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SOAR Information by Major

The College of Letters & Science has over 60 majors, covering fields of study in the sciences, social sciences, arts and humanities.

Please see the following welcome messages and tips from majors in L&S for entering freshman and transfer students. Feel free to contact the individuals and offices listed with questions about specific majors in the College.

Please send any edits or updates to this directory to Catherine Farry at cfarryth@wisc.edu.

List of Majors

African Languages & Literature

Website: http://african.lss.wisc.edu/
Department Address: 1410 Van Hise Hall
Email: afrlang@mailplus.wisc.edu
Phone: (608) 262-2487

Options in the Major

Honors, and some support for informal "tracks" (five languages, literature, linguistics, SLA)

How do students meet with a department advisor?

Our Undergraduate Advisor is Professor Harold Scheub, who is best reached during his office hours: Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. in 1408 Van Hise Hall.

For students seeking to declare a major or with questions about their DARS, please contact the Department Office first at afrlang@mailplus.wisc.edu or by visiting 1410 Van Hise Hall.

Major Declaration Information

We recommend that undergraduates declare our major during their sophomore year. However, students may declare at any time.

We also recommend that majors consider the African Studies Certificate, as the completion of our degree requirements go a long way towards the completion of that certificate’s requirements.

Is African Languages & Literature a limited enrollment major?

Does African Languages & Literature have a competitive admission requirement?

Advice for Incoming Freshman

Language courses are currently offered on an annual cycle with semesters 1, 3, 5 (and 7 in Arabic) taught in the Fall, and semesters 2, 4, 6 (and 8 in Arabic) taught in the Spring. Please plan accordingly to avoid schedule conflicts later on.

We also encourage study abroad and/or language immersion study; please consider such opportunities as you plan your undergraduate career.

For advanced placement in a language program, please contact the Department Office or the coordinator of that program to inquire about a placement assessment. (This is not available for all languages.)

Advice for Incoming Transfer Students

We also encourage study abroad and/or language immersion study; please consider such opportunities as you plan your undergraduate career.

You may also be eligible for advanced placement based on your transfer credits. The department determines transfer course equivalency after your transfer credits are approved, and equivalency decisions are based on the syllabi and course materials that you provide.

Afro-American Studies

Website: http://afroamericanstudies.wisc.edu/programs/undergrad.html
Department Address: 4141 Helen C. White Hall, 600 North Park Street
Email: rhschmidt@wisc.edu
Phone: (608) 263-1642

Options in the Major

History & Society
Culture
Black Women's Studies

The department has added a new 15-credit certificate in Afro-American Studies for those who do not wish to pursue the 30-credit major.

How do students meet with a department advisor?

The new undergraduate adviser for the Afro-American Studies major is Dr. Sandra Adell. She can be reached at saadell@wisc.edu.

Major Declaration Information

We recommend declaration at the start of the junior year.

Is Afro-American Studies a limited enrollment major?

Does Afro-American Studies have a competitive admission requirement?

Advice for Incoming Freshman

Make contact with the department as soon as possible through the student services coordinator (rhschmidt@wisc.edu).

Advice for Incoming Transfer Students

Make contact with the department as soon as possible through the student services coordinator (rhschmidt@wisc.edu).

Anthropology

Website: http://www.anthropology.wisc.edu
Department Address: 5240 W.H. Sewell Social Science Building, 1180 Observatory Drive
Email: anthroinfo@mailplus.wisc.edu
Phone: (608) 262-2866

Options in the Major

Cultural Anthropology
Biological Anthropology
Archeological Anthropology
Archeology Certificate

How do students meet with a department advisor?

Send the undergraduate advisor, Professor Hawks, an email at jhawks@wisc.edu.

Major Declaration Information

Students can declare the major at any time. There are no entry requirements. The student has to meet with the undergraduate advisor (Professor Hawks) and have him sign the declaration form.

Is Anthropology a limited enrollment major?

Does Anthropology have a competitive admission requirement?

Applied Math, Engineering and Physics

Information coming soon.

Art History

Website: http://arthistory.wisc.edu/undergrad/index.html
Department Address: 800 University Avenue
Email: ejkaul@wisc.edu
Phone: (608) 263-2373

Options in the Major

Standard program
Asian option
Honors in the major

How do students meet with a department advisor?

Students are encouraged to email or call undergraduate advisor Teddy Kaul (contact information listed above) to make an appointment. Since all Art History classes are in the Elvehjem Building, students may also stop by his office and meet with him depending on appointment load. See the following link for information about office hours and location: http://arthistory.wisc.edu/bio/kaulbio.html.

Major Declaration Information

Students are encouraged to declare the major as early as their freshman year if they know they are interested in pursuing Art History as a major. We send information out to our declared majors that undeclared majors do not receive.

Here is a link to requirements for the various programs in Art History: http://pubs.wisc.edu/ug/ls_arthist.htm#req.

There are no specific requirements that need to be met in order to declare the major. Here is a stepwise process for declaring the major: http://arthistory.wisc.edu/undergrad/declare.html.

There is a declaration form and a questionnaire that needs to be filled out and the details are described in the link above.

Is Art History a limited enrollment major?

Does Art History have a competitive admission requirement?

Advice for Incoming Freshman

Set up an appointment to meet with Teddy Kaul, the undergraduate advisor, as soon as you can. If you have questions about declaring the major or anything Art History related, Teddy will make time to meet with you promptly.

Students in the Art History major who take advantage of the opportunity to set up meetings with the advisor get a lot of one-on-one time for discussing academic career plans, course regimen, planning course schedules, certificate options, internship options, involvement with the Art History Society, etc.

Advice for Incoming Transfer Students

Asian Studies

Asian Studies (Concentration on Southeast Asia)

Website: http://www.seasia.wisc.edu
Department Address: 207 Ingraham Hall
Email: mmcullin@wisc.edu
Phone: (608) 263-1755

Options in the Major

None

How do students meet with a department advisor?

An appointment can be made by calling (608) 263-1755 and asking for Mike Cullinane; or by contacting Mike Cullinane by email at mmcullin@wisc.edu.

Major Declaration Information

Students may declare at any time during their study at UW-Madison; it is recommended that the declaration be made at the end of the 2nd year or at the beginning of the 3rd year.

Is Asian Studies a limited enrollment major?

Does Asian Studies have a competitive admission requirement?

Advice for Incoming Freshman

Students with an interest in Southeast Asia should contact Mike Cullinane as soon as possible to discuss the many options at UW-Madison to pursue this interest.

If students want to explore this interest before declaring the major, they are advised to take History 244 (Introduction to Southeast Asia), which is crosslisted in Geography, Languages and Cultures of Asia, Political Science, and Sociology.

Students should also know that to complete the major they will have to complete two years of study of a Southeast Asian language (we offer Filipino, Hmong, Indonesian, Thai, and Vietnamese).

Advice for Incoming Transfer Students

Contact Mike Cullinane as soon as possible to inquire about the program: (608) 263-1755; mmcullin@wisc.edu.

Astronomy-Physics

Website: www.astro.wisc.edu/
Department Address: 2554 Sterling Hall
Email: pittman@astro.wisc.edu
Phone: (608) 890-3775

Options in the major

None

How do students set up a meeting with a department advisor?

To set up an appointment for course advising, contact the Astronomy Department Undergraduate Advisor: Prof. Snezana Stanimirovic, sstanimi@astro.wisc.edu or Sharon Pittman, pittman@astro.wisc.edu, 2554 Sterling Hall, (608) 890-3775 if Prof. Stanimirovic is not available.

Major Declaration Information

Before declaring the major, students must complete Physics 247, 248, and 249 (recommended sequence), or 207, 208, and 241, or Physics 201, 202, 205.

Is Astronomy-Physics a limited enrollment major?

Does Astronomy-Physics have a competitive admission requirement?

Advice for Incoming Freshman

For the Astronomy-Physics major course requirements see the College of Letters & Science Undergraduate Catalog: http://pubs.wisc.edu/ug/10lettsci/depts/astron.html.

To view the suggested course sequence for the first and second semesters, see page 15 of the Physics Handbook: http://www.physics.wisc.edu/undergrads/handbook.pdf.

Advice for Incoming Transfer Students

For the Astronomy-Physics major course requirements see the College of Letters & Science Undergraduate Catalog: http://pubs.wisc.edu/ug/10lettsci/depts/astron.html.

To view the suggested course sequence for the first and second semesters, see page 15 of the Physics Handbook: http://www.physics.wisc.edu/undergrads/handbook.pdf.

If needed, to set up and appointment for course advising contact the Astronomy Department Undergraduate Advisor: Associate Professor Snezana Stanimirovic, sstanimi@astro.wisc.edu.

Atmospheric & Oceanic Sciences

Website: http://www.aos.wisc.edu/
Department Address: 1225 W. Dayton Street
Email: dvimont@wisc.edu
Phone: (608) 262-2827

Options in the Major

None

How do students meet with a department advisor?

Professor Dan Vimont is the undergraduate advisor. He can be reached at dvimont@wisc.edu.

Major Declaration Information

Students can declare anytime after the core courses are completed. Most students declare their Junior year.

Is Atmospheric & Oceanic Sciences a limited enrollment major?

Does Atmospheric & Oceanic Sciences have a competitive admission requirement?

Yes. Atmospheric & Oceanic Sciences requires a GPA of at least 2.25.

Advice for Incoming Freshman

See www.aos.wisc.edu.

Advice for Incoming Transfer Students

See www.aos.wisc.edu.

Biochemistry

Website: http://www.biochem.wisc.edu/undergraduate_program/
Department Address: 433 Babcock Drive
Email: undergradadvisor@biochem.wisc.edu
Phone: (608) 265-9846

Options in the Major

None

How do students meet with a department advisor?

Students should schedule online via WiscCal Scheduling Assistant.

Major Declaration Information

Students can declare at any time, no courses are needed to declare. Declaration is recommended early in a student’s career.

Is Biochemistry a limited enrollment major?

Does Biochemistry have a competitive admission requirement?

Advice for Incoming Freshman

Recommended 1st semester schedule: Chem 103 OR 109, Math 221 OR 222, Humanities/Foreign Language/Social Science course, Biochem 375: Freshman Biochemistry Seminar OR any First-Year Seminar course from the approved list (see http://www.newstudent.wisc.edu/practices/CALS.php).

Meet with JJ Hardy, the biochemistry advisor, before spring enrollment (mid-late November) your freshman year.

Get involved on campus!

Student organizations: http://cfli.wisc.edu/index.htm
Volunteer opportunities: http://www.morgridge.wisc.edu/
Student jobs: http://jobcenter.wisc.edu/
Intramural sports: http://recsports.wisc.edu/intramuralsports.html

Advice for Incoming Transfer Students

Be sure to connect with JJ Hardy, the biochemistry advisor, or another representative from biochemistry on course selection.

Biological Aspects of Conservation

Website: http://www.biology.wisc.edu/bac
Department Address: 445 Henry Mall, Room 118
Email: BAC@biology.wisc.edu
Phone: (608) 262-9690; (608) 262-6836; (608) 262-5267

Options in the Major

None

How do students meet with a department advisor?

Students will need to schedule an appointment with Will Lipske, Mary Smith, or Brian Asen online.

Appointments can be scheduled 24 hrs in advance, and are generally limited to 8:30-4:30, Monday through Friday.

Major Declaration Information

Students are encouraged to declare early in their undergraduate career.

We recommend students declare as soon as they’ve decided to major in BAC.

