Changing Majors & Competitive Majors

Students seeking a major change/internal transfer to the Health Sciences major will complete and submit an application (link below). Applications will be accepted during the spring semester; the deadline is April 15th. Applicants are required to have successfully completed BMS 507 and 508, attained a cumulative GPA of 2.75 or higher, and to submit a letter of interest that explains your interest in the health sciences major. Students granted acceptance will be informed after the completion of the spring semester in which they submitted their application, and will begin in the major during the subsequent fall semester.

Q: I’m currently an undergraduate student at UNH. I'm interested in the Health Sciences Major (BS), how do I transfer into the program?

• Students seeking to change their major to Health Sciences must complete an internal transfer application available HERE and complete all necessary steps as outlined in the instructions.

Q: I’m currently a student in the Athletic Training Major (BS) at UNH. Can I switch into the Health Sciences program and continue on to complete the Master of Science program in Athletic Training?

• The Master of Science in Athletic Training will not be operational until Fall 2023.
• This would mean you wouldn’t earn your MS in Athletic Training until the conclusion of the Spring 2025 Semester = 6 total years of college.

Q: I’m currently a student at UNH who wants to pursue study and a career in exercise science, nursing, or occupational therapy. I noticed that these are careers someone in the Health Sciences major could pursue. If I’m in the Health Sciences major can I then gain admission to the undergraduate / BS programs in Exercise Science, Nursing, or Occupational Therapy at UNH?

• Being a Health Sciences major does not grant any ‘special’ access or guarantee admission to other BS degree programs at UNH.
• Internal transfer admission to these BS degree programs is competitive and very limited.
• Interested students should consult with the appropriate Department program coordinator for specific admissions information.

Q: I’m currently a high school student and I want to become an athletic trainer. How can I attain this goal by attending UNH?

• The Strategic Partners (Board of Certification <BOC>, Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education <CAATE>, National Athletic Trainers’ Association <NATA>, and the NATA Foundation) have determined that the entry-level degree for athletic training will be the master’s degree for students who enter college after Fall 2023.
• UNH will begin offering a Master of Science (MS) degree in Athletic Training for Fall 2023 (tentative on UNH and CAATE approval). Students completing the MS in Athletic Training will be eligible for the BOC Exam which enables them to practice as an athletic trainer anywhere in the United States.
• Students can obtain the prerequisite eligibility coursework for the MS in Athletic Training as a student in the UNH Health Sciences major.

Q: I’m currently a high school student and I want to become a physician assistant, physical therapist, or enter another health profession with a degree program at the post-graduate level (MS Degree or higher). How can I attain this goal by attending UNH?

• The Health Sciences major will provide you with the prerequisite coursework that will make you eligible for post-graduate study in athletic training, physical therapy, physician assistant, and many other health-related professional programs of study.
• The Health Sciences major includes full years (2 semesters) in Biology, Chemistry, Human Anatomy & Physiology, and Physics.
• The Health Sciences major includes introductory coursework in the epidemiology, assessment and diagnosis, and treatment/rehabilitation of orthopedic injury and common general medical conditions.
• The Health Sciences major includes “shadow” coursework that requires students to observe practicing professionals in several health fields to assist students in making the appropriate career choice based on their interests.
• The Health Sciences major includes over 20 credits of elective/open coursework that the student can use to design a curriculum that meets the specific prerequisite requirements of their chosen field of professional education.

There are more applicants a year to the Kinesiology: Exercise Science major than the University of New Hampshire can accommodate. The size of the major is kept small so that it can meet accreditation requirements for student: faculty ratios in the classroom, labs and clinical placements.

Below is a list of FAQ's for Exercise Science

1. Why is Exercise Science a restricted major?
   There are limited spaces in the lab and clinical sections and more applicants than we can accommodate.
2. When can I apply as an internal transfer to Exercise Science?
   Most students apply in the Fall of their Sophomore year
3. What requirements do I need to apply as an internal transfer?
   In order to apply to the Exercise Science major students on average have successfully completed Biomedical Science 507, Biomedical Science 508, Psychology 401, Nutrition 400, Kinesiology 620 and Chemistry 403
4. How many spaces are typically available each year for current UNH students as internal transfers?
   0-10--How many spaces are available is driven by the size of the first year class (is it larger or smaller than anticipated) and the amount of attrition in the Exercise Science program.
5. How many UNH students typically apply for these spaces?
   Approximately 60 students a year apply as internal transfers to become Exercise Science majors.
6. When do students apply?
   Most students apply around December of their Sophomore year
7. When do most students start in the program?
   Students begin the Exercise Science major the semester following acceptance to the program--Generally Spring of the Sophomore year

The University of New Hampshire receives roughly 1400 applications per year to the Nursing program; we accept approximately 275 students and plan to enroll 60 students a year in the major. The size of the major is kept small so that it can meet accreditation requirements for student:faculty ratios in the classroom, labs, and clinical placements. Students must also have completed a full year of high school chemistry and biology or chemistry and physics.

