Exploratory

Many students arrive at Keuka College with broad interests and may be uncertain about their academic or career goals. Keuka College welcomes these students and offers the Exploratory option for those who wish to explore a variety of disciplines before declaring a major while making steady progress toward degree completion.

Students who elect to enter the institution as an Exploratory student are assigned an academic advisor who helps them develop an academic plan that fulfills Compass Curriculum requirements while exploring potential fields of study. Through this process, students work toward selecting and declaring a major. To officially declare a major, students must complete the Change of Academic Program form.

Exploratory for Pre-Health

Students may elect to enter the institution and express interest in Exploratory, with the intent to explore health-related majors. This advising path enables students to build a strong foundation in the sciences while preparing to meet the requirements for programs such as Health Science, Nursing, Occupational Therapy, and other health-related fields. Coursework will also include requirements of the Compass Curriculum, the College’s general education program.

Students in the Exploratory option and express interest in pursuing a health-related major are assigned an advisor with expertise in the health professions. Advisors help students select coursework that satisfies prerequisite requirements and supports their intended program of study. Students who satisfy the internal transfer requirement for their intended academic program, may change their major with the approval of the appropriate Division Chair. The student must submit a Change of Academic Program form.

Declaration of Major

Because Exploratory is not a degree program, students cannot graduate with an Exploratory designation and must declare a major before completing their degree.
Students who begin their studies as an Exploratory status are expected to declare a major no later than the end of their second year of enrollment or before earning 60 credit hours, whichever occurs first.

Exploratory students who intend to pursue a health-related major should work closely with their academic advisor and are encouraged to declare their major upon meeting the eligibility requirements to change their academic program. Because health-related programs often have sequenced curricula and prerequisite requirements, declaring a major by the end of the first year is recommended to support timely degree completion.