Students need to schedule an appointment with a BAC advisor to declare.

No prerequisite coursework required.

Is Biological Aspects of Conservation a limited enrollment major?

Does Biological Aspects of Conservation have a competitive admission requirement?

Advice for Incoming Freshman

Students will often start with chemistry (based on math placement and post-graduate intentions, Chem 103 or 108) and/or a physical environments course for the major.

Students may also want to consider enrolling in Biology 375 (Exploring Biology), URS, or a FIG in the life sciences.

Advice for Incoming Transfer Students

Make sure to meet with an advisor from the BAC major at SOAR.

It is often helpful to save/bring with you any syllabi in biology, chemistry, or statistics as coursework transferring in as an elective could be used to fulfill a major requirement via exception.

Exceptions will not be processed until a student declares a major.

Biology

Website: www.biology.wisc.edu/biologymajor
Department Address: 445 Henry Mall, Room 118
Email: biologymajor@biology.wisc.edu
Phone: (608) 265-2600

Options in the Major

Evolutionary Biology
Neurobiology

How do students meet with a department advisor?

Students will need to schedule an appointment with Will Lipske, Mary Smith, or Brian Asen online at https://tools.wisccal.wisc.edu/available/public/tags/Biology+Major.

Students should meet with an advisor based on their last name: Will Lipske (A-C), Mary Smith (D-M) or Brian Asen (N-Z).

Appointments can be schedule 24 hrs in advance, and are generally limited to 8:30-4:30, Monday through Friday.

Major Declaration Information

Students are encouraged to declare their early in their undergraduate career. We recommend students declare as soon as they’ve decided to major in Biology. Students need to schedule an appointment with an advisor to declare. No prerequisite coursework required.

Is Biology a limited enrollment major?

Does Biology have a competitive admission requirement?

Advice for Incoming Freshman

Students will often start with chemistry and math based on placement test scores or AP/IB exams. Students may also want to consider enrolling in Biology 375 (Exploring Biology), URS, or a FIG in the life sciences.

Advice for Incoming Transfer Students

Make sure to meet with an advisor from the Biology major at SOAR. It is often helpful to save/bring with you any syllabi in biology, math, chemistry, statistics, or physics as coursework transferring in as an elective could be used to fulfill a major requirement via exception. Exceptions will not be processed until a student declares a major.

Botany

Website: http://www.botany.wisc.edu/undergraduatestudy.htm
Department Address: 123 Birge Hall
Email: kjsytsma@wisc.edu; amherrturoff@wisc.edu
Phone: (608) 262-4490; (608) 262-0476

Options in the Major

None

How do students meet with a department advisor?

Contact faculty intake advisor, Kenneth Sytsma, kjystma@wisc.edu.

Major Declaration Information

Students should declare during or after first introductory biology course.

We recommend declaration by sophomore year.

Is Botany a limited enrollment major?

Does Botany have a competitive admission requirement?

Advice for Incoming Freshman

Start general chemistry. Take Botany 130 (as option 1 for introductory biology) fall or spring semester. Take Biol 151 and/or 152 (as option 2 for introductory biology) as early as possible.

Advice for Incoming Transfer Students

Contact faculty intake advisor once course transfers are known: Kenneth Sytsma, kjystma@wisc.edu.

Cartography and Geographic Information Systems

Cartography & Geographic Information Systems

Website: http://www.geography.wisc.edu/undergraduate/
Department Address: 550 N. Park Street
Email: reroth@wisc.edu
Phone: (608) 262-1453

Options in the Major

None

How do students meet with a department advisor?

Prof. Robert Roth, Cart/GIS advisor, holds regular walk-in office hours during the semester in Science Hall Room 421. Please contact Prof. Roth at reroth@wisc.edu to make an appointment outside of office hours.

Major Declaration Information

Students can declare the major at any time, but sophomore year is recommended.

There are no entry requirements, but we recommend that students take Geography 370 and 377 in their first declared semester.

Is Cartography & Geographic Information Systems a limited enrollment major?

Does Cartography & Geographic Information Systems have a competitive admission requirement?

Advice for Incoming Freshman

Geog 170 “Our Digital Globe: An Overview of GIScience and its Technology” is the introductory course in GIScience, and is offered every semester.While this does not count towards the Cart/GIS major requirements, it acts as a solid survey course to learn more about the major.

Contact Prof. Roth to get involved early in the student groups related to Cart/GIS.

The Cartography/GIS major prepares students to enter the booming area of geospatial information technologies. The Department of Labor recently published statistics that nearly 500,000 Americans currently are employed in a geospatial-related career, with a prediction that an additional 100,000 jobs will be created in the next ten years. The major focuses on professionalized assignments that allow students to gain demonstrable experience with both geospatial concepts and software.

Advice for Incoming Transfer Students

370 (Intro to Cartography) and 377 (Intro to GIS) are open to sophomores or above.

Transfer majors are encouraged to discuss transfer courses and their DARS reports thoroughly with their advisor.

Chemistry

Website: http://chem.wisc.edu/
Department Address: 1328 Chemistry
Email: undergradchem@chem.wisc.edu
Phone: (608) 263-2424

Options in the Major

None

How do students meet with a department advisor?

http://chem.wisc.edu/content/undergraduate-advising

Major Declaration Information

The requirement for declaring the chemistry major is completion of General Chemistry (either Chem 103 and 104, or Chem 109, or Chem 115 and 116) and a minimum 2.5 GPA in all chemistry classes.

Transfer students need to complete at least one chemistry class at UW-Madison and have a minimum 2.5 GPA in all chemistry classes taken at UW-Madison.

http://chem.wisc.edu/content/declaring-major

Is Chemistry a limited enrollment major?

Does Chemistry have a competitive admission requirement?

Advice for Incoming Freshman

Take a General Chemistry course, either Chem 103, 109 or 115.

Take a Math course, either Math 221 or 222, as appropriate.

Advice for Incoming Transfer Students

Take the next chemistry course in the sequence. This is usually Chem 343 Organic Chemisty I, Chem 345 Organic Chemistry II or Chem 329 Analytical Chemistry.

Talk with the Chemistry Consultant for more information.

Chemistry Course

Chemistry

Website: http://chem.wisc.edu/
Department Address: 1328 Chemistry
Email: undergradchem@chem.wisc.edu
Phone: (608) 263-2424

Options in the Major

None

How do students meet with a department advisor?

http://chem.wisc.edu/content/undergraduate-advising

Major Declaration Information

The requirement for declaring the chemistry major is completion of General Chemistry (either Chem 103 and 104, or Chem 109, or Chem 115 and 116) and a minimum 2.5 GPA in all chemistry classes.

Transfer students need to complete at least one chemistry class at UW-Madison and have a minimum 2.5 GPA in all chemistry classes taken at UW-Madison.

http://chem.wisc.edu/content/declaring-major

Is Chemistry a limited enrollment major?

Does Chemistry have a competitive admission requirement?

Advice for Incoming Freshman

Take a General Chemistry course, either Chem 103, 109 or 115.

Take a Math course, either Math 221 or 222, as appropriate.

Advice for Incoming Transfer Students

Take the next chemistry course in the sequence. This is usually Chem 343 Organic Chemisty I, Chem 345 Organic Chemistry II or Chem 329 Analytical Chemistry.

Talk with the Chemistry Consultant for more information.

Chinese

Website: http://www.eall.wisc.edu/?q=node/7
Department Address: 1212 Van Hise Hall
Email: huntington@wisc.edu
Phone: (608) 262-2291

Options in the Major

None

How do students meet with a department advisor?

Students can email Professor Rania Huntington at huntington@wisc.edu.

Major Declaration Information

Students should declare after completing the first year of Chinese language study.

Is Chinese a limited enrollment major?

Does Chinese have a competitive admission requirement?

Advice for Incoming Freshman

If you have had previous Chinese language study, contact our department about taking a placement test.

Advice for Incoming Transfer Students

If you have had previous Chinese language study, contact our department about taking a placement test.

Classical Humanities

Website: http://classics.lss.wisc.edu/
Department Address: 910 Van Hise Hall, 1220 Linden Drive
Email: jbeneker@wisc.edu (advisor)
Phone: (608) 262-2041

Options in the Major

Emphasis in Latin
Emphasis in Greek

How do students meet with a department advisor?

Email undergraduate advisor Jeffrey Beneker at jbeneker@wisc.edu or call (608) 262-2041

Major Declaration Information

Students can declare at any time

Is Classical Humanities a limited enrollment major?

Does Classical Humanities have a competitive admission requirement?

Advice for Incoming Freshman

The major requires two years of Latin and/or Greek, and it's best to start one of the languages right away. You may take two years of either Latin or Greek, or one year of each. You should also enroll in at least one Classics course (a course in literature in translation, culture, or archaeology) during your freshman year.

Placement testing is advised for students entering from high school and may be obtained by contacting Testing and Evaluation Services or attending SOAR. Consult the Classics Latin Program director in all cases of doubt with test scores.

Credit by course examination (retroactive credit) may be earned for work done elsewhere, particularly in high school, by validating it through coursework at UW-Madison. The validating course must be the student’s first college-level Latin course; it must be taken before earning 30 degree credits and the student must earn at least a B to earn college credit for prerequisite work.

Advice for Incoming Transfer Students

Get in touch with the undergraduate advisor immediately about transfer credits and courses.

Classics

Website: http://classics.lss.wisc.edu/
Department Address: 910 Van Hise Hall, 1220 Linden Drive
Email: jbeneker@wisc.edu (advisor)
Phone: (608) 262-2041

Options in the Major

Emphasis in Latin
Emphasis in Greek

How do students meet with a department advisor?

Email undergraduate advisor Jeffrey Beneker at jbeneker@wisc.edu or call (608) 262-2041

Major Declaration Information

Students can declare at any time

Is Classical Humanities a limited enrollment major?

Does Classical Humanities have a competitive admission requirement?

Advice for Incoming Freshman

Start Latin and Greek as soon as possible for the Classics major.

Latin courses 302 and below are open to freshmen with sufficient preparation. Placement testing is advised for students entering from high school and may be obtained by contacting Testing and Evaluation Services or attending SOAR.

Consult the Classics Latin Program director in all cases of doubt with test scores. Credit by course examination (retroactive credit) may be earned for work done elsewhere, particularly in high school, by validating it through course work at UW-Madison. The validating course must be the student's first college-level Latin course; it must be taken before earning 30 degree credits and the student must earn at least a B to earn college credit for prerequisite work.

Advice for Incoming Transfer Students

Get in touch with the undergraduate advisor immediately about transfer credits and courses.

Communication Arts

Website: http://commarts.wisc.edu/undergraduate/
Department Address: 821 University Avenue, Advising offices: 6070 and 6068 Vilas Hall
Email: merossa@wisc.edu; aaschultz3@wisc.edu
Phone: (608) 262-2543

Options in the Major

Communication Science & Rhetorical Studies
Radio-Television-Film

How do students meet with a department advisor?

Advising appointments are scheduled through the Communication Arts Department Office at 6117 Vilas Hall, (608)262-2543.

Due to the popularity of the Communication Arts major, freshmen advising is limited.

Major Declaration Information

Students must apply to the Communication Arts major during the semester in which they are completing their third communication arts class numbered 200 and above (excluding Directed Study and UW Study Abroad) at UW-Madison.

Transfer students also apply to the communication arts major during the semester in which they are completing their third communication arts class at UW-Madison, regardless of course work completed elsewhere.

