Choosing an Academic Major Back to Majors and Minors Breadcrumb guidance on choosing an academic major Guidance on Choosing a Major Brigadier General Shane Reeves, Dean of the Academic Board at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, offers guidance to the Class of 2025 on choosing from the 36 majors offered at USMA and setting goals for their academic future. View the video. Choosing a Major Brigadier General Shane Reeves, Dean of the Academic Board at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, offers guidance to the Class of 2025 on choosing from the 36 majors offered at USMA and setting goals for their academic future. Major FAQs NOTE: Some links on this page may require a West Point password to access. Where can I find general information about each major and opportunities within each major? Please visit the Majors and Minors page on westpoint.edu to explore our 36 majors and 19 minors. Our departments have also created an easy-to-browse Class of 2025 Majors Brochure that you can download and review. Where can I find detailed requirements for each academic major? Please explore our Curriculum Handbook, also called the Redbook. Part 2 - Disciplinary Offerings describes the learning outcomes for each academic major, and Part 4 - Majors and Minors lists the course requirements for each major as well as the minors available to each class. What if I need help selecting a major? Please visit our friendly Center for Enhanced Performance (CEP) Counselors, see your friendly Company Academic Counselor (CAC), or connect with the advisors at Academic Affairs and Registrar Services (AARS)! Do some majors have limits on the number of cadets they’ll accept from each class? Unfortunately, a few of our majors must cap enrollment due to limited faculty to resource our smaller sections. The majors that establish a cap vary by year, but, for the Class of 2024, the following majors were capped: Major Capped at Kinesiology 16 Management around 60 Psychology around 60 Law and Legal Studies around 60 Life Science around 40 The criteria for acceptance to a capped major varies, but the following is true: It will not be first come, first served. Some require an essay that describes your interest in their major. Some also use data from your first semester prior to the U.S. Military Academy (USMA) to help identify the best candidates for their major. How do I actually declare my major? After you've done all your research and you are ready to make a final decision, you have to see a Department Academic Counselor or an advisor at Academic Affairs and Registrar Services (AARS) so they can enroll you. CACs and other faculty cannot enroll you. Enrollments can only be made during the signup period, which is typically from mid-January to early March of your plebe year. Additional Resources The Red Book This Redbook identifies majors and minors available to each class as well as a listing of all courses offered during each academic year and term. Visit the Red Book Company Academic Counselor Prior to selecting a major, academic advising is provided by the Company Academic Counselor (CAC) and by the head Academic Advisor in the Registrar's office, Dr. Russell Lachance. View CACs Departmental Academic Counselors After declaring a major, cadets are assigned a Departmental Academic Advisor (DAC) to assist them in understanding the opportunities available and the requirements necessary to complete their major. View DACs by Department Operations and Registrar’s Office The Operations and Registrar’s office, located in Taylor Hall, will work closely with your cadet and the department on major selection orientation. Contact Registrar Center for Enhanced Performance Cadets can also take advantage of opportunities for tutoring, academic coaching, and other learning assistance associated with major selection in the Center for Enhanced Performance in Jefferson Hall. View CEP Counselors Class of 2025 Majors Our departments have also created an easy-to-browse Majors Brochure that you can view or download. View Majors Brochure ACADEMIC ADVISORS BY DEPARTMENT Behavioral Sciences & Leadership Chemistry & Life Science Civil & Mechanical Engineering Electrical Engineering & Computer Science English & Philosophy Foreign Languages Geography & Environmental Engineering History Kinesiology Law Mathematical Sciences Military Instruction Physical Education Physics & Nuclear Engineering Social Sciences Systems Engineering Still Have Questions? Contact the Registrar Located in Taylor Hall 845-938-5324 Associate Dean, Deputy for Operations and Registrar Services, Dr. Russ Lachance Associate Dean, Registrar, Dr. Jim Dalton