Office of the Registrar
Change of Degree Program
Oberlin College and Conservatory offers multiple undergraduate degree programs. This page explains how students may apply to change their degree program after enrolling at Oberlin.
Not a current Oberlin student?
Learn more about how to apply to Oberlin as a first-year or transfer student.
Deadlines and Requirements
Students may request a change of degree program. Requests must be made in a timely fashion and all entrance requirements for the appropriate degree must be met. Some degree changes require a formal application, while others do not; timelines and requirements vary depending on the specific change being requested. In some cases, the Office of the Conservatory Associate Deans or the Academic Advising Resource Center (AARC) may require students to change degree programs if they are not making satisfactory progress toward their current degree.
Degree Completion Timeline
Students who change their degree program after the second year must demonstrate the ability to complete the degree(s) within the standard time frame of the new degree program.
Financial Aid
The number of semesters of remaining financial aid will be determined by the normal length of the degree to which the student is changing.
Important Restrictions
Oberlin does not offer a standalone BFA. The BFA is available only as part of the combined BA+BFA program. In addition, the BFA may not be combined with either the BS or the BM.
Students may earn either a BA or a BS but not both.
Students may not pursue triple degrees such as a BA, BM, and BFA or a BA+BFA with the 3-2 Engineering program.
Application Review (if applicable)
In cases where an application is required, materials will be reviewed after students have completed all required steps. The appropriate admissions office will consider the application materials in conjunction with a student’s full Oberlin transcript and their overall academic progress and standing.
Next Steps
Find your current degree program below to learn about the specific requirements and steps.
Change to Bachelor of Science
Deadline: Add/drop deadline for full-semester courses in the final semester
Steps:
- Review the BS degree requirements
- Declare a BS-eligible major
- Request the BS when declaring an eligible major or at a later time using the degree change form
Learn more about the BS option.
Change to Bachelor of Arts+Bachelor of Fine Arts
Deadline: Students who have completed more than four semesters at Oberlin are typically ineligible to apply for the BA+BFA. Please contact the the program director for special approval prior to completing this application
Application Steps:
- Review the application instructions
- Submit your application, including a portfolio
Change to Bachelor of Music
Deadline: End of year three
Application Steps:
- Complete the steps outlined by Conservatory Admissions
Change to Double Degree (BA and BM)
Deadline: End of year three
Application Steps:
- Complete the steps outlined by Conservatory Admissions
Change to Bachelor of Arts
Deadline: The add/drop deadline of a student's final semester
Steps:
- Submit the Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science Degree Change form to the Office of the Registrar
Note: Pending graduates who don’t complete the 16 full NSMA course requirement but who have completed the requirements for the BA will be converted to the BA prior to graduation.
Change to Bachelor of Arts+Bachelor of Fine Arts
Deadline: Students who have completed more than four semesters at Oberlin are typically ineligible to apply for the BA+BFA. Please contact the the program director for special approval prior to completing this application
Application Steps:
- Review the application instructions
- Submit your application, including a portfolio
Change to Bachelor of Music
Deadline: End of year three
Application Steps:
- Complete the steps outlined by Conservatory Admissions
Change to Double Degree (BS and BM)
Deadline: End of year three
Application Steps:
- Complete the steps outlined by Conservatory Admissions
Change to Bachelor of Arts only
Deadline: End of year four
Steps:
- Meet with Julia Christensen, Program Director of the BA/BFA
- Email the Office of the Registrar with your request to drop the BFA
Change to Bachelor of Fine Arts only
It is not possible to drop the Bachelor of Arts and pursue a standalone BFA. The BFA is available only as part of the combined BA+BFA program.
Change to Bachelor of Science only
Deadline: Add/drop deadline of a student's final semester
Steps:
- Meet with Julia Christensen, Program Director of the BA/BFA
- Email the Office of the Registrar with your request to drop the BFA
- Review the BS degree requirements
- Declare a BS-eligible major
- Request the BS when declaring an eligible major or at a later time using the degree change form
Change to Bachelor of Music
Deadline: End of year three
Application Steps:
- Complete the steps outlined by Conservatory Admissions
Change to Double Degree (BA and BM)
Deadline: End of year three
Application Steps:
- Complete the steps outlined by Conservatory Admissions
Change to Bachelor of Arts
Deadline: End of year three
Eligibility Requirement: Completion of at least two full courses (or the equivalent) in the College of Arts and Sciences with a grade of B– or higher in each.
Application Steps:
- Make an appointment to speak with Gideon Gaines, Director of Academic Advising Programs
- Submit your application
- Solicit two recommendations from Arts and Sciences faculty members (After submitting you application, you will receive a link to the recommendation form to provide to the faculty members.)
Change to Bachelor of Science
BM students must first be admitted to the BA. After successfully transitioning to the BA, students may then follow the steps outlined above to switch to the BS.
Change to Bachelor of Arts+Bachelor of Fine Arts
Deadline: Students who have completed more than four semesters at Oberlin are typically ineligible to apply for the BA+BFA. Please contact the the program director for special approval prior to completing this application
Eligibility Requirement: Completion of at least two full courses (or the equivalent) in the College of Arts and Sciences with a grade of B– or higher in each.
Application Steps:
- Make an appointment to speak with Gideon Gaines, Director of Academic Advising Programs
- Submit your application to change divisions from the Conservatory to the College of Arts and Sciences
- Solicit two recommendations from Arts and Sciences faculty members (After submitting you application, you will receive a link to the recommendation form to provide to the faculty members.)
- Review the application instructions for the BA/BFA
- Submit your application to the BA/BFA, including a portfolio
Change to Double Degree (BA and BM)
Deadline: End of year three
Eligibility Requirement: Completion of at least two full courses (or the equivalent) in the College of Arts and Sciences with a grade of B– or higher in each.
Application Steps:
- Make an appointment to speak with Gideon Gaines, Director of Academic Advising Programs
- Submit your application
- Solicit two recommendations from Arts and Sciences faculty members (After submitting you application, you will receive a link to the recommendation form to provide to the faculty members.)
Change to Double Degree (BS and BM)
BM students must first be admitted to the Double Degree program. After successfully transitioning to the Double Degree program, students may then follow the steps outlined below to switch to the BS/BM.
Learn more about the BS.
Change to Bachelor of Science/Bachelor of Music
Deadline: Add/drop deadline for full-semester courses in the final semester
- Review the BS degree requirements
- Declare a BS-eligible major
- Request the BS when declaring an eligible major or at a later time using the degree change form
Learn more about the Bachelor of Science/Bachelor of Music option.
Change to Bachelor of Arts only or Bachelor of Science only
Deadline: End of year four
- Make an appointment to speak with Gideon Gaines, Director of Academic Advising Programs
- Submit your application
Change to Bachelor of Arts+Bachelor of Fine Arts
Deadline: End of year two
- Review the application instructions
- Submit your application, including a portfolio
Change to Bachelor of Music only
Deadline: End of year four
- Meet with a conservatory associate dean
- Submit your application