These resources will help guide you through the academic program.
For information specific to transfer students, see the:
Course Planning Worksheet
Advising Videos
Advising Frequently Asked Questions
Each student is assigned a faculty advisor prior to arriving at Occidental. Incoming first-year students will meet their faculty advisors for the first time during Orientation. Your faculty advisor will provide guidance on course registration and help you navigate the College’s academic program.
All Occidental students enter the college undeclared. While you are not required to declare a major until the end of the second year, you are strongly encouraged to declare prior to Advising Week during spring semester of your sophomore year to ensure that you have an advisor in your major department who can help you in mapping out your courses for your junior and senior year.
Transfer students who transfer to college as juniors should declare a major during their first semester on campus.
To declare a major you will need to select a faculty advisor who is affiliated with your major department or program. Next, fill out a Major Declaration Form (available on the Registrar's Office forms page) and get signatures from your new advisor (or existing advisor if they are in your major department) and the department chair. Once complete, the Major Declaration Form should be submitted to the Registrar's Office, either via email or in person. Note: Some departments may have their own online forms that should be filled out prior to contacting the department chair for a signature ​on the Major Declaration Form. See the relevant departmental web page for more information.
To declare a minor, fill out the Minor Declaration Form (available on the Registrar's Office forms page) and get an approval signature from the relevant department chair. Once complete, the Minor Declaration Form should be submitted to the Registrar's Office, either via email or in person.
Students can change your faculty advisor at any time by filling at an Advisor Change Form (available on the Registrar's Office forms page) and submitting it to the Registrar's Office. All that is required is a signature from your new advisor. If you are ready to declare a major, you can simultaneously switch advisors using the Major Declaration Form.