Declaring a Major and Major Advising
Students declare a major at the beginning of their fourth semester at Bowdoin and advising shifts from a liberal arts advisor to a faculty member within their major department(s) or program. These faculty are specialists in that discipline, familiar with the major requirements. They can also help students explore ideas for independent studies or an honors project and begin planning for post-college plans. If a student double-majors, they will have an advisor for each major. Students can request a change of major advisor through their department’s chair or Academic Department Coordinator, if needed.
Key components of major advising include:
Academic Planning
- Major advisors help students plan out required courses and electives to complete the major efficiently.
- They guide students on prerequisites, sequencing classes, independent studies and honors projects, and how courses align with academic goals.
Degree Progress & Requirements
- Advising includes regular reviews of progress toward degree completion; students and advisors use the Academic Progress Report in Workday to track requirements.
- Advisors release the registration “Advisor Hold” each term, confirming that course choices align with the academic plan. If you have multiple advisors, only one needs to release the hold, though students are encouraged to consult all of them.
- Bowdoin requires distribution and division requirements to be completed by the end of a student’s junior year.
Broader Academic Support
- Major advisors can also discuss study away options relevant to a major, independent studies, research opportunities, and how to integrate internships or pre-professional goals.
- They often help students think about post-college plans related to the field of study.