Qualifications

Although Environmental Studies does not have a "pre-major" that must be completed before applying, students should complete at least one of the lower-division Environmental Studies courses (ENV S 1, 2, or 3) and at least two additional lower-division course required as part of the Preparation for the Major. Exceptions for those who are currently enrolled in one of the above courses or for other extreme circumstances will be considered. There is no minimum GPA requirement to declare a major in Environmental Studies. A student should just be in good academic standing (overall GPA of 2.0 or higher) at the time they submit the change of major forms.

The change of major process takes on average a 1-2 weeks to be completed by the Registrar and posted on GOLD (double majors and seniors may take an additional week or more). The process is run through the UCSB Student Success Hub web portal. Info on how to complete the change of major process is provided below.

If you have any questions please email advising@es.ucsb.edu or visit the ES Academic Advisors in Bren 4312. 

How to Declare

The change of major process has moved to UCSB’s Student Success Hub (SSH). Using SSH, students are able to track the progress of their change of major as it is reviewed by the major department and, if necessary, by their college.  You can access the SSH by clicking here. 
You will need to select one of the three degrees offered within Environmental Studies:

  • Environmental Studies, B.A. (2024-2025)
  • Environmental Studies, B.S. (2024-2025)
  • Hydrologic Science and Policy, B.S. (2024-2025)

Note: If you are switching to a major in another college (for example from Letters and Science to Computer Science in the College of Engineering) contact the new department advisor before you begin the process. For the College of Creative Studies, consult a college advisor.

After the appropriate department(s) have approved the change, allow 1-2 weeks for College of Letters & Science approval. Once the change of major has been approved in SSH, it will appear automatically in GOLD.

Why would you need the College's Approval?

In most cases, the department's approval is all you need. However, the approval of the Dean of Undergraduate Education is also needed if:

  • You are attempting to change your major after you have completed 135 units or more (i.e., Senior Standing)
  • You are changing to or from the College of Engineering or College of Creative Studies. 
  • You are proposing a double major (see Double Major Petition below).

Note: Students who request a change of major late in their academic careers may not be approved if they need to complete more than 200 units to fulfill all degree requirements. Departmental undergraduate advisors can assist students in understanding the parameters impacting admission to the majors of their choice.

If you are changing between UCSB Colleges, or looking to enroll in Dual Colleges, you will need to follow some additional instructions provided on the College of L&S Change of Major webpage here.  Scroll down to the Change of College Petition link or the Dual College Petition link, and read the directions.