Changing Majors Within the College of Engineering

General Change of Major Guidelines

1. Per university policy, you must complete at least one term at Cal Poly before changing your major.
2. Per university policy, you are allowed one Individualized Change of Major Agreement (ICMA) per major. If you enter into an ICMA and do not complete the agreement’s requirements, either by failing to complete the terms or by opting out due to a change of plan or interest, you will not be eligible to request that same major again.
3. Per university policy, you must have a feasible plan to graduate in your intended major within 6 years if admitted as a freshman or within 3 years if admitted as a transfer student from the term you were admitted. A realistic graduation plan might be required to demonstrate whether this is feasible.
4. Per university policy, you can only change into a major at your admitted campus. You must have been admitted to Cal Poly SLO to change into the College of Engineering majors below.
5. For more information, you can review Cal Poly's Change of Major Policy.

• Note: If you are a former student who left the College of Engineering (CENG) in poor standing and are accepted into another college at Cal Poly, you do not have the option of applying for a change of major back into CENG.

Aerospace Engineering

To change to AERO, you must meet the following requirements:

• Minimum 2.700 Cal Poly cumulative GPA
• Minimum 2.000 Term GPA

AERO Faculty Directory (Recommended to meet with: Dr. Nandeesh Hiremath) 

To determine if your introductory and/or other major and support courses will automatically substitute in your new major, please review the "Students Who Have Changed Their Major" section under the "Course Substitutions" tab on our AERO page.

Biomedical Engineering

To change to BMED, you must meet the following requirements:

• Minimum 2.700 Cal Poly cumulative GPA
• Minimum 2.000 Term GPA

BMED Faculty Directory (Recommended to meet with: Dr. Trevor Cardinal)

To determine if your introductory and/or other major and support courses will automatically substitute in your new major, please review the "Students Who Have Changed Their Major" section under the "Course Substitutions" tab on our BMED page.

Civil Engineering

To change to CE, you must meet the following requirements:

• Minimum 2.700 Cal Poly cumulative GPA
• Minimum 2.000 Term GPA

CE & ENVE Faculty Directory

To determine if your introductory and/or other major and support courses will automatically substitute in your new major, please review the "Students Who Have Changed Their Major" section under the "Course Substitutions" tab on our CE page.

Computer Engineering

Computer Science

Electrical Engineering

To change to EE, you must meet the following requirements:

• Minimum 2.700 Cal Poly cumulative GPA
• Minimum 2.000 Term GPA

EE Faculty Directory

To determine if your introductory and/or other major and support courses will automatically substitute in your new major, please review the "Students Who Have Changed Their Major" section under the "Course Substitutions" tab on our EE page.

Environmental Engineering

To change to ENVE, you must meet the following requirements:

• Minimum 2.700 Cal Poly cumulative GPA
• Minimum 2.000 Term GPA

CE & ENVE Faculty Directory (Recommended to meet with: Dr. Rebekah Oulton)

To determine if your introductory and/or other major and support courses will automatically substitute in your new major, please review the "Students Who Have Changed Their Major" section under the "Course Substitutions" tab on our ENVE page.

General Engineering

To change to GENE, you must meet the following requirements:

1. Schedule an appointment and meet with a CENG Academic Advisor.
2. Meet with the GENE Director to determine if GENE is a good fit.

To determine if your introductory and/or other major and support courses will automatically substitute in your new major, please review the "Students Who Have Changed Their Major" section under the "Course Substitutions" tab on our GENE page.

Industrial Engineering

To change to IE, you must meet the following requirements:

• Minimum 2.000 Cal Poly cumulative GPA
• Minimum 2.000 Term GPA

IE & MFGE Faculty Directory

To determine if your introductory and/or other major and support courses will automatically substitute in your new major, please review the "Students Who Have Changed Their Major" section under the "Course Substitutions" tab on our IE page.

Manufacturing Engineering

To change to MFGE, you must meet the following requirements:

• Minimum 2.000 Cal Poly cumulative GPA
• Minimum 2.000 Term GPA

IE & MFGE Faculty Directory

To determine if your introductory and/or other major and support courses will automatically substitute in your new major, please review the "Students Who Have Changed Their Major" section under the "Course Substitutions" tab on our MFGE page.

Materials Engineering

To change to MATE, you must meet the following requirements:

• Minimum 2.000 Cal Poly cumulative GPA
• Minimum 2.000 Term GPA

MATE Faculty Directory

To determine if your introductory and/or other major and support courses will automatically substitute in your new major, please review the "Students Who Have Changed Their Major" section under the "Course Substitutions" tab on our MATE page.

Mechanical Engineering

To change to ME, you must meet the following requirements:

• Minimum 2.700 Cal Poly cumulative GPA
• Minimum 2.000 Term GPA
• If a student was originally admitted to GENE and is switching from GENE to ME, Cal Poly Cumulative GPA must be a 2.000 and student must be in good academic standing.

ME Faculty Directory (Recommended to meet with: Dr. Mott-Peuker)

To determine if your introductory and/or other major and support courses will automatically substitute in your new major, please review the "Students Who Have Changed Their Major" section under the "Course Substitutions" tab on our ME page.

Please note: 

• 22-26 Catalog: instead of the freshman introductory series (ME 128 + 129 + 130 + 163), take: ME 228 + 263 + 264 (quarter courses) or ME 1148 + 2225 (semester courses)
• 22-26 Catalog: instead of IME 145 +146, take: IME 143 (quarter course) or IME 1143
• 26-28 Catalog: instead of the freshman introductory course (ME 1125), take: ME 263 + 264 (quarter courses) or ME 2225 (semester course)

Software Engineering

Change of Major Inquiry and ICMA

PLEASE READ THIS SECTION CAREFULLY! 

1. Confirm that you meet both the general and major requirements above, and have completed the necessary research. (If you do not meet the requirements and have questions about your options, please schedule a Change of Major Appointment with an advisor.)
2. When you are ready to change your major, submit the Change of Major Eligibility Inquiry Form! For a step-by-step guide to submitting, review University Advising's "Step 4: Complete the Change of Major Eligibility Inquiry Form". Submit the inquiry form AFTER you meet all of the requirements to change. Submitting this form will initiate the change into your intended major if you meet all of the requirements on this page. For students admitted in Summer or Fall 2026: you must wait until January 4, 2027 to submit. 
3. Within 5 business days of submission, your inquiry will be updated and you will receive an email from evaluations@calpoly.edu. You must use the emailed link to accept your Individualized Change of Major Agreement (ICMA) within 5 days or it will be canceled.
4. Within 5 business days of your ICMA acceptance, you will receive a final email from evaluations@calpoly.edu confirming that your major change was approved.
5. Within 5 business days of the approval, your major will be updated by the Registrar's Office - congratulations!

• NOTE: If you are changing for the third (or more) time, you may be required to make an appointment with an advisor before we create the ICMA. We will email you if this is required.