Build Your Pathway into the College of Engineering and Physical Sciences (CEPS)
The Steps to CEPS Program was created to give students a direct entry to CEPS as an undeclared student, including academic programming and advising support. Students are explicitly invited to participate in Steps to CEPS as part of the UNH Admissions process.
Steps to CEPS students who complete all of the below requirements will be able to request to change to a CEPS major, if desired, following their first semester or first year.
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Complete MATH 418 (Analysis and Application of Functions) with a C or better, or complete MATH 425 (Calculus 1) with a C or better.
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Complete at least one foundational science course (CHEM 403 or 405, CS 415, PHYS 407) with a grade of C or better.
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Earn a fall semester or first-year* cumulative GPA of 2.5 or higher
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Pass TECH 400: Introduction to CEPS Programs.
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Work with CEPS Peer Mentrors – attend a minimum of 4 sessions.
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Remain in good standing with the conduct office.
*The cumulative GPA term depends on the term the student wishes to declare a major (after 1 semester or after 2 semesters). It should be noted that some departments may have stricter requirements for GPA and coursework if students don’t declare a major after the first two semesters.
All students in the Steps to CEPS program are assigned a dedicated academic advisor who has significant experience in advising undeclared first-year students. We will share resources during your first semester to help you succeed at UNH and in CEPS.
The CEPS Associate Dean’s Academic Affairs Office will work with you to ensure you are enrolled in the coursework you need to pursue a major that’s just right for you. In addition, TECH 400 and TECH 402 will allow you to learn about the resources we offer in CEPS and at UNH while also learning about all the majors we offer in the college and potential career opportunities.
Frequently Asked Questions
Acceptance into specific programs at UNH are determined by the UNH Admissions Office based on specific criteria decided by the colleges. For more details about your acceptance letter and options at UNH, please contact your UNH Admissions counselor.
If you don’t meet the specific criteria after your first year, you should work with your academic advisor to discuss next steps and to decide whether it is feasible to remain in the STEPS to CEPS program. These decisions will be made on a case-by-case basis.
You are welcome to remain as Undeclared in CEPS for up to four semesters. So, if you are not ready to declare a major after your first two semesters and need time to explore your options, you may do so. Once students complete their sophomore year, they must designate a major.
TECH 400: Introduction to CEPS Programs – This 1 credit class provides an overview of programs offered by the College of Engineering and Physical Sciences. The class also introduces students to the range of resources offered at UNH to support all students and to help students learn skills needed to be successful academically. This is a required course of all undeclared majors in CEPS.
TECH 402: Introduction to CEPS Career Exploration - This course builds on TECH 400’s academic exploration and guides CEPS students as they identify ways to self-reflect and build experience to become well-rounded applicants for experiential learning opportunities (internships and research), graduate school, and their future careers. An emphasis will be placed on identifying ways to harness transferable skills through hands-on experiences beyond the classroom (jobs, volunteer work, clubs and orgs) applicable to the student’s field(s) of interest.
Students in the program may register for additional CEPS classes, as long as they have the necessary background or prerequisite courses. You should work closely with your academic advisor to determine classes of interest within CEPS and beyond for which you qualify. In particular, if you are aiming for a specific major, your advisor can suggest appropriate coursework toward a degree plan for that major.
All CEPS students, including our undeclared students are welcome and encouraged to participate in our student organizations and co-curricular activities.
Students may take the entire first year to meet the requirements, during which time they are advised by a professional advisor and peer mentor. However, in this inaugural year of the Steps to CEPS program, 70% of the students were eligible to declare a CEPS major after their first semester.