Is Communication Arts a limited enrollment major?

Does Communication Arts have a competitive admission requirement?

Yes. Applicants to the Communication Arts major who earned a B average or higher in their Communication Arts courses numbered 200 and above (excluding Directed Study and UW Study Abroad) at UW-Madison are admitted to the major.

An appeals process, allowing applicants with less than a B average to petition for one additional semester to achieve the requisite GPA, is available for exceptional circumstances. A letter explaining the appeals process will be sent to the student's mailing address.

Please note that students who have not met the requisite GPA at the end of the semester in which they completed their third course may not apply/reapply for admission to the Communication Arts major, even if they continue to take classes in the Department of Communication Arts, unless they have been granted an additional semester through the appeals process.

When an appeal semester is granted, the student has one additional semester to take Comm Arts courses to try to achieve the B average in Comm Arts. Students who have satisfied the requirements for admission to the major, but did not apply while they were completing their third course, should contact one of the advisors for additional information.

Advice for Incoming Freshman

Don’t be discouraged if you aren’t able to register for a Communication Arts course during your first semester. Focus on your other degree requirements and adjusting to college life.

Advice for Incoming Transfer Students

Communication Arts is a competitive admission program, so register for only one Communication Arts course during your first semester at UW-Madison. Take the fundamentals course for the concentration within the major that you want to pursue (Com Arts 250 or 260).

Communication Sciences and Disorders

Website: http://www.comdis.wisc.edu
Department Address: Goodnight Hall, 1975 Willow Drive
Email: westbury@wisc.edu
Phone: (608) 262-3951

Options in the Major

None

How do students meet with a department advisor?

As of May 2011, the only method for scheduling an advising appointment is to call the Department (608-262-3951).

Advising appointments are made and kept “centrally” rather than individually (e.g., by advisors themselves).

No support for advising during the summer is available, and appointments are therefore very unlikely.

Advising during the academic year is available each week, at times and on days designated by individual advisors. Face-to-face advising should be possible during the week before Fall classes start

Major Declaration Information

Declaration is possible, and advised, as soon as the “gateway criterion” is satisfied, usually at the end of the first or second semester of the second (sophomore) year.

Is Communication Sciences and Disorders a limited enrollment major?

Does Communication Sciences and Disorders have a competitive admission requirement?

Yes. A grade-point average (GPA) of at least 3.0, earned across CD201, CD202, and CD240, the first time these three courses are attempted, is necessary to be eligible to major.

We commonly refer to the GPA condition on eligibility to major as our “gateway criterion,” and the relevant courses as the “gateway sequence.”

Advice for Incoming Freshman

Second-year (sophomore) standing is required as a condition for enrollment in courses required for the major that are offered in the Department (e.g., CD 201, CD202, and the like).

First-year students should consider the elective survey course CD 110, and may begin to address out-of-department requirements for the major (e.g., psychology [Psych 202], statistics [Stat 301 or 371 or Psych 210], linguistics [Ling 101/301], and additional biology [Zoo 101]).

There are two paths to the major (L&S, and School of Education). The differences are now relatively subtle. Neither path is fundamentally better than the other, and both paths can entail the same eventual (work-place) outcome.

Advice for Incoming Transfer Students

Early contact with an academic advisor is important.

The best first step, especially in summer, is to contact the Department, either by calling 608-262-3951, or by writing email to the Student Status Examiner Maureen Garity at magarity@wisc.edu to inquire about advising and enrollment options.

Comparative Literature

Website: http://complit.lss.wisc.edu
Department Address: 934 Van Hise Hall
Email: complit@lss.wisc.edu
Phone: (608) 262-3059

Options in the Major

None

How do students meet with a department advisor?

Please contact the Director of Undergraduate Studies Ralph Grunewald at grunewald@wisc.edu.

His website is http://complit.lss.wisc.edu/?q=node/5.

Major Declaration Information

To declare the major in Comparative Literature, students must have sophomore standing, have taken at least one 200-level course in the department, and have a minimum 3.0 GPA, and have established the foundations of literary fluency in a language other than English.

For more information on the major, please visit http://complit.lss.wisc.edu/?q=node/11.

Is Comparative Literature a limited enrollment major?

Does Comparative Literature have a competitive admission requirement?

Yes. Sophomore standing, a minimum 3.0 GPA, one 200-level course.

Advice for Incoming Freshman

If you would like to major in Comparative Literature, please get in touch with the undergraduate advisor early. Since we require students to take literature classes in a foreign language we would like to plan ahead.

Advice for Incoming Transfer Students

Computer Sciences

Website: http://www.cs.wisc.edu/academic-programs/undergraduate-program
Department Address: 1210 W. Dayton Street
Email: jcarter@cs.wisc.edu
Phone: (608) 262-1204

Options in the Major

None

How do students meet with a department advisor?

The undergraduate advisors and their office hours are listed here: http://www.cs.wisc.edu/academic-programs/undergraduate-program/undergraduate-advisors.

Appointments are not required. Students can also see Jason Carter in room 5351 of the Computer Sciences Building, 1210 W. Dayton Street, for information on advising.

Major Declaration Information

Students must complete CS 240, CS 302, and CS 367 (either here at UW-Madison, or via AP credit, or via transfer credit). Note that completing 367 alone counts as completing both 302 and 367.

Declaration is recommended as soon as those courses are completed. Being a declared major means that you will have priority to register in some CS classes, will receive invitations to departmental events and will be eligible for departmental scholarships and awards.

Is Computer Sciences a limited enrollment major?

Does Computer Sciences have a competitive admission requirement?

Yes. Students must have a GPA of 2.6 or higher in two - four CS courses (usually 302, 367, and 240).

Advice for Incoming Freshman

Students are encouraged to enroll in either CS 302 (Introduction to Programming) or CS 202 (Introduction to Computation). CS 302 is the basic introductory CS course covering the fundamentals of programming; it does not assume previous programming experience. CS 302 is required to declare a CS major. CS 202 gives a general overview of the CS field and a gentle introduction to programming; it is not a prerequisite for any other CS course and is not required for the major.

Advice for Incoming Transfer Students

If the student already has transfer or AP credit for CS 302, they are encouraged to take CS 367 (Intro to Data Structures).

Economics

Website: http://www.econ.wisc.edu/undergrad/
Department Address: 7238 Sewell Social Science Building
Email: econadvise@ssc.wisc.edu
Phone: (608) 262-8762

Options in the Major

Mathematical Emphasis

How do students meet with a department advisor?

Appointments are only available to students who have declared Economics as their major.

To reach out to those considering the possibility of an Economics major, we offer meetings providing information regarding the major, academics, and other relevant content. This is the preferred method of reaching students with the necessary general information.

Meetings and dates, as well as drop-in hours, will be posted on our undergraduate web site when made available.

Major Declaration Information

Please view the following pdf on the department’s web site outlining the declaration requirements and recommendations: http://www.econ.wisc.edu/undergrad/webmajor.pdf.

Is Economics a limited enrollment major?

Does Economics have a competitive admission requirement?

Advice for Incoming Freshman

An incoming student who is undecided and would like the opportunity to explore what majoring in Economics entails should take the ECON 100 course, Current Economics-Issues & Policy. This course provides an excellent introduction to understanding how economists impact economic and social policies without a strong emphasis in knowledge of Calculus. The course provides insight on the macro- and microeconomics disciplines in a non-quantitative manner.

Credit for this course is of elementary-level and applies into the Social Science breadth, but does not apply toward the Economics major.

If the student would like to major in Economics, the School of Business, or other related fields requiring some introductory-level economics, they should consider ECON 101, Principles of Microeconomics, to start on the specific tracks of these areas.

If the student has AP credit for ECON 101, we encourage ECON 102, Principles of Macroeconomics, which requires ECON 101.

If AP credit is established for ECON 102 only, be sure to enroll in ECON 101, as it is a prerequisite for many other courses.

If the student has AP credit, or transfer credit, for ECON 101, ECON 102, and a Calculus course, they should consider either ECON 301 or ECON 302, Intermediate Microeconomics or Intermediate Macroeconomics Theory, respectively, which the listed courses are prerequisites.

Advice for Incoming Transfer Students

An incoming transfer student who is undecided and would like the opportunity to explore what majoring in Economics entails should take the ECON 100 course, Current Economics-Issues & Policy. This course provides an excellent introduction to understanding how economists impact economic and social policies without a strong emphasis in knowledge of Calculus. The course provides insight on the macro- and microeconomics disciplines in a non-quantitative manner.

Credit for this course is of elementary-level and applies into the Social Science breadth, but does not apply toward the Economics major.

If the student has AP credit for ECON 101, we encourage ECON 102, Principles of Macroeconomics, which requires ECON 101.

If AP credit is established for ECON 102 only, be sure to enroll in ECON 101, as it is a prerequisite for many other courses.

English

Website: http://www.english.wisc.edu/undergraduate.htm
Department Address: 7195 Helen C. White Hall
Email: advisor@english.wisc.edu
Phone: (608) 263-3760

Options in the Major

Language and Linguistics
Creative Writing

How do students meet with a department advisor?

http://www.english.wisc.edu/undergraduate-advising.htm

Major Declaration Information

The requirement for declaring the English major is the completion (grade and/or credits posted to your transcript) of the six credits of Literature (L) that is required for the Letters and Science Humanities Breadth requirement. The six credits of Literature do not have to be in the Department of English.

http://www.english.wisc.edu/undergraduate-declaring.htm

Is English a limited enrollment major?

Does English have a competitive admission requirement?

Advice for Incoming Freshman

Take a literature course, any course with a Breadth designation of “L” is fine.

For more information about the introductory literature courses offered in the English Department visit http://www.english.wisc.edu/undergraduate-courses.htm and click on the link for the fall 2011 Course Descriptions Booklet.

Advice for Incoming Transfer Students

Try to register for ONE of ENGLISH 215, 216 or 217 and an ENGLISH course that is at the intermediate or advanced level (I, A or D), and has a number higher than 215.

For more information about the courses offered in the English Department, visit http://www.english.wisc.edu/undergraduate-courses.htm and click on the link for the fall 2011 Course Descriptions Booklet.

Make an appointment with the advisor. See http://www.english.wisc.edu/undergraduate-advising.htm for information about how to do so.

Environmental Science

Information coming soon.

Environmental Studies

Website: http://www.nelson.wisc.edu/undergraduate_major/index.php
Department Address: 550 N. Park Street, 70 Science Hall
Email: undergrad@nelson.wisc.edu
Phone: (608) 262-7996

Options in the Major

Major in Environmental Studies
Certificate in Environmental Studies

How do students meet with a department advisor?

Students should attend a group advising session to learn more about the Environmental Studies major or certificate.

Please see this link for more information http://www.nelson.wisc.edu/undergraduate/advising.php

Major Declaration Information

Students can declare the Environmental Studies major at any time.

Declaration is recommended early in the career since the Environmental Studies major has a double major structure. This unique structure ensures that Environmental Studies majors graduate with both a deep understanding of their disciplinary major and the broad interdisciplinary skills needed to work on environmental issues in a wide variety of career settings.

The Environmental Studies major can be declared prior to the students other major; however prior to earning 85 credits the other major needs to be declared.

Is Environmental Studies a limited enrollment major?

Does Environmental Studies have a competitive admission requirement?

Advice for Incoming Freshman

Make an appointment with the Nelson Institute advisor during the upcoming semester to discuss course planning and declaring a second major.

