C6.18 Changing Course or Department

How to Change Major or Transfer College After Enrolling in a UK University?

Changing college and changing major: In the UK, a "college" (also referred to as a "department") generally refers to a school within the university, while a "major" refers to a specific academic discipline.

For example, colleges include a university’s Business School, Engineering College, etc. Majors include Business Administration, Automotive Engineering, etc.

Transferring college means moving from one college to another. A university typically has several to dozens of colleges, each encompassing many related majors. Transferring college thus implies changing major as well—for instance, moving from the Business School to the Engineering College.

Changing major means switching from one academic discipline to another. Since a single college houses multiple majors, changing major within the same university can be done within the same college or across colleges (directly transferring to a major in another college).

In principle, UK universities do not allow students to change major after enrollment. This is due to various factors, including fixed enrollment quotas for each major. However, changes to major or college are permitted under specific circumstances—unless the target major has strict entry requirements, the course has progressed too far to catch up, or the major is already full.

Changing major within the same college is generally easier. Additionally, transferring from a specialized major to a more general one like those in Business Schools is relatively straightforward—for example, a Biology student switching to Marketing. The reverse (e.g., a Marketing student moving to Biology) is more difficult but possible if the student meets the major’s requirements and receives approval from all relevant parties.

Specific requirements and processes vary by university. For example, applications may need to be submitted within a certain timeframe (such as one week after enrollment—exact duration depends on the university; some require it within two weeks, while others mandate it before registration). Students must also meet the target major’s rigid requirements, which may include submitting portfolios or other materials. The application requires signatures of approval from faculty in both the original and target colleges, and enrollment availability in the target major must be confirmed. Essentially, most UK universities approve such requests if students meet the criteria and complete the required procedures.

For example, a friend of mine initially studied Human Resource Management but found it unappealing after one week of classes. They applied to switch to Media Studies, which also involved transferring colleges—Human Resource Management belongs to the Business School, while Media Studies is part of the Arts and Humanities College.