Generally you can expect to declare your major in the second half of your second year. The rules: you can declare a major once you have 39 academic credits (including transfer credits); you must declare a major once you have 54 credits.
Once you've decided what you want to major in, declaring a major is easy:
The major you choose will have its own set of requirements, determined by that academic program. Your major advisor can help you navigate that landscape to accomplish your goals and make sure you're meeting the major's requirements.
Some programs have additional requirements or approvals:
At William & Mary, you may declare a major, two majors (double-major) or a major and a minor. If your natural interests are leading you to an academic area that is outside your declared major, you might consider completing that minor's requirements and declaring a secondary program of studies.
Usually a minor consists of 18-22 credit hours. You must maintain at least a 2.0 grade point average in the minor courses, and none of those courses can be taken pass/fail. A maximum of two courses may be counted toward both a major and a minor. See the Undergraduate Catalog's Requirements for Degrees for more rules surrounding minors.
You will file the request to minor with the Office of the University Registrar after you complete 39 credit hours but no later than the last day of add/drop in the semester you plan to graduate (if you plan to graduate in the summer, the deadline is the last day of add/drop in the spring).
To declare a minor:
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