Academic Coaching

There are a few steps to changing your major at MCPHS University. The process is outlined below. Please keep in mind that before you start the paperwork you are encouraged to meet with members of your MAC team to gather more information about your intended major and  career.

Change of major steps:

1. Schedule an appointment to meet with your academic coach. Your coach will provide you with the link to the Change of Major form.
2. If the change of major is approved by the program director and dean, it will go to the Registrar for processing. If the change of major is not approved, you will be notified by email and should meet with your academic coach to go over your options moving forward.
3. Once your change of major is processed, you will receive an email from the Registrar. At this time, you should schedule a follow-up appointment with your coach to review your schedule for the upcoming semester.

Students who wish to change their major (internal transfer) to one of the following programs should follow the guidelines listed on the Internal Transfers page:

• PharmD Programs – Boston or Wor/Man
• Premed, Health Psychology, Health Sciences or Public Health Pathways: Physician Assistant Studies – Boston or Wor/Man, Optometry, Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy
• BSHS/BSN Dual Degree Program

A student at MCPHS may need to change their year of graduation due to a leave of absence, a change of major, or repeating courses to improve their GPA. It is important that your year of graduation is correct on your academic record to ensure that you are registered for the correct courses each semester. If you need to change your year of graduation for any reason, feel free to set up an appointment with your academic coach. Your coach will walk you through the appropriate paperwork to update your academic record.

There are reasons you may consider withdrawing from a course. If you are unsure of whether or not to do so, please meet with your academic coach to discuss your options. When considering a course withdrawal, keep in mind the following information:

• A Course Withdrawal Form must be completed and signed by an academic coach. Simply ceasing to attend classes will not constitute a withdrawal and will most likely result in a failing grade for the course.
• Students may withdraw from a course through the end of the tenth week of the fall or spring semester or by the end of the third week of summer session courses (please see the current academic calendar for specific dates and deadlines).
• No refunds for tuition occur after the end of the official add/drop period.
• Students who withdraw receive a grade of ‘W’ for the course. Grades of ‘W’ do not affect the GPA but may affect progression in your academic program.
• A withdrawal from a class counts as an attempt at that class. If a student fails to successfully complete a required course after two attempts, they can be dismissed from their academic program.

If you would like to meet with an academic coach to discuss the withdrawal process, please schedule an appointment online.

Each program has a required number of electives. Behavioral Science (BEH), Humanities (HUM), and Social Science (SSC) are the three distributive electives. If needed, Liberal Arts (LIB) electives can be met by completing any non-required BEH, HUM, LIB, or SSC course, and General (GEN) electives can be met by completing any non-required three-credit courses.

MCPHS students are allowed to take up to two classes per semester at the schools in the Colleges of the Fenway consortium (Emmanuel, MassArt, Simmons, and Wentworth). This is a great way to fulfill your elective requirements and broaden your college experience. Coaches are here to help you with the cross-registration process.
For details and instructions regarding the cross-registration process, please see below.

• During online elective pre-registration, register for COF 100 through self-service.
• Go to the COF site and search for available courses. You can search by institution and semester. Make sure to have alternate choices as classes fill up quickly.
• If you have questions about how specific courses will fit with your required curriculum, check in with your academic coach.
  Important note: If the course is for a HUM elective, you will need to obtain the course syllabus and meet with Dean Anderson to determine if the course is writing intensive.
• Complete the course information on the online application form.

For MCPHS students who desire further study in specialty areas, several minor concentrations are available. For more information on the different minors and their specific requirements, please consult the course catalog or meet with an academic coach. If you decide to pursue a minor concentration, please follow these steps to have your academic record updated:

1. Set up an appointment with an academic coach.
2. Complete the Declaration of Minor Concentration Form with your coach. Your coach will sign the form and discuss how the minor concentration will fit into the curriculum requirements for your current major.
3. If you cannot complete the minor concentration, you will need to contact the Registrar’s Office to have the concentration removed from your academic record. Failure to complete the minor could affect your graduation status.