Requesting a Major, Minor, or Cognate Change

At UM, what students usually call a "double major" or "dual major" is called an additional major. You keep your primary major and add a second one alongside it. For additional majors, you do not need to complete all of the degree requirements on the curriculum page in the Bulletin, but check for an "additional major" tab in the Bulletin.

Not every program is available as an additional major, and some have their own admission requirements. Check the program's information in the Bulletin, then confirm with your Cane Navigator.

Find a program in the Bulletin

If a second major does not fit your timeline, a minor or a cognate may be a better way to build depth in another area. Most minors and cognates do not require changing your school or college, though availability and eligibility vary by program.

Explore minors  |  Explore cognates

Every UM undergraduate, with the exception of Foote Fellows, has to cover three areas of knowledge in their degree: arts and humanities, people and society, and science, technology, engineering, math (STEM). You can satisfy these through your major(s), your minor(s), or a cognate.

Because of that, changing your major can change which cognates you still need. If you move from a STEM major to a people and society major, for example, you may no longer need a people and society cognate, but you may now need a STEM one. It depends on everything you have declared, so a STEM minor might already cover you.

This is worth checking before you submit a change, not after.

Explore what areas of knowledge majors & minors cover.  

Your Cane Navigator can map it out with you, if you need help.

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