Declaring/Changing Majors

Declaring a Major

Students may declare an intended major immediately upon entering the university, or remain undecided. In either case, they will be assigned an advisor. When students choose a major, they should report to the Registrar’s Office to receive instructions and complete a change of major form (on which they change from undecided to a specific major). They will then be assigned a new advisor in their declared field of study.

Changing Majors

Students wishing to change majors and/or colleges should contact the Registrar’s Office for complete instructions and a change of major form. Upon changing majors, students will be assigned a new academic advisor and encouraged to request a major check sheet showing the new requirements they must fulfill. Students who change majors and wish to have their record adjusted under academic clemency guidelines should read the following section.

Academic Clemency

Students who change majors from one department or school to another, or students who have stopped out for at least 6 consecutive regular semesters at UW Platteville may be granted the option to adjust their prior academic records.

Students with a cumulative grade point average higher than 2.30 are not eligible to request academic clemency.  If a student has more than one major, the student must drop/change at least one of the majors in order to request academic clemency.

1.     A) If a student has a grade point average of 2.00 to 2.30 and has earned 30 credits or more, credits in courses in which a grade of “D” or higher were earned will be counted toward graduation but not necessarily toward a major or minor.
        B) If a student has a cumulative GPA less than 2.00 and has earned 30 credits or more, that student may request academic clemency, but the credits in which a “D” was earned will not count toward graduation.

2. All previous work shall remain on the official record, but the grades will not be used to calculate the cumulative grade point average. The grade point average will be calculated on the basis of grades earned after declaration of academic clemency.

3. Academic clemency is not an option for students who have already earned an associate’s or baccalaureate degree at UW-Platteville.

4. In order to graduate after electing this option, a student must complete at least 32 credits and earn a 2.00 grade point average.

5. Students who are granted academic clemency are not eligible for academic honors at the time of commencement.

6. Students who are granted academic clemency must then follow the undergraduate catalog and educational requirements in place at the time of the declaration (i.e. the student must follow the most recent catalog).

7. If a student had been officially undecided on a major at the time of the academic clemency request, they must then declare a major and follow the educational requirements of the major at the time of the declaration. A student requesting clemency from one engineering major may NOT declare a different engineering major as the new major.

8.   Academic clemency will be rescinded if the student earns less than a 2.30 GPA in the first semester (or first12 credits if not full-time) following the request for clemency.

9.   Academic clemency is only allowed once in a student’s academic career.

Note:  Students who wish to file academic clemency must do so within one semester of the change of major or re-entry to UW-Platteville. Students who request academic clemency are not eligible to pursue their previous major without express permission from the dean of that college, and the student’s cumulative grade point average will be recalculated.  Graduate programs and other universities may disregard a declaration of academic clemency in determining your eligibility for admission purposes.

If you are receiving GI Bill benefits, consult the university Veteran’s Administration representative before electing the option of academic clemency. If you take this option, you may have to repay the VA for past benefits you have received.

If academic clemency is approved, the Registrar will mark the permanent academic record with an “Academic Clemency, new GPA calculated henceforth” notation and begin the computation of a new grade point average for all subsequent course work.

Students should contact the Registrar’s Office for specific instructions regarding academic clemency.