For students who applied to switch majors this year, understanding the change of degree application, or CODA for short, is pivotal in securing a seat in their desired programs. All students who would like to change majors must go through the CODA process; however, the requirements vary for each major.
David Parrish, assistant dean of academic affairs for engineering, said he designed CODA for the College of Engineering in 2012 in order to streamline the matriculation process for engineers looking to enroll in their specific degree program. Since then, other departments have adopted CODA as NC State’s method for handling degree changes.
“The old process was not conducive to students doing well afterwards, and our graduation rates were not that good,” Parrish said. “This has changed our graduation rates and our retention rates tremendously.”
Parrish said that every student admitted to NC State as an engineering major is entitled to a seat in the college, as long as they are able to pass calculus, chemistry and physics with a C or better in two attempts. Once a student has met those requirements, they are able to apply to their top three programs and are evaluated in comparison to other students applying. Approximately 80-86% of students receive one of their top three choices.
“It’s not just everybody who wants anything gets into everything,” Parrish said. “Your competition, so to speak, is the other students who are applying.”
The CODA application opens three times a year for students in the College of Engineering: July 2, Sept. 16 and Feb. 16.
Erin Dixon, senior associate registrar for registration and records, oversees CODA applications for students outside of the College of Engineering. Dixon explained that the requirements for switching into non-engineering degrees are slightly different.
“For each department, we have information listed on the website to help guide students about minimums and application requirements,” said Dixon. “The basic minimum for CODA is 12 NC State hours, and you have to have at least a 2.0 GPA.”
Similarly to the College of Engineering, capacity plays a role in how many students are accepted into a major.
“There are a number of departments that accept everyone who meets the minimum requirements; others, because of space issues, are going to be more competitive to get into,” Dixon said. “The other piece of that is the rigor of the program. Poole College of Management has the most competition for spaces based just on space and nothing else.”
The CODA application opens four times a year for students not in the College of Engineering, on Sept. 15, Feb. 15, May 15 and July 1.
Both Parrish and Dixon emphasize that CODA is meant to help place students into their desired program while ensuring academic success.
Students interested in learning more about the CODA process and requirements can visit the CODA website.
