Prospective Students

The word "exploratory" is used to describe a student who has yet to declare a major in a baccalaureate program. In the past, the term that was used to describe such students was "undecided," which is somewhat misleading. The term "exploratory" truly captures the essence of those students who want to explore their many options for a baccalaureate program.

• Students who are interested in learning more about the 125+ majors offered at UC.
• Students who are interested in a few areas but want to take time to confirm their best-fit major.
• Students who have decided on a major but have not yet met the admission requirements.
• Students who originally had a declared major but want to switch to Exploratory Studies to search for a new major.

• Exploratory Studies is the largest major at UC and across the country.
• 80% of college-bound students are undecided about their major selection.
• 50% of college-bound students with declared majors, switch majors--many do so 2-3 times during their college career.
• Up to 75% of all college students change their major at least once.
• Most students who take advantage of our services originally declared a major and then determined that it was the wrong fit.

• As an exploratory student you will be assigned to one of the professional advisors in CES.
• Depending on your personal needs, an individualized advising plan will be created which may include the following services:
  • Academic Advising with Specialized Course Planning
  • "Discovering UC" Exploratory Course 
  • Guidance on gaining acceptance into another UC College
  • Personalized Assessments (to evaluate personal values, interests, abilities, and preferences)
  • Faculty and Staff Interactions
  • Experiential and Service Learning Opportunities
  • First Year Experinces and Learning Communities
• Our goal is to empower you to choose your best-fit major or gain admission to your academic program of choice.

Check out our most Frequently Asked Questions about Exploratory Studies.

Choose a link below to view a video on the transition requirements for the following colleges:

• College of Allied Health Sciences (CAHS)
• College-Conservatory of Music (CCM)
• College of Engineering and Applied Sciences (CEAS)
• College of Design, Architecture, Art, and Planning (DAAP)
• Lindner College of Business (LCB)