSWE APPROVED

PROCESS

  1. Take SWK 241 – Introduction to Social Welfare.
  2. Maintain an overall GPA of 2.5 and a 2.7 GPA in first- and second-year social work required courses.
  3. Meet with a faculty member.
  4. Admission to the social work major occurs twice a year, the semester you are taking SWK 241. Social Work Major Application materials must be received by February 15 of your first year or October 15 of your second year.
  5. Admission to the program is not guaranteed.

More information about the program can be found on theDepartment of Sociology and Social Work website.

SOCIOLOGY

MAJORS

  • Sociology
  • Sociology – criminal justice emphasis

PROCESS

You are strongly encouraged to meet with a department faculty member prior to submitting your major declaration form to theDepartment of Sociology.

THEATRE

PROCESS

Submit your major declaration form to theDepartment of Theatre. Once declared, you will meet with your theatre advisor to complete amajor contract.

WORLD LANGUAGES AND CULTURES

MAJORS

  • Classical studies
  • French education
  • Global French studies
  • German
  • German education
  • Japanese studies composite
  • Latin
  • Latin education
  • Spanish
  • Spanish education – K–12 (elementary track)
  • Spanish education – K–12 (secondary track)
  • Spanish education (secondary)

PROCESS

Submit your major declaration form to the department assistant,Mandy Stephenson.

WOMEN’S AND GENDER STUDIES

PROCESS

Set up a meeting with the program director,Carrie Bredow, to discuss the program prior to submitting a major declaration form.

世界杯荷兰vs厄瓜多尔走地Registrar's Office

DeWitt Student Cultural Center141 East 12th StreetFloor 1Holland,MI49423

workP. 616.395.7760

faxF. 616.395.7680

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