Create an academic experience that fits your goals and interests.
The Hopkins experience is woven together by a wide network of support, guiding you toward academic and personal growth. Our academic advisors will help you discover ways to explore what excites you, while ensuring you’re on track to complete the courses you need for graduation. They’ll also connect you with specialized programs and opportunities to refine and develop your interests throughout your time at Hopkins.
ADVISING RESOURCES
Academic Advisors
Before you get to Hopkins, you’ll be assigned an academic advisor who’ll help you start planning your academic path. As they get to know you and your goals, they’ll connect you with learning opportunities to deepen your interests and explore new ones.
Center for Student Success (CSS)
The CSS helps first-generation and limited-income students thrive through coaching, mentoring, collaborations with campus partners, and community-building programs. They’ll guide you as you navigate college choices and pursue your interests to the fullest.
PRE-PROFESSIONAL ADVISING
Our pre-professional advising tracks allow you to combine your interest in health or law with any major, while positioning you for graduate school.
Find answers to the most frequently asked questions about academic advising.
What options for academic support do I have outside my academic advisor?
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We have robust advising resources—including your faculty mentor and faculty office hours—as well as peer-learning programs to help you improve your study skills, get tutoring in specific classes, and collaborate with your classmates. These include Study Consulting, the Learning Den, and PILOT. For more information about each program, visit the Office of Academic Support.
What is Intersession?
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Intersession is a three-week “mini semester” between the fall and spring semesters. During this time, many students take a course at no additional cost, or participate in research, internship opportunities, or study abroad experiences.
I want to make academic progress during the summer months. What are my options?
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During the summer, you have several options to continue pursuing academics, depending on your goals and academic schedule:
Summer courses. We offer a variety of courses during the summer, so you can get ahead on your degree requirements or explore new academic areas.
Research and internships. The Life Design Lab can help you find opportunities to fit your interests and has a grant program that can fund activities like research that might otherwise be unpaid. If you decide to go this route, speak with your academic advisor about whether you can receive research or internship credit for your experience.
Study abroad. Take advantage of study abroad when your schedule is most flexible. You’ll have the opportunity to immerse yourself in another culture, and you can also do research or an internship while there to explore your interests through an international lens.
How do I declare my major?
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Before you declare your major, you’ll meet with your academic advisor to review your degree requirements and classes of interest. When you’re ready, you’ll log into our student information system to make it official. Once you’ve declared a major, you’ll be assigned a faculty mentor from that department.
Can I change my major?
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Yes, you can change your major as you explore different academic areas at Hopkins. Most engineering students will declare their major by the end of their first year, while arts and sciences students have until the end of their second year. The one exception to this is biomedical engineering—you must apply to this program when you apply for admission to Hopkins.
Can I double major?
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Yes, you can double major or have a combination of majors and minors. In fact, 68% of Hopkins students double major/minor. These areas can be in the same school or across our two schools, the Krieger School of Arts & Sciences and the Whiting School of Engineering.
