ISF MAJOR DECLARATION FORM
(Download the form for the fillable version)
Students may submit this declaration form as soon as they have completed their first declaration requirement course with no less than a C grade and are currently enrolled in their second declaration course, and have had their research program approved by an ISF faculty advisor. Final acceptance in the program will be contingent on receiving a grade of C or better in the second course and attainment of a 2.0 or higher GPA in all courses that apply to the major requirements, which include the declaration requirements, ISF Core requirements, and faculty-approved Course of Study classes.
ISF Declaration Instructions
1. Learn more about the ISF major: Read through the ISF Student Handbook to review the teaching interests of the ISF faculty, review the upper division requirements, and consult the pre-existing ISF Research Fields to review how the major is structured. If this unique major interests you, once you have met the eligibility requirements outlined above you can meet with the Student Academic Advisor if you have further questions about the major requirements.
2. Identify your Research Field: Take a closer look at the ISF Research Fields on the ISF website. Although ISF students may pursue other research fields identified in consultation with ISF faculty, these ISF Research Fields provide models and resources about scholarly interests shared by many ISF students and faculty.
The title of your research program should be short and descriptive, capturing a social issue, topic, or theme that you want to investigate throughout your Course of Study and across its component disciplines. It’s time to brainstorm: try out different ways of identifying your interests thematically, geographically, or historically. Think about keywords that can help crystallize your thinking. Remember: the Research Field is not the same thing as your Senior Thesis, nor is it a research question: its title should be descriptive and general, but accurately reflect your interdisciplinary interests.
2A. Select Potential Courses for your Course of Study: Once you have chosen the topic, theme, or issue of your Research Field, consider what classes and from which departments you wish to include in your Course of Study. Which disciplines have inspired you? What classes might fit together and complement each other? Check out the “How Do I Choose Classes For My Course of Study?” question in the FAQ for specific suggestions on how to build this list. If you’re still having trouble, it might be a good time to consult with the Student Academic Advisor.
3. Meet with an ISF Faculty Advisor to discuss your research interests and planned coursework.* Now you’re ready to meet with an ISF faculty advisor, who will assist with the creation and refinement of your Research Field. Students are encouraged to meet with the faculty advisor whose research interests align with their own.
*The Student Academic Advisor can assist with general questions about the major, whereas faculty advisors can assist with specific questions regarding students’ research interests and appropriate coursework. Faculty advisors are the experts in interdisciplinary studies and can talk with students about their academic, career, and graduate school goals. More information about when to meet with the student academic advisor vs. faculty advisor is in the FAQ section: “When do I meet with a faculty advisor vs. the student academic advisor?”
4. Submit the ISF Declaration Form to your faculty advisor: Complete the ISF Declaration Form and email all required documents, preferably as one pdf, to the faculty member you talked to. Faculty advisors can assist with drafts of your declaration form during office hours. Office hours for ISF faculty advisors are updated each semester. They are ready to meet with you at any point in the declaration process, e.g. if you only have broad interests and need help narrowing them down, if you have a partial draft ready, or if you have a full draft ready for their review.
Students should expect a two week turnaround time on application processing. The deadline to submit the forms to declare the major is the final day of classes. Please do not wait until then to submit your application, as the faculty advisors need ample time to review the declaration form. Upon approval, they will send the declaration form to the Student Academic Advisor for declaration in CalCentral.
All declaration forms are reviewed by the ISF Faculty using the following criteria:
Does the student’s Research Field meet ISF standards of an interdisciplinary, research-driven, liberal arts major, or is the student trying to complete a degree in another major through ISF? Has the student already been rejected by an “impacted” major? Is the student using the ISF major to avoid difficult courses, prerequisites, conflicts with athletic schedules, or other requirements of another major? Can the student’s Research Field only be completed in ISF and nowhere else on campus?
L&S Policy- Declaring A Major Before 90 Units
Be advised that L&S students are required to be declared in a major by the time they have 90 units completed. L&S places registration holds on students who are undeclared at 90 units, including units in-progress and transfer units. As such, declaring the major early is highly encouraged to avoid eventual registration holds. Students who have senior standing (more than 90 units, excluding AP credit) must meet with L&S Advising and the ISF Student Academic Advisor first. Final acceptance into the major will be contingent on being able to finish the ISF major within L&S graduation timeline policies.
