{"id":13015,"date":"2026-07-30T15:06:11","date_gmt":"2026-07-30T19:06:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/success\/?page_id=13015"},"modified":"2026-08-25T14:08:42","modified_gmt":"2026-08-25T18:08:42","slug":"faqs-e","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/success\/exploratory-studies-center\/faqs-e\/","title":{"rendered":"FAQs"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"Course-Sequencing-&amp;-Timelines\">\ud83d\udcc5 Course Sequencing &amp; Timelines<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"fullwidth wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Q: When should I take a math class?<\/strong><br>A: Take math during your first year. Complete the ALEKS exam before your first semester&#8217;s add\/drop period.<br><br><strong>Q: When should I declare a major?<\/strong><br>A: URI recommends declaring by the end of your first year or during your sophomore year.<br><br><strong>Q: How long can I remain undeclared?<\/strong><br>A: You can stay undeclared until you earn 60 credits, but you must choose a major before your junior year. Students interested in STEM majors should declare before earning 30 credits.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\" \/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"Majors,-Minors,-&amp;-Academic-Tracks\">\ud83c\udf93 Majors, Minors, &amp; Academic Tracks<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"fullwidth wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Q: How often can I switch majors?<\/strong><br>A: Change as often as needed. You must meet new requirements. Late changes may delay graduation.<br><br><strong>Q: What is the difference between a major and a minor?<\/strong><br>A: A major is your main study area (30+ credits). A minor is an optional addition (~18 credits).<br><br><strong>Q: Can I declare a minor before I declare a major?<\/strong><br>A: No. Minors require an active, primary degree program.<br><br><strong>Q: Can I declare a minor now?<\/strong><br>A: Yes, once you have a major. Meet with your advisor and submit the form via Starfish.<br><br><strong>Q: How many majors can you declare in?<\/strong><br>A: You can double major. You usually cannot double major within the same business program.<br><br><strong>Q: How many minors can you declare in?<\/strong><br>A: There is no rigid limit. Credit restrictions usually limit students to one or two.<br><br><strong>Q: What is Pre-Health?<\/strong><br>A: An advising track, not a major. Provides course planning and career prep support for medical paths.<br><br><strong>Q: Can I declare pre-law?<\/strong><br>A: No. It is an advising track. Choose a standard major and follow pre-law guidelines.<br><br><strong>Q: Who can I meet with to discuss pre-law?<\/strong><br>A: Contact Chris Parker at cmparker@uri.edu (305 Washburn Hall) or book via Starfish.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\" \/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"Academic-Coursework-&amp;-Variety\">\ud83c\udfeb Academic Coursework &amp; Variety<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"fullwidth wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Q: What majors do not require any math?<\/strong><br>A: BA majors like English, Art History, Theatre, and Philosophy require no program-specific upper-level math.<br><br><strong>Q: What majors provide hands-on learning?<\/strong><br>A: Nursing, Engineering, Marine Biology, Kinesiology, Journalism, and Textiles feature built-in labs or internships.<br><br><strong>Q: What majors have a lot of STEM requirements?<\/strong><br>A: All BS tracks (Computer Science, Chemistry, Biomedical Engineering, Biological Sciences, Physics) have heavy STEM loads.<br><br><strong>Q: What majors have the least STEM requirements?<\/strong><br>A: BA tracks in humanities and fine arts (History, Creative Writing, Communications) have minimal STEM needs.<br><br><strong>Q: What are alternative majors to nursing?<\/strong><br>A: Health Studies, Kinesiology, Psychology (BS), Medical Laboratory Science, and Human Development &amp; Family Science.<br><br><strong>Q: What is neuroscience?<\/strong><br>A: A field combining Biology, Psychology, Engineering, and Pharmacy to study the brain and nervous system.<br><br><strong>Q: What is the difference between a BA degree and a BS degree?<\/strong><br>A: A BS focuses on technical, math, and science coursework. A BA offers broader elective and minor room.<br><br><strong>Q: How do I fill out a curriculum sheet?<\/strong><br>A: Find yours on the Advising by Major website. Use eCampus to track completed courses.<br><br><strong>Q: What happens if I don\u2019t meet the GPA requirement to get admitted into the major I want?<\/strong><br>A: You stay in FISS as an &#8220;exploring&#8221; student. Work with your advisor on the Second Grade Option.<br><br><strong>Q: What majors are quickest to graduate in?<\/strong><br>A: BA majors with fewer required credits and flexible courses help students graduate faster.<br><br><strong>Q: What are the most popular majors at URI?<\/strong><br>A: Health sciences, business, and communications have the highest enrollment and graduate numbers.<br><br><strong>Q: What majors guarantee me a job after graduation?<\/strong><br>A: None guarantee a job. Nursing, Engineering, Accounting, Finance, Computer Science, and Cyber Security show strong outcomes.<br><br><strong>Q: How can I learn about Study Abroad?<\/strong><br>A: Attend a mandatory \u201cGetting Started\u201d Info Session run by the Office of International Education (OIE).\u00a0<br><br><strong>Q: When should I be thinking about internships, and who can I connect with?<\/strong><br>A: Start exploring during your sophomore year and apply early for junior year or senior summer opportunities. Use Starfish to meet with your Career Education Specialist for guidance.