Students must either select a major or declare themselves undecided at the time they submit an application for admission. If we are unable to admit you to your first-choice major, we will automatically consider you for University Studies. Applicants who are interested in a double major should indicate only one of the majors on the application form. Arrangements for double majors and minors are administered by the appropriate academic colleges after enrollment.
Freshman applicants who are undecided about a field of study may enter the University Studies (US) program, which is administered by the University Academic Advising Center (UAAC). The program provides students the opportunity to explore all of the majors available before declaring a major. University Studies also provides an academic home for students who are preparing to reapply to a more competitive major or program. Each student in University Studies is assigned an academic advisor who will work with the student to select and gain admission to a degree program. University Studies is not a degree program.
Three colleges – agriculture and life sciences, business, and natural resources – also offer an “undecided” category for freshmen who are certain about their college choice but are not yet prepared to select a specific major. Freshmen applying to the College of Engineering are admitted to general engineering. Accepted students may not enter a specific engineering major until they have successfully completed the first year of general engineering courses.
Students who wish to change to another major after submitting an application should notify the Office of Undergraduate Admissions at appchange@vt.edu. Once a student has enrolled, changes of major are administered by the appropriate academic colleges.
Students should be aware that there are several majors in the university that are in high demand or have special entrance requirements and cannot accommodate all who wish to enter. In recent years, programs in engineering, business, communication, industrial design, and architecture have been the most selective.
Below is a list of majors offered at Virginia Tech. For specific information on each major, please see the majors section of this website.
US University Studies (undecided)
LFSC Life Sciences (undecided)
AAEC Agricultural and Applied Economics
Agricultural Management and Marketing; Environment, Development, and Trade Economics;
Veterinary Business Management
AGSC Agricultural Sciences
AT Agricultural Technology
(2-year program; apply separately at www.agtech.vt.edu)
Agriculture Business; Animal Agriculture; Crop
Production; Landscape and Turf Management
APSC Animal and Poultry Sciences
Biotechnology Science/Pre-Vet; Production/Business
BCHM Biochemistry
CSES Crop & Soil Environmental Sciences
Agroecology; Biotechnology and Genetics; International
Agriculture; Soil-Environmental; Turfgrass Management
DASC Dairy Science
Dairy Enterprise Management; Biotechnology/Pre-Vet
ENSC Environmental Science
Aquatic Resources; Land Resources; Plant
Resources; Waste Management
FST Food Science & Technology
Science/Technology/Pre-Vet
HORT Horticulture
Horticulture Crops; Horticulture Education; Horticulture
Science; Horticulture Therapy; Landscape Contracting
HNFE Human Nutrition, Foods and Exercise
Community and International Nutrition; Consumer
Foods; Dietetics; Exercise and Health Promotion;
Science of Food, Nutrition and Exercise
ARCH Architecture (5-year program)
ART Art
Art History; Foundations; Graphic/Visual
Communication Design; Studio Art
BC Building Construction
Construction & Design; Development, Real Estate, & Construction
EPP Environmental Policy and Planning
IDS Industrial Design
ITDS Interior Design
LAR Landscape Architecture (5-year program)
PUA Public and Urban Affairs
BUS Business (undecided)
ACIS Accounting and Information Systems
Accounting; Information Systems – Assurance;
Information Systems – Development
BIT Business Information Technology
Computer-Based Decision Support Systems;
e-Business Technology; Operations Management
ECON Economics (Business)
FIN Finance
HTM Hospitality and Tourism Management
MGT Management
Entrepreneurship, Innovation, & Technology;
Human Resource Management
MKTG Marketing
Minor for any Pamplin major:
Global Business
Minors for any major:
Business; Business Leadership; Real Estate
GE General Engineering
(ALL 1st year engineering students)
Aerospace Engineering
Biological Systems Engineering
Chemical Engineering
Civil & Environmental Engineering
Computer Engineering
Computer Science
Electrical Engineering
Engineering Science & Mechanics
Industrial and Systems Engineering
Materials Science and Engineering
Mechanical Engineering
Mining and Minerals Engineering
Ocean Engineering
AHRM Apparel, Housing, & Resource Management
Apparel Design; Consumer Studies; Family Financial
Management; Merchandising Management;
Residential Property Management
CLA Classical Studies
COMM Communication
Broadcasting; Film & Media Theory; Journalism; Public Relations
ENGL English
Creative Writing; Literature, Language, & Culture
(includes tracts in Cultural Studies, Literature,
Pre-Education, & Pre-Law); Professional Writing
FR French
GER German
HIST History
Global/Comparative History; Military/Diplomatic/Political History; Science/Technology/Environment History; Social/Cultural/Economic History
HD Human Development
IDST Interdisciplinary Studies
IS International Studies
Business; Environmental Affairs; Global
Development; World Politics & Policy
MUS Music (audition required)
Music Design; Music Education;
Performance; Theory/Composition
PHIL Philosophy
PSCI Political Science
Legal Studies
SOC Sociology
Crime/Deviance; Social Inequality; Workplace Relations
SPAN Spanish
TA Theatre Arts
Minors for any major:
Africana Studies; American Indian Studies;
Judaic Studies; Religious Studies; Residential
Leadership; Women’s Studies
NR Natural Resources (undecided)
ERM Environmental Resources Management
Environmental Resource Management;
Watershed Management
FORS Forestry
Forest Resource Management;
Forest Operations and Business; Urban Forestry
GEOG Geography
Geospatial and Environmental Analysis;
Culture, Regions, and International Development
MTRG Meteorology
NRC Natural Resources Conservation
Conservation and Recreation Management, Environmental Education, Natural
Resources Science Education
WSCI Wildlife Science
WOOD Wood Science and Forest Products
Forest Products Business; Packaging Science; Residential Wood Structures; Wood Materials Science
BIOC Biochemistry
BIOL Biological Sciences
Biobusiness; Biotechnology; Clinical Laboratory Science; Food Science; Microbiology/Immunology; Pre-Physical Therapy
CHEM Chemistry
Adhesion Science; Environmental Chemistry;
Materials; Polymer Chemistry; Science Education
ECAS Economics (Sciences)
GEOS Geosciences
Earth Science Education; Geochemistry;
Geology; Geophysics
MATH Mathematics
Applied Computational Mathematics; Applied
Discrete Mathematics; Mathematics Education
PHYS Physics
PSYC Psychology
STAT Statistics
Students interested in becoming teachers or school counselors should review the information on the Teacher Education page.
Students interested in pre-professional preparation in areas such as medicine, dentistry, physical therapy, pharmacy, veterinary medicine, and law, may choose any major in any college, and may arrange to work with the appropriate pre-professional advisor to prepare for application and admission to the professional school of their choice. The information on the following links will be helpful: Pre-Health , Pre-Law, and Pre-Veterinary Medicine.