Below is a list of FAQ's for Nursing.

1. Why is Nursing a restricted major?
   There are limited spaces in the lab and clinical sections and more applicants than we can accommodate.
2. When can I apply as an internal transfer?
   Students can apply during the spring semester of freshman year
3. What requirements do I need to apply as an internal transfer?
   In order to apply to the nursing program students must have a cumulative a 3.2 GPA or higher, and have completed or be currently enrolled in Biomedical Science 507, Biomedical Science 508, Psychology 401, and English 401. There is also an application process that requires grade reports from any college or university attended, essay, and high school transcript with SAT or ACT scores (printed by department), an interview may be required. The courses listed are available to all UNH students, with a number of spaces in these classes reserved for students who wish to enroll in the nursing program.
4. How many spaces typically are available each year for current UNH students as internal transfers?
   0-10--How many spaces are available is driven by the size of the first year class (is it larger or smaller than anticipated) and the amount of students who leave the nursing program
5. How many UNH students typically apply for these spaces?
   20-40 UNH students apply each year to become nursing majors as an internal transfer
6. When do students apply?
   The application deadline is March 1 and June 1
7. When do most students start in the major?
   Students begin in the nursing major the semester following their admission to the nursing program--fall of the sophomore year.

There are more applicants a year to the Occupational Therapy major than the University of New Hampshire can accommodate. The size of the major is kept small so that it can meet accreditation requirements for student: faculty ratios in the classroom, labs and clinical placements.

1. Why is Occupational Therapy a restricted major?
   There are limited spaces in the clinical sections and more applicants than we can accommodate
2. When can I apply as an internal transfer to the Occupational Therapy program?
   Students can apply during the spring semester of sophomore year
3. What requirements do I need to apply as an internal transfer?
   In order to apply to the Occupational Therapy major students on average maintain a 3.0 GPA or higher and have completed Occupational Therapy 500, Occupational Therapy 501, Occupational Therapy 510, Biomedical Science 507, Biomedical Science 508, and Psychology 401. There is also an application process that requires essays, recommendations and sometimes an interview is required. The courses listed are available to all UNH students, with a number of spaces in these classes reserved for students who wish to enroll in the Occupational Therapy Program
4. How many spaces typically are available each year for current UNH students as internal transfers?
   0-10--spaces are available is driven by the size of the first year class (is it larger or smaller than anticipated) and the amount of attrition in the Occupational Therapy program
5. How many UNH students typically apply for these spaces?
   Roughly 35-45 students a year apply each year to become Occupational Therapy majors
6. When do Students Apply?
   The application deadline is the last Friday of October.
7. When do most students start in the program?
   Students begin in the Occupational Therapy major the semester following their admission to the program-Fall of the junior year.

Students not admitted directly to the Paul College of Business and Economics can apply as an internal transfer at a later date. Strong academic preparation in high school, with emphasis in mathematics, is an important criteria for direct admission to the Paul College of Business and Economics.

TO BE ELIGIBLE TO APPLY TO THE Paul College, A STUDENT MUST MEET THE FOLLOWING MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS:

Important Note: Meeting the above requirements allows a student only to be eligible to apply to Paul College and does not guarantee that a student will be accepted into Paul College. The inter-college transfer process is competitive and having a good GPA does not automatically gain one admission to the school. Decisions regarding applications will be based on the student’s record, application and the school’s enrollment factors.

First-year students who applied to a competitive major in the College of Health and Human Services but were not admitted to the program due to space limitations may enter CHHS as an undeclared student to explore other opportunities within the health sciences.  All CHHS undeclared students are advised by a professional academic counselor, who helps students determine appropriate major courses.  Upon declaration of a specific major, each student is assigned a faculty advisor within the major department.

It is important to understand, however, that the CHHS undeclared option does not guarantee eventual enrollment in a competitive major.  The competition for spaces in some of these majors can be intense and require students to apply to these competitive majors as an “internal transfer” at a later date.