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\" \/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"Academic-Advising-&amp;-Support-Tracks\">\ud83c\udfdb\ufe0f Academic Advising &amp; Support Tracks<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"fullwidth wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Q: Why do I have an advisor hold?<\/strong><br>A: It requires you to meet with your academic advisor before registration to plan your schedule.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\" \/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"Course-Formats-&amp;-Definitions\">\ud83d\udda5\ufe0f Course Formats &amp; Definitions<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"fullwidth wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Q: Are there many online classes offered at URI?<\/strong><br>A: Yes, via URI Online. Many are upper-level and may not suit first- or second-year students.<br><br><strong>Q: What does a blended class mean?<\/strong><br>A: A hybrid format combining physical in-person meetings with structured asynchronous online learning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\" \/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"Enrollment-Holds,-Standing,-&amp;-SAP\">\ud83d\uded1 Enrollment Holds, Standing, &amp; SAP<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"fullwidth wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Q: Why do I have a term balance hold?<\/strong><br>A: It is triggered automatically by an unpaid financial balance from the current or previous semester.<br><br><strong>Q: What does being in good standing mean?<\/strong><br>A: You must maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.00 or higher.<br><br><strong>Q: What does being on probation mean?<\/strong><br>A: A warning triggered if your cumulative GPA drops below 2.00. Max 3 consecutive semesters if QPD is under 8.0.<br><br><strong>Q: What is a quality deficit point?<\/strong><br>A: The exact number of grade points you are missing to achieve a 2.00 GPA.<br><br><strong>Q: What is a SAP?<\/strong><br>A: Satisfactory Academic Progress. Federal aid standard requiring a 2.00 GPA and passing 67% of attempted credits.<br><br><strong>Q: What is early registration and how do I get it?<\/strong><br>A: Priority registration for Honors, student-athletes, and DAI students who complete advisor scheduling forms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\" \/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"Credit-Loads-&amp;-Accelerated-Terms\">\u23f1\ufe0f Credit Loads &amp; Accelerated Terms<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"fullwidth wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Q: How many credits should I enroll in each semester?<br><\/strong>A: Enroll in 15 to 16 credits per semester to graduate on time in four years.<br><br><strong>Q: Can I enroll in just 12 credits each semester?<br><\/strong>A: Yes, it keeps full-time status for housing and sports, but will delay graduation past four years.<br><br><strong>Q: What is J term?<br><\/strong>A: Optional January winter session. You can complete up to 4 credits in an accelerated 3-week format.<br><br><strong>Q: What is summer term?<br><\/strong>A: Optional accelerated sessions from May to August to help you catch up or get ahead.<br><br><strong>Q: Can I take a math class during J term?<br><\/strong>A: Yes, select foundational math classes are offered but are heavily compressed.<br><br><strong>Q: Can I take a math class during summer term?<br><\/strong>A: Yes, URI routinely offers general education and major-specific math courses across summer block sessions.<br><br><strong>Q: If I have a lot of AP and dual enrollment credits, can I graduate early?<br><\/strong>A: Yes, you can use unlimited credits to finish early, depending on how they fit your major requirements.<br><br><strong>Q: How many times can I repeat a class?<br><\/strong>A: You can repeat a course once (two attempts total) if you earned a C- or lower on your first attempt.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>\ud83d\udcc5 Course Sequencing &amp; Timelines Q: When should I take a math class?A: Take math during your first year. Complete the ALEKS exam before your first semester&#8217;s add\/drop period. Q: When should I declare a major?A: URI recommends declaring by the end of your first year or during your sophomore year. Q: How long can [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":706,"featured_media":0,"parent":12776,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"class_list":["post-13015","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/success\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/13015","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/success\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/success\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/success\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/706"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/success\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=13015"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/success\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/13015\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":13058,"href":"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/success\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/13015\/revisions\/13058"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/success\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/12776"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/success\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=13015"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}