Declaration of major

Each school and college has different requirements for declaring and changing majors. Follow directions for the school and college to which your intended major belongs.

College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
College of Education
College of Fine, Performing and Communication Arts
Eugene Applebaum College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences
College of Engineering
College of Nursing
Mike Ilitch School of Business

Declaration of Major Liberal Arts and Sciences
College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

Declare or change your major.


Declaration of Major Education
College of Education

Undergraduate Admission:

Undergraduate admission to the College of Education is based on two levels. Level 1 is for freshmen and sophomore working on General Education requirements, COE requirements specific to each program area, and academic majors and minors. Level 2 is for juniors and senior meeting the admission standards for Level 2 listed below. During Level 2, students will complete any remaining Level 1 coursework and the professional courses of their program.

Admission Level 1

All students intending to pursue a teaching curriculum who enter the university directly from high school or transfer from other colleges are directly admitted by the university admissions office into the College of Education Level 1.

Admission is through the University Office of Admissions, Welcome Center, 42 W. Warren Avenue, P.O. Box 02759, Detroit, Michigan 48202. The telephone number is 313-577-3577.

Admission Level 2  

entering with 53 college credits

The standards listed in the link below apply to students entering the College of Education Level 2, which includes those working toward a secondary or elementary school teaching certificate, those in a combined degree program, and those previously admitted in Level 1 to the College of Education.

Eligibility for admission is based on the following criteria.


Declaration of Major Fine, Performing and, Communication Arts
College of Fine, Performing and Communication Arts

Prerequisites for declaration or Change of Major: 

  • Student must be in good academic standing.

Procedures for Declaration or Change of Major: 


Declaration of Major  Eugene Applebaum College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences
Eugene Applebaum College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences (CPHS)

Pre-professional programs in clinical laboratory science, mortuary science, occupational therapy, pharmacy, physical therapy, radiation therapy technology and radiologic technology are taken in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. Students apply for admission to that college and fulfill requirements for general undergraduate admission to the university.  

The application process will vary depending on the program to which you are applying. Visit the program's website for specific application instructions: cphs.wayne.edu/programs

Note: All of these programs are competitive. As a result, submitting a complete application does not guarantee an interview or admission to the program to which you have applied.

Degree programs:

  • Clinical Laboratory Science 

  • Mortuary Science/Funeral Directors Program 

  • Nurse Anesthesia 

  • Occupational Therapy

  • Pathologists' Assistant

  • Pharmacy 

  • Physical Therapy 

  • Physician Assistant Studies 

  • Radiation Therapy Technology 

  • Radiologic Technology 

Note: The Office of Student Affairs, along with the program admissions committees, will communicate with applicants through email regarding application status and requests for information. Please make sure that the email address provided on your program application is checked frequently and is currently working. Any questions that you may have regarding your application should be addressed to cphsinfo@wayne.edu.


Declaration of Major Engineering
College of Engineering

Students may apply to the College of Engineering through the undergraduate admissions office. After admission to the College of Engineering, students will be placed in one of three programs according to their academic background.

Engineering Bridge Program

Designed to provide students who are interested in engineering but who may not have the necessary background in math and science to enter the four-year curriculum with a firm foundation in these subjects. All students who are eligible for admission to Wayne State can be admitted to the Engineering Bridge Program.

The Engineering Bridge Program provides students with a supportive environment as they pursue their foundation courses. Students enroll in their classes with peer groups, which meet with volunteer mentors on a weekly basis to discuss engineering and the students' courses. Bridge students receive close attention from the dean's office and academic advisors, so that academic support including tutoring services can be made available early if any difficulty is experienced. Successful completion of the Engineering Bridge Program courses a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or above with no grade lower than a C- allows students to transfer to the pre-professional program of their choice. The Engineering Bridge Program is designed to prepare students to succeed in the pre-professional and professional engineering programs.

Pre-Professional Programs

The first leg of the required engineering curriculum is the pre-professional program. Students may be admitted to this program directly from high school either as an undecided engineer or having selected a major or after having successfully completed the Engineering Bridge Program. Direct admission from high school requires students to meet all of the following criteria:

  • 2.5 overall GPA, 3.0 in math and science

  • Minimum of 22 on the Math ACT (550 on the Math SAT)

  • Placement into MAT 1800, CHM 1225, and ENG 1020 or above

In the pre-professional program, students complete their math and science courses and their introductory 1000 and 2000-level engineering courses. The cornerstone of the pre-professional program is BE 1200 an introductory, hands-on design course that introduces students to the challenges and excitement of engineering design. Once these requirements have been met, students move into the professional program of their identified major in order to complete their advanced engineering courses.

Professional Programs

Professional Programs are the final leg of a student's undergraduate engineering education. Outstanding students may be admitted to the professional program of their choice directly from high school. This requires students to have achieved all of the following:

  • 3.5 GPA overall as well as in math and science

  • Minimum of 26 on the Math ACT (650 on the Math SAT)

  • Placement into MAT 2010, CHM 1225, and ENG 1020 or above

Students directly admitted to the professional program must have an identified major. Direct admission to the program does not change the degree requirements. Within the professional program, students complete their 3000, 4000, and 5000-level engineering coursework.

Honors Programs and AGRADE

Students who qualify for the university honors program are encouraged to pursue this option as they complete their engineering program. Many of the required courses for engineering students including English, calculus, and biology can be taken for honors credit. In addition, the honors option can be elected for engineering courses in order to satisfy a portion of the 24 required credits for university honors. Students interested in earning engineering honors in addition to university honors should meet with the associate dean for academic affairs to plan their curriculum. This requires taking a minimum of 12 of the 24 credits in honors-designated courses within engineering, as well as conducting the required honors thesis within the college. Students who excel in their undergraduate program may apply in their junior year to the college's Accelerated Graduate Enrollment (AGRADE) program. This program allows students to earn an M.S. degree in their major field or a related engineering discipline through the completion of 16 credits in addition to their B.S. requirements. This additional work is typically completed in one year, instead of the two years generally spent on an M.S. In addition, AGRADE saves students a significant portion of the tuition costs associated with graduate work.

 Admissions and Program Information for the College of Engineering


Declaration of Major Nursing
College of Nursing

Bachelor of Science in Nursing, Traditional Program

Students in this category are presumed to be entering professional nursing for the first time. They are admitted through university undergraduate admissions and complete a pre-professional nursing program offered by the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.

Applicants are eligible to apply to the traditional bachelor of science in nursing program if they are entering professional nursing for the first time and have completed a minimum of 30 semester credits and all prerequisites (see below). Applicants must complete all prerequisite courses with a grade of "C" or better in each course and must have a minimum 2.5 GPA in prerequisite courses to be eligible for admission consideration. A minimum grade point average of 2.5 is also required in prerequisite science courses. If any professional nursing courses have been taken, grades earned in those courses will be taken into account. Admission to the program is competitive; completion of prerequisites with minimum requirements does not guarantee admission.  

Read more declaring a major in nursing.


Declaration of Major Mike Ilitch School of Business
Mike Ilitch School of Business

All students intending to pursue business who enter the university directly from high school or transfer from other colleges are directly admitted by the university admissions office into the Mike Ilitch School of Business. Advising information can be found here.