Have you ever considered changing your major? What is the reason? Did you find your aptitude after university entrance? Or were you determined to change your major before entrance?
As a result of the consolidation of Anseong campus and Heukseok campus, 2012 freshmen can apply to a major changing regardless of campus. The 2013 major changing recruitment especially caused controversy. Because some students insist that student who affiliated from Ansenong to Heukseok used major changing system as a means of educational background transformation. Clearly some of the 2013 freshman considered changing their major before the entrance, and some student will change their mind during the semester. Then, let’s find out what is the problem of major changing system.
 
Modified major changing system depending on campus consolidation
 Chung-Ang University got a stamp of approval to integrate the Heukseok and Anseong campus in July 21, 2011. It is the first consolidation in South Korea. For this reason, there is no record “Anseong campus” at all parts such as student ID card, or proof of enrollment. This system starts for 2012 freshman and also major changing doesn’t discriminate between Anseong and Heukseok. This consolidation is part of the plan of Doosan’s business that reinforces the education capability of Chung-Ang University. With this plan, they relocated academic units. During this process, mostly of Anseong campus’ departments merged, so large number of students opposed the merger. On the other hand, however, credit exchange is expanded and major changing system freely takes effect through the consolidation.
 
Controversy about major changing system
 The class of ’12 is the first class to freely be able to change majors according to the new system. But, there are various opinions concerning the 2013 major changing system in Chung-Ang University community site, Chung-Ang In. Their opinions are classified under two large groups. One group insists that there is definitely a big difference in students’ ability between campuses. So there should be different standard applied to students from Heukseok campus. They concern that students from Anseong campus intentionally applied departments with low competition rate to go to Heukseok campus, and finally it will make competitiveness of CAU drop. The other group argues that the class of ’12 already knows campus consolidation and new major changing system. Thus, major changing should become effective without discrimination. In addition, departments that have high competition rate conducted an English examination so there are no problems about comment lacking assessment function. With these various opinions, some people predicted competition of 2013 major changing will be at a record high. But uncovering the competition, it recorded higher than 2011 but it was not a striking record. Among the 37 departments, 22 departments’ competition rate increased over 0.5 compared to last year.
This chart shows five departments ranked high competition rate. According to the academic affairs office, the percentage of applicants from Anseong campus is just about 43%. Besides, the 48% students from Heukseok passed the major changing test and the 45% students from Anseong passed the test. There is one more noticeable thing. It is student’s average grades. English test average grade of students from Heukseok campus is 75.1 points out of 100 and Anseong campus students got 73 points. There is hardly any difference between two campuses.
 One of the successful applicants from Anseong campus to Heukseok campus said she realized her aptitude during 2012’s summer vacation. She has participated in street parades for antinuclear and movement for saving Arctic Ocean as a member of Greenpeace. Through these activities, she has started to take interest in social problems and decided to change her major. After her decision, she studied TOEFL and the original book in English and cared for credit. She is planning to work for international organizations like Green Climate Fund, or Greenpeace. She carefully said “Current major changing system with no distinction between two campuses is appropriate following the campus consolidation. However, there is a problem like some departments only carrying out interview to check a student’s abilities. Assessment should include more tests. For example, CAU should raise the difficulty of English test or take more depths interview.
 
Other university’s major changing system between campuses
 In 2006, the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology advised universities about the admission of major changing system between campuses for expansion of students’ right of learning. But recently this system was accused of being as a means of educational background transformation. Then the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology started investigation of real condition.
 The case of Hankuk University of Foreign studies is scheduled to combine campus in 2014. At present the number of changing their major from Yongin to Seoul is only in the single digits. Major changing system after consolidation has not been set yet so some students are concerning about the new system, thinking that it could be wrongfully used as means of educational background transformation.
 Hanyang University doesn’t have a plan about consolidating of the Ansan campus and Seoul campus. So they rarely admitted the students who want to change their major. Its competition rate is very high, enough at 9:1.
 
 The 2013 major changing system is the first enforcement after campus consolidation. So it is true that the system has some supplementary points. And clearly some students kept in mind the changing before the entrance. But these students not only exist in Anseong campus but also in Heukseok campus. And if some people’s concern is that low level students come to Heukseok from Anseong campus and they can depreciate the school status, the English test can act as an assessment function. The 2014 major changing system is not decided yet. However, according to the academic affairs office, the outline may continue to maintain the 2013 system, so the volume of recruitment, English test and interview will be improved.
 At Chuang-Ang community ‘Chung-Ang In’, students had a heated argument about major changing system. The argument went too extreme. Then the dean of academic affairs posted writing on the ‘Chung-Ang In’. The most important thing in his post is that although campuses are separated, all of students are Chung-Ang university students. So we shouldn’t discriminate against students just because they come from Anseong, or Heukseok campus.
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