Check out Envir St 113: Environmental Studies, The Humanistic Perspective or Envir St 260: Introductory Ecology as a few course ideas.

A link to getting involved with Environmental Studies: http://www.nelson.wisc.edu/undergraduate/organizations/index.php

Advice for Incoming Transfer Students

Incoming transfer students should meet with a Nelson Institute advisor during the upcoming semester to discuss transfer courses and a graduation plan.

The Nelson Institute also has a number of scholarships available to declared students offered through the Scholarships@UW site.

Check out Geog 339: Environmental Conservation or History 460: American Environmental History as a few course ideas.

French

Website: http://frit.lss.wisc.edu/
Department Address: 618 Van Hise Hall
Email: sgrassri@wisc.edu
Phone: (608) 262-5074

Options in the Major

None

How do students meet with a department advisor?

Advisors are listed on our website: http://frit.lss.wisc.edu/.

During the summer, students should contact the Undergraduate Coordinator, Sue Grass, to ensure a timely response at sgrassri@wisc.edu.

Major Declaration Information

Declaration can occur at any time. Students are encouraged to declare early to obtain advising and begin planning as soon as possible.

Is French a limited enrollment major?

Does French have a competitive admission requirement?

Advice for Incoming Freshman

Incoming students should contact an advisor as soon as possible with all questions regarding progress in the French language, the major, or both.

Students interested in studying abroad will need to plan courses appropriately as programs have different language requirements.

Advice for Incoming Transfer Students

Transfer students should contact Andrew Irving, atirving@wisc.edu, for evaluation of language level and foreign course transfer.

Gender & Women's Studies

Website: www.womenstudies.wisc.edu
Department Address: 475 North Charter, 3321 Sterling Hall
Email: alvaleo@wisc.edu
Phone: (608) 263-4704

Options in the Major

None

How do students meet with a department advisor?

Students can email the advisor, Nina Valeo Cooke, at afvaleo@wisc.edu.

Please note, there is not advising available in the Department of Gender and Women’s Studies over the summer months.

Major Declaration Information

Students are eligible to declare once they have completed GWS 101, 102 or 103 with a grade of ‘ B’ or better AND have junior standing having earned 54 credits.

Is Gender & Women's Studies a limited enrollment major?

Does Gender & Women's Studies have a competitive admission requirement?

Advice for Incoming Freshman

If you are interested in Gender and Women’s Studies, try to enroll in 101, 102 or 103. There are limited seats reserved for freshman only in GWS 103.

If you cannot enroll in one of these courses your first semester, do not be discouraged! GWS courses, even the introductory courses, are very popular among undergrads.

Advice for Incoming Transfer Students

If you have not taken an introductory level course in gender and women’s studies yet, taking one sooner than later is advised.

GWS 101 OR 102 AND 103 are required for the major. Otherwise, until you are able to meet with the GWS undergraduate advisor take courses in GWS that are of interest to you.

Geography

Website: http://www.geography.wisc.edu/undergraduate/
Department Address: 550 N. Park Street
Email: rcosterg@wisc.edu
Phone: (608) 262-2138

Options in the Major

None

How do students meet with a department advisor?

There is at least one advisor for each area concentration of the major, and each advisor has regular walk-in office hours during the week.

Check with the Undergraduate Coordinator for current office hours. Appointments are also available by emailing the advisor.

Major Declaration Information

Students can declare the major at any time, but sophomore year is recommended.

Senior declarations are not advised due to time constraints of some requirements.

Is Geography a limited enrollment major?

Does Geography have a competitive admission requirement?

Advice for Incoming Freshman

Each area of geography has at least one intro survey course: Geog 101 (human geography); Geog 140 (area studies/human geography); Geog 120 or 127 (physical geography); Geog 170 (cartography/GIS); Geog 139 (people-environment).

Advice for Incoming Transfer Students

Most of our 300-level courses are open to sophomores or above, and there are offerings in all area concentrations.

Transfer majors are encouraged to discuss transfer courses and their DARS reports thoroughly with their advisors.

Note that transfer courses cannot count towards the 15 credits of upper-level work required in residence at UW-Madison.

Geology & Geophysics

Website: http://geoscience.wisc.edu/geoscience/academics/undergraduate/information-for-undergraduate-majors-and-prospective-majors/
Department Address: 1215 W. Dayton Street
Email: geoundergrad@geology.wisc.edu
Phone: (608) 262-9266

Options in the Major

Geology track
Geophysics & Engineering Geology track
Environmental Geoscience track
General Geoscience track

How do students meet with a department advisor?

Students should contact a departmental advisor directly to schedule an appointment.

Contact information can be found here: http://geoscience.wisc.edu/geoscience/academics/undergraduate/information-for-undergraduate-majors-and-prospective-majors/

Major Declaration Information

To declare a major, students must meet with a departmental Undergraduate Advisor and complete a Major Declaration Form. Students should declare the major as soon as possible.

Is Geology & Geophysics a limited enrollment major?

Does Geology & Geophysics have a competitive admission requirement?

Advice for Incoming Freshman

Get in touch with a departmental undergraduate advisor as soon as possible before enrolling for classes.

Advice for Incoming Transfer Students

Get in touch with a departmental undergraduate advisor as soon as possible before enrolling for classes.

German

Website: http://pubs.wisc.edu/ug/10lettsci/depts/german.html
Department Address: 818 Van Hise Hall
Email: mllouden@wisc.edu
Phone: (608) 262-2192

How do students meet with a department advisor?

The Undergraduate Advisor in the Department of German for the major and the certificate is Prof. Mark Louden. Students may email him directly at mllouden@wisc.edu.

Major Declaration Information

We recommend students declare the major after having completed the fourth semester of language instruction (GER 204) or equivalent.

Is German a limited enrollment major?

Does German have a competitive admission requirement?

Hebrew

Website: http://hebrew.wisc.edu/?q=node/10
Department Address: 1346 Van Hise Hall, 1220 Linden Drive
Email: hebrew@mailplus.wisc.edu
Phone: (608) 262-3204

Options in the Major

Modern Hebrew track
Biblical Hebrew track

How do students meet with a department advisor?

The Undergraduate Advisor for the Modern Hebrew Track is Professor Rachel F. Brenner. She can be reached at (608) 262-6102 and brenner@wisc.edu.

The Undergraduate Advisor for the Biblical Hebrew Track is Professor Ronald L. Troxel. He can be reached at (608) 263-1972 and rltroxel@wisc.edu.

Major Declaration Information

A Hebrew major can be declared anytime, but most students declare during their junior year.

Is Hebrew a limited enrollment major?

Does Hebrew have a competitive admission requirement?

Advice for Incoming Freshman

The Department of Hebrew & Semitic Studies offers courses on five different levels of Hebrew each semester.

To determine which Hebrew language/literature course you should register for, please request a Hebrew Placement Test be emailed to you as a .pdf document. Complete the Hebrew Placement Test and mail your answers back to the Department of Hebrew & Semitic Studies in the US Mail. may also fax your answers to fax number (608) 262-9417 or scan your answers and send them as an attachment to hebrew@mailplus.wisc.edu.

Professor Rachel F. Brenner will grade your Hebrew Placement Test and the Hebrew Department Administrator will email you the Hebrew course level you should web enroll in.

To request a Hebrew Placement Test, contact the Hebrew Department at hebrew@mailplus.wisc.edu.

Advice for Incoming Transfer Students

The Department of Hebrew & Semitic Studies offers courses on five different levels of Hebrew each semester.

Professor Rachel F. Brenner will grade your Hebrew Placement Test and the Hebrew Department Administrator will email you the Hebrew course level you should web enroll in.

To request a Hebrew Placement Test, contact the Hebrew Department at hebrew@mailplus.wisc.edu.

History

Website: http://history.wisc.edu/undergraduate.htm
Department Address: 3211 Mosse Humanities Building
Email: stburkhardt@wisc.edu
Phone: (608) 263-1800

Options in the Major

None

How do students meet with a department advisor?

During the summer the best way to schedule an appointment is to use the web-form located on this page: http://history.wisc.edu/undergraduate/request_appointment/advising_appointment.asp

Students do not need to be declared history majors to meet with an advisor. We are happy to talk with any students who are interested in the major.

Major Declaration Information

Students can declare at any time. We recommend that students declare the major as early as possible in their academic careers.

Is History a limited enrollment major?

Does History have a competitive admission requirement?

Advice for Incoming Freshman

Any of the 100-level survey courses are appropriate for incoming freshmen because they do not presume prior knowledge of the subject.

If you have satisfied the Comm A requirement, consider taking one of the Comm B sections of History 200.

Students interested in fulfilling natural science credits are encouraged to take ILS 201 or 202.

Attend the History Opportunities Fair on Friday, August 31st from 1-3pm in 5233 Humanities (Curti Lounge). Representatives from Career Services, the Morgridge Center, Study Abroad, and the Undergraduate History Association will be available to talk with you about ways to enhance your history major and get involved early on in your academic career.

Advisors and peer advisors will also be available to answer any questions you may have about the major, honors, writing senior theses, etc. This is a great way to learn about the major, resources on campus, how to apply your major in the real world, and make connections across campus.

Advice for Incoming Transfer Students

If you have satisfied the Comm A requirement, consider taking one of the Comm B sections of History 200.

If you are having trouble finding open upper-level classes, please contact the History Advising Team at historyadvising@lists.wisc.edu.

Students interested in fulfilling natural science credits are encouraged to take ILS 201 or 202.

Transfer students are encouraged to discuss transfer courses and their DARS report with the history advisors. Transfer students should keep in mind that they must complete a minimum of 15 credits in the major on the UW-Madison campus (or through a UW-Madison study abroad program), regardless of the number of transfer credits they have in the major.

History and History of Science, Medicine, and Technology

Information coming soon.

History of Science, Medicine & Technology

History of Science, Medicine and Technology

Website: http://histsci.wisc.edu/undergrads/undergrad.shtml
Department Address: Room 210 Bradley Memorial Building, 1225 Linden Drive
Email: mhshank@wisc.edu
Phone: (608) 262-3972

Options in the Major

None

How do students meet with a department advisor?

Simply contact the undergraduate advisor at mhshank@wisc.edu and make an appointment.

Major Declaration Information

Students may declare their major at any time by appointment with the undergraduate advisor. There are no entry requirements or special applications.

Is History of Science, Medicine and Technology a limited enrollment major?

Does History of Science, Medicine and Technology have a competitive admission requirement?

Advice for Incoming Freshman

Stop in and meet the advisor! Explore our field by taking some of our great introductory 200-level courses!

During the academic year, undergrads are welcome at our weekly departmental "brown bag" lunches (Fridays at noon, usually in Bradley Memorial or Union South). Over lunch, we get to know each other better, listen to short presentations, and engage in lively discussions - a great way to meet other folks with similar interests.

Advice for Incoming Transfer Students

Stop in and meet the advisor! Explore our field by taking some of our great introductory 200-level courses!

Individual Major

Website: http://uas.ls.wisc.edu/academic_policy/individual.html
Department Address: 70 Bascom
Email: bhrodrig@wisc.edu
Phone: (608) 262-5858

Options in the Major

Middle East Individual Major

How do students meet with a department advisor?

Students interested in learning more about individual majors should contact L&S Student Academic Affairs at 608-262-5858, or at this link: http://uas.ls.wisc.edu/academic_policy/individual.html.

