Curricular Flexibility - Transfer Between Colleges

The undergraduate curricula are flexible, designed to accommodate the changing interests and needs of students. Boundaries between colleges are fluid, providing many options in an educational program. For instance, students may take a bachelor of science (B.S.) degree in the College of Business or the College of Engineering and Applied Science with a minor in journalism in the College of Arts and Sciences. There are also five-year programs for which degrees are awarded in two colleges.

Students who wish to transfer from one undergraduate college to another – an intra-university transfer, which at Lehigh is commonly called "college switching" – may do so provided that they have achieved sophomore status and have completed at least 12 credits while in their college of matriculation. Students on academic probation may transfer between colleges with the permission of the committee on standing of students. In addition, each receiving college may require the completion (with a minimum grade of C-) of no more than three introductory courses – courses without prerequisites – before transfer occurs. Students considering such a transfer must confer with their advisers to begin the process.

The College of Business requires a student to successfully complete either MATH 081 or MATH 021, and ECO 001 before transferring to that college. Courses considered equivalent to these courses will also satisfy the requirement such as approved transfer credit (including AP courses) for these courses taken at other institutions, or the successful completion of MATH 075 and MATH 076, or MATH 031, which are equivalent to MATH 021.

A completed Petition to Change Colleges must be submitted no later than three weeks prior to the start of registration for the semester in which they wish to make the transfer.

Students who transfer to another college within Lehigh, or who transfer to an inter-college (IC) program offered jointly by two or more colleges, may require more than the traditional eight semesters to complete the course sequence in their degree program. IC programs may have additional transfer requirements.