• Two students at a Majors in Minutes event
Undeclared / Exploratory Students

»Undeclared/Exploratory Students

If you aren’t sure what you want to major in at Chapman, you can apply to be “Undeclared." If you enter Undeclared, you won’t have a declared major, but will have the freedom to explore Chapman’s academic opportunities. 

At Chapman, we celebrate exploring. That’s why first-year students who enter Undeclared are automatically added to our Exploratory Majors program.

On this site you can learn about the entire process of entering Chapman undeclared, from applying to declaring a major.


alternate text

Applying Undeclared

If you’re thinking about applying Undeclared, we’re happy to help! Some key details:

  • Applying undeclared will not negatively impact your admission chances.
  • You’ll have plenty of company: on average, around 150 Undeclared first-year students enter every fall
  • Your admission counselor is a great resource to determine if applying undeclared is right for you. 
You can learn more about the application process on our Undeclared Applicant page.

 

Exploratory Majors Program for Undeclared students

The Exploratory Majors Program for Undeclared students starts even before your first day of class. It includes dedicated advising, a pre-orientation event (including early move-in) and dedicated exploratory pathways and introductory course to Chapman.

Learn more about all of these below!

Student in an advising sessionExploratory Advising

You will have a dedicated academic advisor and access to a team of advisors across the university.

Exploratory Pathways

These academic pathways help you learn more about and take classes in a subject area you are interested in.

Student moving inExploratory Pre-Orientation Program

You will move in early and get an early introduction to the university and available resources.

Student in a classroomGUS 101 (Introduction to Chapman)

GUS 101 will introduce you to various academic areas to help you eventually select a major.

Note that selecting an Exploratory Pathway is optional. It does allow us to pre-register you in relevant courses, but we can also work with you on a personalized exploratory academic plan.


Headshot of Faith
Faith Nguyen '26
Undeclared to Economics major with minor in Music Business
Faith explored her different interests through the Exploratory Major Program and found her passion in economics. She then combined it with a minor in Music Business to pursue her dream career in the entertainment industry.

Timeline to select a major

At Chapman, you’ll need to declare a major before you earn 60 credits. Earning 60 credits takes about 4 semesters (2 years).

Before the 60-credit mark, you'll focus on:

  • Completing your General Education (GE) courses. GE courses are required courses that all students take, regardless of their major. In many cases, these courses help students narrow down their major/minor choices.
  • Taking major/minor exploration courses to better explore areas of interest. It is important to start discovering what you like (and what you don’t like).
  • Utilizing helpful resources and programming to learn about majors and careers.

Keep in mind: you can declare a major at any time. This includes during the admission process or as a current student. Your admission counselor and academic advisor will be there to help every step of the way.


Ask a student

Want to learn about certain majors? Current students are happy to help. You can search by majors and feel free to reach out with any questions.