Once a student decides that the individual major is right for them, they should schedule an appointment with the individual major coordinator by calling 608-262-5858.

Major Declaration Information

This major should be approved during the second semester of a student’s sophomore year or in the first semester of a student’s junior year.

Before you apply, you must spend at minimum of two semesters ( 24 credits) in residence, exploring your academic interests.

The student should submit the required documents prior to the semester they want to declare the Individual Major.Submit the following to Room 70 Bascom Hall in one complete package no later than the Friday of the 4th week of the fall or spring semester.

Is the Individual Major a limited enrollment major?

Yes. The individual major (IM) is a method of fulfilling the depth requirement for students whose interests bridge existing departments and disciplines in ways not accommodated by an existing major or interdisciplinary program.

This major must consist of a coherent pattern of courses in more than one department or recognized interdisciplinary program in the College of Letters and Science and must be approved by the Faculty Committee on Individual Majors

Does the Individual Major have a competitive admission requirement?

Yes. A Faculty Committee must approve the individual major before a student can pursue this academic option. This major should also receive approval during the sophomore or junior year.

All students are required to earn at least 30 credits after the term in which approval is given. Therefore, seniors completing an individual major will delay their graduation.

The student takes primary responsibility for developing an individual major proposal. Once a theme or topic has been identified and refined, the student must find a faculty member in the College of Letters and Science who is willing to serve as the individual major advisor.

Getting approval to pursue an individual major is never guaranteed. Thus, students should speak with their academic advisor to determine if the individual major option is a viable choice for completing the depth–major requirement for the L&S degree, and review other academic options.

Advice for Incoming Freshman

Students should contact their assigned academic advisor and discuss the various majors available in the College of Letters and Science and determine if the individual major option is a viable choice for completing the depth–major requirement for the L&S degree, and review other academic options. Also, departmental advisors and faculty members may be able to assist students seeking an advisor for the individual major.

Once a student decides that the individual major is right for them, they should schedule an appointment with the individual major coordinator by calling 608-262-5858.

Advice for Incoming Transfer Students

Once a student decides that the individual major is right for them, they should schedule an appointment with the individual major coordinator by calling 608-262-5858.

International Studies

Website: http://ismajor.wisc.edu
Department Address: 301 Ingraham Hall, 1155 Observatory Drive
Email: ISMadvisor@ismajor.wisc.edu
Phone: (608) 265-2631

Options in the Major

Global Security
Politics & Policy in the Global Economy
Culture in an Age of Globalization
Global Commons/Global Environment

How do students meet with a department advisor?

Students can request an appointment with an IS advisor via our online web form: http://www.ismajor.wisc.edu/appts/default.asp.

Students should review the IS Major advising model: http://www.ismajor.wisc.edu/advising.html#advmodel

Major Declaration Information

Students may declare the major when they have completed their prerequisites (with the exception of the language requirement) or have their final prerequisites in progress of completion, i.e. students have registered for the last of these courses. By this time, students should have an Option chosen for the major.

We encourage students to declare as early as possible. Information about the IS prerequisites can be found here: http://www.ismajor.wisc.edu/majoroverview.html#major

Is International Studies a limited enrollment major?

Does International Studies have a competitive admission requirement?

Advice for Incoming Freshman

Incoming freshmen should take INTL ST 101 as early as possible in their undergraduate career and make sure to continue with their foreign language. Students may also feel free to start a new foreign language.

Eager students may begin taking microeconomics if they have the appropriate math (Quantitative Reasoning A requirement satisfied, Math 112) background. Otherwise, preparation for Math 112 is recommended.

Advice for Incoming Transfer Students

Incoming transfer students should take INTL ST 101 as soon as possible, unless they have taken the equivalent course (students should submit a syllabus to an IS advisor for approval to substitute INTL ST 101).

Students should also work toward the fifth-semester language requirement and on the economics prerequisites.

If an incoming student has all of the prerequisites complete, we recommend that s/he begin with the AREA STUDIES and ISSUES courses for the Option s/he is most interested in.

Course lists are found on the IS website: http://www.ismajor.wisc.edu/courses.html

Italian

Website: http://frit.lss.wisc.edu/new_web/
Department Address: 618 Van Hise Hall
Email: sgrassri@wisc.edu
Phone: (608) 262-3941

Options in the Major

None

How do students meet with a department advisor?

There are several ways to contact an advisor: email or call the advisor, stop by the office of the advisor, schedule an appointment with the advisor.

Students can also contact Mrs. Sue Grass at the contact information listed above, and she will direct them to the advisor.

Major Declaration Information

tudents can declare the major when they want to do so. It is recommended that they declare as soon as they are done taking the Italian language courses.

Is Italian a limited enrollment major?

Does Italian have a competitive admission requirement?

Advice for Incoming Freshman

Since few high schools offer Italian, incoming freshmen should start Italian immediately in order to be able to complete the major efficiently. Students with a good command of another Romance language can speed their progress by enrolling in Italian 201, which qualifies as the equivalent of the first two semesters of Italian.

Advice for Incoming Transfer Students

New transfer students should begin Italian or continue previous study in their first semester at UW-Madison. The Italian advisor can help continuing students establish the appropriate sequence of courses.

Japanese

Website: http://eall.wisc.edu/
Department Address: 1212 Van Hise
Email: eall@mailplus.wisc.edu
Phone: (608) 262-2291

Options in the Major

None

How do students meet with a department advisor?

E-mail the department to schedule an appointment. Since advising duties rotate every year or two among faculty, e-mailing the department at the address above is the safest route for a quick response.

Major Declaration Information

Students should declare after completing the first four semesters of Japanese language coursework here (or the equivalent).

Is Japanese a limited enrollment major?

Does Japanese have a competitive admission requirement?

Yes. Students must have a 3.0 or better in the first four semesters of Japanese language coursework here (or the equivalent).

Advice for Incoming Freshman

Start Japanese immediately if you wish to complete the degree in four years.

If you have prior Japanese language training, consult our website for details on placement tests: http://eall.wisc.edu/?q=node/21.

For other questions, schedule an appointment with the major advisor.

Advice for Incoming Transfer Students

If you have prior Japanese language training, consult our website for details on placement tests: http://eall.wisc.edu/?q=node/21.

For other questions, schedule an appointment with the major advisor.

Jewish Studies

Website: http://jewishstudies.wisc.edu/
Department Address: 108 Ingraham Hall
Email: undergrad-adviser@cjs.wisc.edu
Phone: (608) 265-4763

Options in the Major

Education and Jewish Studies

How do students meet with a department advisor?

Contact undergraduate advisor Laurie Silverberg at (608) 265-4763 or email undergrad-advisor@cjs.wisc.edu. Her office is in 108 Ingraham Hall

Students may also call, email, or drop by the Center for Jewish Studies (CJS) offices.

Major Declaration Information

Students may declare a Jewish Studies major or certificate at any time, but it is recommended that they declare by the end of their sophomore year.

Is Jewish Studies a limited enrollment major?

Does Jewish Studies have a competitive admission requirement?

Advice for Incoming Freshman

Freshmen considering a major or certificate in Jewish Studies are encouraged to meet with the Jewish Studies advisor to plan out their coursework, particularly if they wish to do a double major.

It is highly recommended that Freshmen begin coursework in Hebrew as soon as possible, as the Jewish Studies major requires fourth-semester proficiency in Hebrew and an additional two courses in Hebrew texts.

Advice for Incoming Transfer Students

Transfer students considering a major or certificate in Jewish Studies are encouraged to meet with the Jewish Studies advisor to plan out their coursework and discuss transfer credit.

Journalism

Website: http://www.journalism.wisc.edu
Department Address: 5115 Vilas Hall, 821 University Avenue
Email: info@journalism.wisc.edu
Phone: (608) 262-3690

Options in the Major

Reporting
Strategic communication

How do students meet with a department advisor?

Call (608) 263-4898 for an appointment or upcoming walk-in advising hours.

Major Declaration Information

Admission is by portfolio application during fall and spring semesters.

You must be in or have taken the gateway course, Journalism 201, to apply to the J-School. You must also have 40 or more credits earned after college matriculation by the end of your application semester – for most students this means the earliest you can apply is first term of sophomore year, for admission the following term.

Full details and application at http://journalism.wisc.edu/undergraduate/admissions/.

Is Journalism a limited enrollment major?

Yes. 120 students are admitted each term, from an application pool of 150-250.

Does Journalism have a competitive admission requirement?

Yes. 120 students are admitted each term, from an application pool of 150-250.

Advice for Incoming Freshman

Visit with an advisor to plan your pre-application course of study; call (608) 263-4898 to schedule an advising appointment or hear about upcoming walk-in advising hours.

You must be in or have taken our gateway course, Journalism 201, to apply to the J-School – this course will give you a good feel for our major and whether it’s right for you.

For students interested in becoming reporters, consider becoming involved with one of the student newspapers (Badger Herald, Daily Cardinal) or WSUM student radio.

For students interested in strategic communication, consider becoming involved with the UW chapter of the Public Relations Student Society of America (http://win.wisc.edu/organization/prssa) or the UW Advertising Club (http://adclub.rso.wisc.edu/).

Advice for Incoming Transfer Students

Visit with an advisor to plan your pre-application course of study; call (608) 263-4898 to schedule an advising appointment or hear about upcoming walk-in advising hours.

You must be in or have taken our gateway course, Journalism 201 (or the equivalent via transfer), to apply to the J-School – this course will give you a good feel for our major and whether it’s right for you.

For students interested in becoming reporters, consider becoming involved with one of the student newspapers (Badger Herald, Daily Cardinal) or WSUM student radio.

Languages & Cultures of Asia

Website: http://lca.wisc.edu
Department Address: 1240 Van Hise Hall
Email: drdavis@wisc.edu
Phone: (608) 262-3012

Options in the Major

Asian Languages
Asian Humanities

How do students meet with a department advisor?

LCA has a faculty advisor for undergraduate students. All students are invited to contact the faculty advisor first by email to ask questions or set up an appointment to discuss courses, major requirements, study abroad, and the like.

Students may also contact the Student Services coordinator in the department for routine administrative questions.

Major Declaration Information

Students can declare the LCA major at anytime - it is a very flexible major that many students include as part of a double major.

Though formal declaration of the major can occur at any point, interested students should ensure that they save time and room for both the required introductory and capstone courses in the department.

Is Languages & Cultures of Asia a limited enrollment major?

Does Languages & Cultures of Asia have a competitive admission requirement?

Advice for Incoming Freshman

Incoming first-year students interested in Asia should consider taking one of the department’s introductory courses and/or one of the many languages offered by the department.

Though not required for the Asian Humanities track, language courses fulfill basic requirements in the department rapidly and most students take an Asian language as part of their coursework.

Advice for Incoming Transfer Students

Transfer students are invited to check with the undergraduate advisor about possible transfer credits.

Latin

Website: http://classics.lss.wisc.edu/
Department Address: 910 Van Hise Hall, 1220 Linden Drive
Email: jbeneker@wisc.edu (advisor)
Phone: (608) 262-2041

Options in the Major

None

How do students meet with a department advisor?

Email undergraduate advisor Jeffrey Beneker at jbeneker@wisc.edu or call (608) 262-2041

Major Declaration Information

Students can declare at any time

Is Latin a limited enrollment major?

Does Latin have a competitive admission requirement?

Advice for Incoming Freshman

Start Latin as soon as possible for the major. Latin courses 302 and below are open to freshmen with sufficient preparation.

