Undeclared Options

Undecided about your college major? You’re not alone. Almost two thirds of all college students change their major in their first year. Why not enroll in a program that will help you make a well-informed decision from the start? RIT offers several options for undeclared students. University Exploration is for students with interests in two or more of RIT’s colleges, and nine of our colleges or departments offer undeclared options. There’s even an option that lets you design your own degree program.

University Exploration Program

You may have interests that span a wide variety of majors. University Exploration is RIT’s broadest and most flexible undeclared option, allowing you to spend a full year exploring all that RIT has to offer. You’ll work with academic advisors to define your interests and choose the major that best matches your goals.

Dewey standing next to a student

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Undeclared Options

Among the host of opportunities to take advantage of at RIT are a variety of undeclared programs that allow you to freely explore your academic interests before deciding on a specific major. RIT offers nine exploration options that provide you with an introduction to RIT’s academic programs, as well as individual advising and career counseling to help you understand your interests and choose the major that bests matches your professional aspirations.

Art and Design Exploration

A passion for the visual arts, a drive to design compelling graphics, illustrations, and more. The art and design exploration option allows you to investigate majors in the schools of Art and Design while you build skills in a foundations program, which provides you with a broad set of introductory experiences in several areas of the visual arts.

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Business Exploration

With nine majors in areas as diverse as finance, management information systems, hospitality, and marketing, you can explore the many facets of business and management as you complete core business and liberal arts courses.

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Computing Exploration

Take the time to explore RIT’s computing majors while you complete courses in computer science, computing security, and web development. As you narrow your interests and define your career aspirations, you can add courses in the computing majors that interest you.

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Engineering Exploration

Need more time to explore RIT's engineering majors? Engineering exploration allows you to discover which program bests meets your career goals. You’ll complete foundation courses, meet faculty, participate in personalized advising, tour facilities, and talk with upper-class students while deciding on an engineering discipline to study.

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Engineering Technology Exploration

Spend up to a year learning about our engineering technology and packaging science programs before selecting a major. While you investigate our majors, you’ll complete an exploration course that explains the unique characteristics of each program as you participate in foundation courses that prepare you for any of our programs of study.

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Liberal Arts Exploration

It’s all about flexibility in the liberal arts exploration option. Try different courses as you participate in individualized academic advising designed to help you define your interests, professional goals, and career aspirations. Complete general education requirements while you take up to two years to choose a major in the humanities and social sciences.

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Photographic Arts and Sciences Exploration

With a range of photography specialties to choose from, you may need extra time to decide which bests meets your career objectives. Photographic arts and sciences exploration provides insight into our photography majors and their options, making it easy for you to understand the nuances of each and where your professional interests may lie.

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Science Exploration

With majors spread across the life, health, physical, and medical sciences, you may need more time deciding which major meets your career goals. The science exploration program is a year-long option in which you’ll work in teams designing, building, and conducting scientific research to achieve a goal that is presented on the first day of class. As a result, students develop an in-depth appreciation for the specific field in which their team is involved while simultaneously learning about our range of majors in different science disciplines.

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Individualized degrees

Are you an independent, mission-driven learner? RIT has degree options that allow students to explore the integration of multiple degree programs to create a customized program that meets specific career aspirations.

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