Pukyong National University

Pukyong National University Establishes Dedicated Organization for the ‘Department of Undeclared Majors with Freedom to Choose Majors’

-Establishment of a Comprehensive Support System with Participation from Professors and Alumni of All Departments (Majors)

Pukyong National University (President Bae Sang-hoon) has begun full preparations by establishing a dedicated organization for the management and operation of the newly established Department of Undeclared Majors, which will open next year.

The Department of Undeclared Majors allows freshmen to enter university without a declared major and choose their major starting from their second year. With many universities across the country set to establish similar programs next year, Pukyong National University has taken proactive steps.

The Department of Undeclared Majors is divided into ‘Type 1,’ where students can choose any major (excluding limited departments), and ‘Type 2,’ where students can choose majors within each college. Pukyong National University will select a total of 915 students for the Department of Undeclared Majors from next year’s incoming class, with 332 students in Type 1 and 583 students in Type 2.

Pukyong National University anticipates potential issues such as concentration in specific majors and difficulties in adapting to university life, as 30% of the incoming students will be selected for the Department of Undeclared Majors. To address this, the university plans to establish and operate the ‘Undeclared Majors Guidance Center’ next month. This center will be staffed by the head of the Department of Undeclared Majors, along with administrative staff, teaching assistants, and other dedicated personnel, to provide full support for the operation of the department. Additionally, five dedicated academic advisors will be newly hired.

To address the issue of concentration in specific majors, the university will establish detailed criteria for major entry, including minimum credit requirements, and will flexibly innovate the academic system by expanding course sections and increasing class sizes. The university will also expand the criteria for transferring majors and promote the activation of double majors.

Professors and students from 76 majors have also stepped forward. A total of 76 professors from each major will serve as ‘Major Guidance Professors,’ while 152 senior students will form the ‘Major Exploration Mentors’ to provide detailed information and highlight the appeal of each major to students in the Department of Undeclared Majors.

A dedicated space for new students in the Department of Undeclared Majors will be created on the second floor of the Library, spanning approximately 330 square meters. Freshmen in this department will be able to study, relax, engage with their peers, and also participate in continuous mentoring with senior students from each major in this space.

Pukyong National University, in particular, offers a three-tiered curriculum (△University Life and Career Design △Major Exploration and Career Design △Department-specific Major Understanding Courses) to help students choose a major that suits them through diverse experiences in their first year. The university will also expand extracurricular programs such as major fairs and major information sessions.

In addition, the university will operate major exploration clubs to encourage students to actively explore their majors, expand communication and interaction events such as orientations, teamwork, and relationship-building programs, and enhance a sense of belonging to help students adjust to university life. <Pukyong Today>