Advice for Incoming Transfer Students

Get in touch with the undergraduate advisor immediately about transfer credits and courses.

Latin American, Caribbean & Iberian Studies

Website: http://lacis.wisc.edu/index.php?q=node/9
Department Address: 1155 Observatory Drive, 209 Ingraham Hall
Email: skripp@wisc.edu
Phone: (608) 262-0616

Options in the Major

Honors
Area of Concentration

How do students meet with a department advisor?

Students should contact the LACIS Advisor, Sarah Ripp. She offers regular open advising hours during the academic year, as well as appointments. In the summer she meets with students by appointment only.

Major Declaration Information

Student can declare in 209 Ingraham Hall; there isn’t a deadline to declare, but we recommend by a student’s junior year.

Is LACIS a limited enrollment major?

Does LACIS have a competitive admission requirement?

Advice for Incoming Freshman

Begin taking Spanish & Portuguese early on because this major requires a minimum of 4 courses above the 220 level in one of those languages.

Advice for Incoming Transfer Students

Same as for freshmen. Also, give serious thought to studying abroad.

Legal Studies

Website: http://www.ssc.wisc.edu/clsj/lsphome.html
Department Address: 8137 Sewell Social Sciences, 1180 Observatory Drive
Email: lsp@ssc.wisc.edu
Phone: (608) 262-2083

Options in the Major

None

How do students meet with a department advisor?

Students can schedule an appointment or see walk-in hours from this link: http://ssc.wisc.edu/clsj/lspnewsevents.html.

Major Declaration Information

Students can declare after completing a Gateway course (Legal St/Sociology 131 or Legal St/Poli Sci 217), Quant A, and Comm A with a C or better.

Students are welcome to meet with the Legal Studies Advisor prior to completing these requirements to discuss future courses.

Is Legal Studies a limited enrollment major?

Does Legal Studies have a competitive admission requirement?

Advice for Incoming Freshman

Students should take either Legal Studies/Sociology 131 (Criminal Justice in America) or Legal Studies/Political Science 217 (Law and Society). They should also complete Quant A and Comm A.

If they have completed these courses, they may want to take a Statistics course and the Research Methods course (for most students this is Sociology 357) or Comp Lit 203 – Law and Literature.

Advice for Incoming Transfer Students

If students have completed the equivalent of either Legal Studies/Sociology 131 or Legal Studies/Political Science 217, they should complete a Statistics course and the Research Methods course (for most students this is Sociology 357). Students may also take one or more of the Theme group courses.

Course listings are available here: http://ssc.wisc.edu/clsj/lsphome.html.

Transfer students should meet with a Legal Studies advisor as soon as possible to map out future plans.

Linguistics

Website: http://vanhise.lss.wisc.edu/ling/
Department Address: 1168 Van Hise Hall
Email: jjdrummy@wisc.edu
Phone: (608) 262-2292

Options in the Major

None

How do students meet with a department advisor?

Email mmacaula@wisc.edu.

Major Declaration Information

Students can declare any time by meeting with the department advisor. There are no entry requirements, and no application.

Is Linguistics a limited enrollment major?

Does Linguistics have a competitive admission requirement?

Advice for Incoming Freshman

Take Linguistics 101! If it’s closed, email Jackie Drummy and ask to be put on a waiting list.

Advice for Incoming Transfer Students

Take Linguistics 101! If it’s closed, email Jackie Drummy and ask to be put on a waiting list.

Mathematics

Website: http://www.math.wisc.edu/undergrad/
Department Address: Van Vleck Hall
Email: undergrad_program@math.wisc.edu
Phone: (608) 263-3054

Options in the major

Option 1: Pure Mathematics
Option 2: Math with an Area of Application

How do students meet with a department advisor?

To Meet with an advisor, students should contact the undergraduate secretary, Ms. Kate Bartlett in room 207 of Van Vleck Hall, or send e-mail to undergrad_program@math.wisc.edu.

Major Declaration Information

Students can declare as soon as they complete the three course calculus sequence (221/222/234), or any time thereafter.

Is Mathematics a limited enrollment major?

Does Mathematics have a competitive admission requirement?

Yes. A 2.5 or higher GPA in the three course calculus sequence (math 221/222/234) or equivalent (such as the honors sequence 275/276/375/376) is required.

Advice for Incoming Freshmen

Freshmen with an interest in mathematics should either:

Complete the calculus sequence (221/222/234), and then take linear algebra (math 340), or:
Complete the honors calculus sequence (275/276/375/376).

Freshmen with an interest in mathematics as well as physics or engineering should consider the AMEP program.

Advice for Incoming Transfer Students

Incoming students with an interest in mathematics should either:

Complete the calculus sequence (221/222/234), and then take linear algebra (math 340), or:
Complete the honors calculus with linear algebra sequence (275/276/375/376).

Incoming students with an interest in mathematics as well as physics or engineering should consider the AMEP program.

Microbiology

Website: http://bact.wisc.edu/programs.php
Department Address: 2513 Microbial Sciences, 1550 Linden Drive
Email: kfrance@bact.wisc.edu
Phone: (608) 262-2975

Options in the Major

None

How do students meet with a department advisor?

Students should schedule online via WiscCal Scheduling Assistant.

Major Declaration Information

Students can declare the major at any time – either as an incoming freshman at SOAR, or after an initial meeting with the major advisor, Katy France.

Declaration is recommended early in a student’s career.

Is Microbiology a limited enrollment major?

Does Microbiology have a competitive admission requirement?

Advice for Incoming Freshman

Recommended 1st semester schedule: Chem 103 or 109, Math based on placement, UW Comm-A course.

Meet with the microbiology advisor your freshmen year.

Advice for Incoming Transfer Students

While at SOAR, look for the Microbiology advisor at CALS’s SOAR.

Molecular Biology

Website: www.biology.wisc.edu/molecularbio
Department Address: 445 Henry Mall, Room 118
Email: molecularbiologymajor@biology.wisc.edu
Phone: (608) 265-2600

Options in the Major

None

How do students meet with a department advisor?

Students will need to schedule an appointment with Will Lipske, Mary Smith, or Brian Asen online at https://tools.wisccal.wisc.edu/available/public/tags/Biology+Major.

Students should meet with an advisor based on their last name: Will Lipske (A-C), Mary Smith (D-M) or Brian Asen (N-Z).

Appointments can be schedule 24 hrs in advance, and are generally limited to 8:30-4:30, Monday through Friday.

Major Declaration Information

Students are encouraged to declare their early in their undergraduate career. We recommend students declare as soon as they’ve decided to major in Molecular Biology.

Students need to schedule an appointment with an advisor to declare.

No prerequisite coursework required.

Is Molecular Biology a limited enrollment major?

Does Molecular Biology have a competitive admission requirement?

Advice for Incoming Freshman

Students will often start with chemistry and math based on placement test scores or AP/IB exams.

Students may also want to consider enrolling in Biology 375 (Exploring Biology), URS, or a FIG in the life sciences.

Advice for Incoming Transfer Students

Make sure to meet with an advisor from the Molecular Biology major at SOAR.

It is often helpful to save/bring with you any syllabi in biology, math, chemistry, statistics, or physics as coursework transferring in as an elective could be used to fulfill a major requirement via exception. Exceptions will not be processed until a student declares a major.

Music

This information is geared towards students interested in majoring in Music, but not yet admitted to the major. Students admitted to the major prior to SOAR will meet with undergraduate advisor Patti Atwood at SOAR.

Website: http://www.music.wisc.edu/admissions/undergraduate
Department Address: 5561 Mosse Humanities Building
Email: admissions@music.wisc.edu
Phone: (608) 263-5986

Options in the Major

Music major with options in Performance (including composition); we are not admitting new students to the Theory or History options, which are under review
Bachelor of Music degree with major in Education (i.e., music education degree; leads to teaching certification)
Bachelor of Music degree with major in Performance (including composition)

How do students meet with a department advisor?

Prospective music majors with questions about the application and audition process should contact the School of Music’s undergraduate admissions coordinator at admissions@music.wisc.edu.

Those considering music education should contact Education Academic Services for advising on liberal studies requirements for teacher certification programs.

All other prospective music students should meet with their current assigned advisor. Enrollment in required music major courses is reserved for students already admitted to the School of Music.

All music majors meet individually with the music advisor every semester from entry to graduation; therefore, the music advisor cannot advise prospective students.

Major Declaration Information

Programs in music are highly sequential and take a minimum of 3 1/2 to 4 years from semester of entry into the School of Music to complete. Core academic courses and private performance study courses are not offered during the summer; thus, students cannot accelerate this timeline.

Prospective majors should apply and audition as early in their degree program as possible. Students who enter the School of Music after completing more than one semester in college will need to plan more than 4 years to graduation.

Once students enter the School of Music as preliminary music majors, they must complete the core academic sequence in music theory and music history (which spans a minimum of 4 semesters) and meet GPA requirements specific for their intended music program in order to be eligible to declare the major.

See http://pubs.wisc.edu/ug/10lettsci/depts/music.html for details.

Is Music a limited enrollment major?

Does Music have a competitive admission requirement?

Yes. Prospective students must apply to School of Music and complete an audition to be considered for possible admission as preliminary music students. See http://www.music.wisc.edu/admissions/undergraduate for details.

Once admitted to the School of Music, preliminary music students must complete the required core academic music course sequence and meet minimum grade-point average requirements specific for their intended music program in order to be eligible to declare the major.

Advice for Incoming Freshman

Prospective music majors should plan to apply and audition prior to or during their first semester on campus for possible admission to the School of Music. See http://www.music.wisc.edu/admissions/undergraduate for upcoming audition dates.

Bands, choirs, and orchestras are open to all students, regardless of major, and prospective music majors are strongly encouraged to audition in late August for possible placement. See http://www.music.wisc.edu/ensemble-auditions for more information.

University Band (Music 43), University Chorus (Music 59), and All-University String Orchestra (Music 60) do not require an audition. Students may enroll in no-audition-required ensembles at SOAR or e-mail the instructor if the course is full.

NOTE: We hope to be able to offer University Chorus (Music 59) in Spring 2013.

Advice for Incoming Transfer Students

Same as recommendations for incoming freshmen. See http://www.music.wisc.edu/admissions/undergraduate for upcoming audition dates.

Philosophy

Website: http://philosophy.wisc.edu/undergraduate/
Department Address:
Email: migibson@wisc.edu
Phone: (608) 263-3700

Options in the Major

None

How do students meet with a department advisor?

Email Martha Gibson at migibson@wisc.edu.

Major Declaration Information

Students can declare their major at any time. It is recommended that students declare the major by the end of their sophomore year.

Is Philosophy a limited enrollment major?

Does Philosophy have a competitive admission requirement?

Advice for Incoming Freshman

Take an Introduction to Philosophy course, and if the student is interested in pursuing the major, meet with the major advisor.

Advice for Incoming Transfer Students

Meet with the major advisor. If the transfer student cannot register until summer, and the classes they want to take are full, contact the major advisor.

Physics

Website: http://www.physics.wisc.edu/undergrads/index.html
Department Address: 2320 Chamberlin Hall, 1150 University Avenue
Email: info@physics.wisc.edu
Phone: (608) 262-4526

Options in the major

Honors in the major

How do students meet with a department advisor?

The best way is to email one or both of the physics undergraduate advisors to set up an appointment. In the email, you should tell them you are an incoming student (specify freshman or transfer) who is potentially interested in a physics major. Give a range of times/dates that you are available.

You should also get a copy of the Physics Major’s Handbook (you can pick one up in the Physics Department office or download from http://www.physics.wisc.edu/undergrads/handbook.pdf) and read through it.

Current undergraduate advisors are: Prof. Michael Winokur: mwinokur@wisc.edu and Prof. Dan McCammon: mccammon@physics.wisc.edu.

Major Declaration Information

If you think you might be interested in a physics major, we recommend that you make arrangements to see a physics advisor right away, whether you will declare the major or not. You can declare immediately, and there are some advantages to doing this. You can discuss this with the physics advisor.

Is Physics a limited enrollment major?

Does Physics have a competitive admission requirement?

Advice for Incoming Freshman

For prospective majors, please see an advisor. In the interim, get a copy of the Physics Major’s Handbook (you can pick one up in the Physics Department office or download from http://www.physics.wisc.edu/undergrads/handbook.pdf) and read through it.

Prospective majors who have completed one semester of calculus should register for PH 247 and the next recommended math course for their first semester.

For general physics, see one of these "flow charts" for choosing the proper course:

Starting Fall semester: http://www.physics.wisc.edu/undergrads/flowchart-f.html
Starting Spring semester: http://www.physics.wisc.edu/undergrads/flowchart-s.html

Advice for Incoming Transfer Students

It is important that you consult an advisor. See directions above for making an appointment. In the interim, get a copy of the Physics Major’s Handbook (you can pick one up in the Physics Department office or download from http://www.physics.wisc.edu/undergrads/handbook.pdf) and read through it.

Polish

Website: http://slavic.lss.wisc.edu/new_web/
Department Address: Department of Slavic Languages & Literature, 1432 Van Hise Hall, 1220 Linden Drive
Email: slavic@slavic.wisc.edu
Phone: (608) 262-3498

Options in the Major

Honors

How do students meet with a department advisor?

During the summer students should contactEwa Miernowska (miernows@wisc.edu) or Anna Tumarkin ( atumarki@wisc.edu) at any time.

Major Declaration Information

Declaration can occur at any time. Students are encouraged to declare early to obtain advising and begin planning as soon as possible.

Is Polish a limited enrollment major?

Does Polish have a competitive admission requirement?

Advice for Incoming Freshman

Incoming students should contact Anna Tumarkin (atumarki@wisc.edu) or Ewa Miernowska (miernows@wisc.edu) as soon as possible with all questions regarding progress in the Polish language, the major, or both.

In the Fall of 2012 we offer: First semester of Polish (Slavic 111) on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday at 1:20 and advanced Polish (Slavic 277 and 278) on Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 9:55.

For advanced placement in Polish (Slavic 277, 278), please contact Ewa Miernowska (miernows@wisc.edu) to inquire about a placement assessment.

Advice for Incoming Transfer Students

Please contact Anna Tumarkin (atumarki@wisc.edu) or Ewa Miernowska (miernows@wisc.edu) with any questions.

You may be eligible for advanced placement based on your transfer credits. The department determines transfer course equivalency after your transfer credits are approved, and equivalency decisions are based on the syllabi and course materials that you provide.

Political Science

Website: http://www.polisci.wisc.edu/undergrad
Department Address: 110 North Hall
Email: lkosaki@wisc.edu; cfarryth@wisc.edu
Phone: (608) 263-2414

Options in the Major

None

How do students meet with a department advisor?

Over the summer, students schedule appointments via the online scheduling assistant (see the links at the bottom of the web page listed above) or by calling the department number listed above. During the academic year, both advisors also post walk-in hours.

Major Declaration Information

Students may declate at any time, but first year students are encouraged to wait till the second semester to declare.

Is Political Science a limited enrollment major?

Does Political Science have a competitive admission requirement?

Advice for Incoming Freshman

Students should consider taking one of the intro level courses during the first semester, both to test out the major and also to get started on major requirements.

If an incoming first year student has taken the AP exam in American and/or comparative government and is unsure of their score, then it would be useful to consider one of the other intro level courses to avoid possible duplication.

Advice for Incoming Transfer Students

Transfer students should bring a copy of their course equivalency form or a copy of their transcript from their former institution(s) to SOAR or to their first advising appointment. This documentation is helpful in determining remaining major requirements.

Transfer students should keep in mind that they must complete a minimum of 15 credits of upper level coursework in the major in residence (defined as courses in political science at the 300 level or higher) regardless of the number of transfer credits they have in the major.

Portuguese

Website: http://spanport.lss.wisc.edu
Department Address: 702 Van Hise Hall, 1220 Linden Drive
Email: klthompson3@wisc.edu
Phone: (608) 265-3183

Options in the Major

None

How do students meet with a department advisor?

Email is best. Karen Thompson's schedule can be found at the Undergraduate Advising link on the Spanish & Portuguese website: http://spanport.lss.wisc.edu/?q=advising

Major Declaration Information

Students can declare the major at any time.

Is Portuguese a limited enrollment major?

Does Portuguese have a competitive admission requirement?

Advice for Incoming Freshman

Portuguese placement is made based on an interview with Professor Severino Albuquerque (sjalbuqu@wisc.edu or (608) 262-2527).

Please note that retro-credits for Portuguese can only be earned within your first thirty college credits (not including AP, IB, CLEP, retro-credits from another language, or any college credit taken while in high school).

Advice for Incoming Transfer Students

Portuguese placement is made based on an interview with Professor Severino Albuquerque (sjalbuqu@wisc.edu or (608) 262-2527) if you are not transferring in any Portuguese courses that directly equate to UW-Madison Portuguese courses.

However, if a Portuguese course you are transferring in comes in as electives, please see the Portuguese Advisor while at SOAR. She can check whether the course in question has been reviewed (recently) by Portuguese faculty. If not, she can give you the appeal process for getting your course reviewed and equated.

You can also discuss a tentative course of action based on your specific background and the course(s) you are transferring in.

Psychology

Website: http://glial.psych.wisc.edu/index.php/psychsplashundergrads
Department Address: 1202 W. Johnson Street; Advising in rooms 426 and 428
Email: advisor@psych.wisc.edu
Phone: (608) 262-2077; (608) 262-8766

Options in the Major

None

How do students meet with a department advisor?

We are available by appointment through WiscCal. Students may search for Melanie Jones or Stephanie Osborn.

Alternately, students may visit our website (listed above), click the Advising tab and drop down to Schedule an Appointment. We schedule appointments two weeks out. Appointments do fill up quickly, particularly around registration time. Students are advised to plan accordingly.

During peak periods (the first four weeks of the semester and registration time) it is rare for students to be able to get an appointment within one week. Students are encouraged to check back frequently for open appointments.

Major Declaration Information

Students can declare the Psychology major after the completion of Introduction to Psychology.

Students who completed the AP Psychology exam (with a score of 4 or higher) or IB Psychology (with a score of 4 or better) will receive credit for Intro Psych.

We recommend students declare as soon as they’ve decided to major in Psychology.

Major declarations require an appointment. Students who are exploring Psychology are welcome to come in for advising as well.

Is Psychology a limited enrollment major?

Does Psychology have a competitive admission requirement?

Advice for Incoming Freshman

Introduction to Psychology and a Breadth Course (e.g. Abnormal Psychology, Child Psychology, Social Psychology, Cognitive Psychology). Also Zoology 101 and 102 (or Zoo 151/152).

If you’ve taken AP Biology and received a 4 or better, we will accept it as part of our biological requirement.

We strongly discourage first year students from taking a course that meets our statistics requirement (e.g. Psych 210).

Advice for Incoming Transfer Students

If you plan to be at UW-Madison for more than two years, we recommend one of Breadth or Depth Courses (please see the Undergraduate Program page from the website to learn more about our major requirements).

If you plan to be at UW-Madison for two years or less, we strongly recommend an acceptable statistics course and a Depth course.

All transfer students are strongly encouraged to see an advisor within the first month of attending UW-Madison.

Religious Studies

Website: http://religiousstudies.lss.wisc.edu/
Department Address: 7143 Sewell Social Sciences Building
Email: ewcarlss@wisc.edu
Phone: (608) 265-1854

Options in the Major

None

How do students meet with a department advisor?

Students interested in learning more about the Religious Studies major or certificate program are encouraged to email the undergraduate advisor, Dr. Eric Carlsson, at ewcarlss@wisc.edu to set up an appointment.

Major Declaration Information

Students can declare the Religious Studies major at any time after enrolling at UW-Madison.

Is Religious Studies a limited enrollment major?

Does Religious Studies have a competitive admission requirement?

Advice for Incoming Freshman

For an introduction to the field of Religious Studies, beginning students are encouraged to enroll in RS 271 (Religion in History and Culture: The West) or RS 273 (Religion in History and Culture: The East); these courses also satisfy the introductory survey course requirement for the major.

A number of other courses offered in Fall 2012 also provide great introductions to particular religious traditions and comparative topics. See the course schedule for details.

Please contact the undergraduate advisor with any questions you may have about specific courses and requirements.

Advice for Incoming Transfer Students

Requirements for the major can be found at http://religiousstudies.lss.wisc.edu/?q=node/4#requirementsmajor.

You are encouraged to contact the undergraduate advisor as soon as possible to discuss course selection and transferring credits from previous coursework.

Russian

Website: http://slavic.lss.wisc.edu
Department Address: Department of Slavic Languages and Literature, 1432 Van Hise Hall 1220 Linden Drive.
Email: slavic@slavic.wisc.edu
Phone: (608) 262-3498

Options in the Major

Russian Language & Literature
Russian Language & Civilization
Russian for Native Speakers

How do students meet with a department advisor?

Make an appointment with Dr. Anna Tumarkin, atumarki@wisc.edu.

Major Declaration Information

There are no entry requirements for declaring the major. Both Russian and Polish major can be declared at any time.

Is Russian a limited enrollment major?

Does Russian have a competitive admission requirement?

Advice for Incoming Freshman

Slavic 101: First Semester Russian is offered in the fall semester only. Students interested in Russian should plan on taking SL 101 in the fall and continuing on to SL 102 in the spring semester.

Advice for Incoming Transfer Students

Please contact Dr. Anna Tumarkin for placement testing and major advising. Placement test consists of a written exam and an oral proficiency interview.

Scandinavian Studies

Website: http://www.scandinavian.wisc.edu
Department Address: 1306 Van Hise Hall, 1220 Linden Drive
Email: aschmidt2@wisc.edu
Phone: (608) 262-2090; (608) 262-2128

Options in the Major

Certificate in Scandinavian Studies

How do students meet with a department advisor?

It is very easy to get in touch with the Undergraduate Advisor, Nete Schmidt via email at aschmidt2@wisc.edu or telephone at (608) 270-0244.

The Departmental Specialist Judy Anderson can also be reached via email at jlander3@wisc.edu or telephone at (608) 262-2090.

Major Declaration Information

Students can declare the major at any time during their time at UW Madison. However, since the requirement for the major is 5 semesters of a language, we recommend declaring the major either freshman or sophomore year.

If a student wants a certificate instead of a major, they can wait until their junior or senior year to declare.

Is Scandinavian Studies a limited enrollment major?

Does Scandinavian Studies have a competitive admission requirement?

Advice for Incoming Freshman

We suggest that incoming freshmen choose a language taught in our department as their starting point. They can pick the one they are interested in – Danish, Finnish, Norwegian, or Swedish, and explore the department’s other courses simultaneously.

If students do not want to start out with a language, they can explore the many, varied courses we teach to get to know the department. For example, the popular Tales of Hans Christian Andersen course that is taught each semester.

Advice for Incoming Transfer Students

We suggest that interested transfer students immediately contact the Undergraduate Majors Advisor Nete Schmidt at aschmidt2@wisc.edu to discuss whether courses taken in the past qualify for the major and whether any language courses can be skipped to facilitate the major.

Apart from that, we suggest a similar approach as for incoming freshmen.

Social Welfare

Website: http://socwork.wisc.edu/
Department Address: 1350 University Avenue
Email: paulauskis@wisc.edu; velazqu@wisc.edu
Phone: (608) 263-3660

Options in the Major

None

How do students meet with a department advisor?

Students are welcome to schedule an appointment with Mary Paulauskis at https://tools.wisccal.wisc.edu/available/public/profiles/XaqoJrMj.html or Belinda Velazquez at https://tools.wisccal.wisc.edu/available/public/profiles/WgkvsyZY.html.

Students may also contact the School of Social Work at (608) 263-3660.

Major Declaration Information

Students may declare as early as the sophomore year. Students need to have a minimum overall GPA of 2.0.

Is Social Welfare a limited enrollment major?

Does Social Welfare have a competitive admission requirement?

Advice for Incoming Freshman

Follow the Letters and Science B.A. or B.S. requirements and if interested, take our freshmen-only course “Making A Difference: Professions That Change the World” in Fall. This course is not required for the major.

Advice for Incoming Transfer Students

Contact the School. Go to class the first day of class to see if the professor will let you in.

Social Work

Website: www.socwork.wisc.edu
Department Address: School of Social Work, 1350 University Avenue
Email: paulauskis@wisc.edu; bvelazqu@wisc.edu
Phone: (608) 263-3660

Options in the Major

None

How do students meet with a department advisor?

Students can schedule an appointment with an Social Work advisor through the online WiscCal Scheduling Assistant.

Students may also call the School of Social Work at 608-263-3660.

Major Declaration Information

Generally, Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) applicants begin as Social Welfare majors, which can be declared as early as the sophomore year.

Applicants must meet the following eligibility requirements to apply:

Completion of Social Work 205, Social Work 206, and completion or enrollment in an approved statistics course;
Second-semester Junior Standing (71 credits completed). You must obtain permission to apply with fewer than 71 credits (see advisor);
A minimum of 2.5 overall GPA from all colleges attended (See page 4 of the application for instructions on how to calculate cumulative GPA)

If accepted in the BSW program, the student declares the Social Work major.

Is Social Work a limited enrollment major?

Yes. Social Work is limited to approximately 30 students in their Senior Year.

Does Social Work have a competitive admission requirement?

Yes. Admission to the Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) Degree Program is based on an assessment of the applicant’s background, experience and preparation practice in the field of Social Work.

Factors taken into account in this assessment are:

Social Work related volunteer and/or work experiences;
Cross-cultural or multi-ethnic experiences;
Significant life experiences that pertains to social work;
Special Circumstances, such as: first generation college student, socio-economic disadvantage, physical disability, learning disability, psychological disability, or other;
Quality of academic work

Advice for Incoming Freshman

Follow the College of Letters and Science requirements for the B.A. or B.S.

If interested take our new course for Freshmen Only course “Making A Difference: Professions That Change the World” in Fall. This course is not a requirement for the major.

Advice for Incoming Transfer Students

Make an appointment with one of the Social Work advisors. Plan to take SW 205 and SW 206 in the Sophomore year.

Sociology

Website: http://www.ssc.wisc.edu/soc/undergraduate-program.php
Department Address: 8128 Sewell Social Science Building
Email: ejacobso@ssc.wisc.edu
Phone: (608) 262-3572

Options in the Major

Concentration in Analysis & Research (CAR)

How do students meet with a department advisor?

Walk-in advising times are posted here: http://ssc.wisc.edu/soc/ugrad/advising_times.php.

The hours change weekly on Sunday night.

Major Declaration Information

Students can and should declare the major before enrollment period in spring of their sophomore year. If they do not declare, they may be locked out of core courses.

Students declaring the major must meet with the undergraduate advisor in Sociology.

Is Sociology a limited enrollment major?

Does Sociology have a competitive admission requirement?

Advice for Incoming Freshman

Take one or two of the Sociology courses at the 100-level. These courses are great introductions in to sociological thinking about real-world issues. Only two of these courses can count for credits in the major.

Don’t stress greatly about getting the major started: there are only 10 courses (30 required credits) in the major.

Sociology offers courses which fulfill Comm B, Quantitative B (r) and Ethnic Studies; you can “embed” these requirements in your major work.

Advice for Incoming Transfer Students

Don’t stress greatly about getting the major started; there are only 10 courses in the major. Most transfer students get the Soc major done with time to spare.

If your previous school’s “Intro Soc” class was awarded an “X17″ (elective) equivalency we can still count it for our required intro class; we do a DARS exception after you’ve declare the major.

You may want to take our SOC 210, however; it fulfills Comm B, and the transfer course does not. If you choose to do that, your “X17″ will still count as a SOC elective.

Don’t worry too much about other courses coming in with “X…” equivalencies. They will still count as SOC credits, and no matter how many SOC credits you transfer in, you’ll still need to do at least 15 credits “upper-level” SOC in residence at UW-Madison, or on a UW-Madison study abroad program.

Spanish

Website: http://spanport.lss.wisc.edu/
Department Address: 702 Van Hise Hall, 1220 Linden Drive
Email: klthompson3@wisc.edu
Phone: (608) 265-3183

Options in the Major

Linguistics
Literature

How do students meet with a department advisor?

Email is best. Karen Thompson's schedule can be found at the Undergraduate Advising link on the Spanish & Portuguese website: http://spanport.lss.wisc.edu/?q=advising

Major Declaration Information

Students can declare at any time; however, we advise students to have completed both Spanish 223 and Spanish 224 prior to declaring.

We advise this for two reasons:

To get a better idea of the courses offered outside of the grammar sequence.
To get a better idea of the timeline required to complete the major requirements.

Is Spanish a limited enrollment major?

Does Spanish have a competitive admission requirement?

Advice for Incoming Freshman

Begin the grammar sequence according to your placement/AP results as early as possible.

Please note that retro-credits for Spanish can only be earned within your first thirty college credits (not including AP, IB, CLEP, retro-credits from another language, or any college credit taken while in high school) and can only be earned by taking a Spanish LANGUAGE course (Spanish 223 and Spanish 224 are not Spanish LANGUAGE courses).

Advice for Incoming Transfer Students

If a Spanish course you are transferring in comes in as electives, please see the Spanish Advisor while at SOAR. She can check whether the course in question has been reviewed (recently) by Spanish faculty. If not, she can give you the appeal process for getting your course reviewed and equated.

You can also discuss a tentative course of action based on your specific background and the course(s) you are transferring in.

Statistics

Website: http://www.stat.wisc.edu/
Department Address: 1300 University Avenue
Email: enroll@stat.wisc.edu
Phone: (608) 262-2598

Options in the Major

Statistics Major with a concentration in Mathematics
Statistics Major with an Area of Application

How do students meet with a department advisor?

Appointments can be made by e-mail with undergraduate advisors Rick Nordheim nordheim@stat.wisc.edu and Kevin Packard packard@stat.wisc.edu.

Major Declaration Information

Students are encouraged to declare as early as possible. To declare the major, students set up an appointment with an advisor.

Is Statistics a limited enrollment major?

Does Statistics have a competitive admission requirement?

Advice for Incoming Freshman

Prospective majors should complete the three course calculus sequence (MATH 221/222/234) and enroll in STAT 302 (Accelerated Introduction to Statistical Methods) during their first three semesters. For course planning, it is important to meet with an advisor.

Advice for Incoming Transfer Students

It is important for you to consult with an advisor during SOAR, particularly for determining the appropriate mathematics courses to enroll in. Incoming students that either 1) have not been granted equivalent credit for introductory statistics or 2) have been granted transfer credit for STAT 301 should enroll in STAT 302. Students who have been granted transfer credit for STAT 302 should enroll in STAT 327: "Introductory Data Analysis with R" and "Intermediate Data Analysis with R." Students with transfer credit for Math 431 or other upper level statistics courses should speak with an advisor for guidance on course selection.

Theatre & Drama

Website: http://theatre.wisc.edu/
Department Address: 6173 Vilas Hall, 821 University Avenue
Email: jbstauffer@wisc.edu
Phone: (608) 263-2329

Options in the Major

Individual Emphasis
Acting Specialist

How do students meet with a department advisor?

Call the main office at (608) 263-2329 during the summer months.

Major Declaration Information

Individual Emphasis majors may declare at any time. Acting Specialists are selected by audition after completing Theatre 150 and 250.

Is Theatre & Drama a limited enrollment major?

Does Theatre & Drama have a competitive admission requirement?

Advice for Incoming Freshman

Theatre 120, 150, and 160 are good starting classes.

Advice for Incoming Transfer Students

Make sure you meet with the Department of Theatre and Drama's advisor in the fall for a complete listing of all of the major requirements.

Zoology

Website: http://www.zoology.wisc.edu/
Department Address: 250 N. Mills Street
Email: advisor@zoology.wisc.edu
Phone: (608) 262-1051

Options in the Major

None

How do students meet with a department advisor?

http://www.zoology.wisc.edu/u_grad/advising.htm

Major Declaration Information

Anytime. It is recommended that the student declares at least by his/her Junior year.

Is Zoology a limited enrollment major?

Does Zoology have a competitive admission requirement?

Advice for Incoming Freshman

Please plan on taking Intro Biology your Second year.

For more information on biology options, see: http://www.zoology.wisc.edu/u_grad/requirements.htm

Advice for Incoming Transfer Students

Please meet with a departmental advisor during your upcoming semester to review your transfer credits and to determine the best path for your future semesters.

College of Letters &#38; Science

SOAR Information by Major

List of Majors

African Languages & Literature

African Languages & Literature

Afro-American Studies

Afro-American Studies

Anthropology

Anthropology

Applied Math, Engineering and Physics

Art History

Art History

Asian Studies

Asian Studies (Concentration on Southeast Asia)

Astronomy-Physics

Astronomy-Physics

Atmospheric & Oceanic Sciences

Atmospheric & Oceanic Sciences

Biochemistry

Biochemistry

Biological Aspects of Conservation

Biological Aspects of Conservation

Biology

Biology

Botany

Botany

Cartography and Geographic Information Systems

Cartography & Geographic Information Systems

Chemistry

Chemistry

Chemistry Course

Chemistry

Chinese

Chinese

Classical Humanities

Classical Humanities

Classics

Classics

Communication Arts

Communication Arts

Communication Sciences and Disorders

Communication Sciences and Disorders

Comparative Literature

Comparative Literature

Computer Sciences

Computer Sciences

Economics

Economics

English

English

Environmental Science

Environmental Studies

Environmental Studies

French

French

Gender & Women's Studies

Gender & Women's Studies

Geography

Geography

Geology & Geophysics

Geology & Geophysics

German

German

Hebrew

Hebrew

History

History

History and History of Science, Medicine, and Technology

History of Science, Medicine & Technology

History of Science, Medicine and Technology

Individual Major

Individual Major

International Studies

International Studies

Italian

Italian

Japanese

Japanese

Jewish Studies

Jewish Studies

College of Letters & Science