DNS Forms & Petitions
Please see relevant details and deadlines for each of the following forms under the associated tab. For forms and petitions reviewed by the Division (GPHS major applications, curriculum substitutions, and in absentia petitions), please see the DNS Petition Review Schedule at the bottom of the page.
Major Requirement Petitions
Major Requirement Petitions
Petitions regarding major requirements are reviewed by the Division on the schedule at the bottom of this page. Review the CALS and HE submission processes below. With further questions about this process, please reach out to DNS Student Services: dnsstudentservices@cornell.edu.
For current students in CALS in the GPHS and NS majors, petitions for major requirements should be submitted to DNS Student Services for review by email: dnsstudentservices@cornell.edu. Examples of these petitions are: requirement substitutions, transfer and study abroad course equivalency.
In your request, please include the following information:
- Details about the requested petition (e.g. The requirement you are petitioning and the course(s) involved)
- Relevant syllabi/course details
- Any additional relevant details.
Petition deadlines and reviews will follow the schedule at the bottom of this page.
Questions about college requirements should be sent to CALS Student Services: cals-studentservices@cornell.edu.
For current students in CHE, students submit petitions through the Human Ecology Forms & Petitions page.
The Curriculum Waiver/Substitution and In Absentia Petition require the Division’s review, which will be completed according to the schedule at the bottom of this page.
Petitions regarding a college requirement only will be reviewed at the college level. Please follow any instructions on the Human Ecology Forms & Petitions page and reach out to the Human Ecology Registrar’s office with questions regarding such petitions: hereg@cornell.edu.
Change of Major Processes & Forms
Change of Major Processes & Forms
NS and GPHS Majors: To pursue a change of major within CALS to Global and Public Health Sciences or Nutritional Sciences, please make an appointment with DNS Student Services to discuss your potential major change. It’s particularly helpful to bring any written academic planning and questions you may have to the meeting. Please note that availability for these appointments will be limited during enrollment periods at Cornell.
GPHS Only: Students pursuing a change of major to GPHS must submit a GPHS major application. Please see the "GPHS Major Application" tab below for more information.
Once these steps have been completed, a DNS Student Services staff member will submit the CALS Change of Major Form for you. Please note that an updated draft academic plan to complete the major is a required attachment for this form.
All DNS Majors: To pursue a change of major within Human Ecology to Global and Public Health Sciences, Human Biology, Health & Society, or Nutritional Sciences, please make an appointment with DNS Student Services to discuss your potential major change. It’s particularly helpful to bring any written academic planning and questions you may have to the meeting. Please note that availability for these appointments will be limited during enrollment periods at Cornell.
GPHS Only: Students pursuing a change of major to GPHS must submit a GPHS major application. Please see the "GPHS Major Application" tab below for more information.
Once these steps have been completed, please submit the HE Change of Major Form.
Changes of Major within CALS or Human Ecology: Students interested in changing their major to Global and Public Health Sciences (GPHS) in CALS or Human Ecology must submit a completed application by May 1 of their sophomore year. Juniors and seniors may not apply to the GPHS major.
Internal Transfers: Students applying to internal transfer to CALS or Human Ecology and join the GPHS major also must submit the form by the relevant internal transfer deadline (December 1 or May 1). Juniors and seniors may not apply to the GPHS major.
GPHS Major Application submissions are reviewed according to the DNS Petition Review Schedule at the bottom of this page.
To pursue an internal transfer to CALS or Human Ecology, students must first complete the required coursework for their intended college and major. Information can be found on the following pages:
- Prospective Internal Transfers to CALS
- Prospective Internal Transfers to Cornell Human Ecology
- Internal Transfers at Cornell
All DNS Majors: Students pursuing an internal transfer to join the GPHS, HBHS, or NS major within CALS or Human Ecology may make an appointment with DNS Student Services to discuss major requirements and questions about the majors. Please note that availability for these appointments will be limited during enrollment periods at Cornell.
GPHS Only: Students pursuing an internal transfer to CALS or Human Ecology to join the GPHS major must submit a GPHS major application. Please see the "GPHS Major Application" tab below for more information.
Minor Forms
Minor Forms
Applied Exercise Science Minor Intent Form: This form should be submitted once a student determines they intend to complete the AES Minor.
Applied Exercise Science Minor Completion Form: Students should submit a minor verification form after completion of requirements or in their last undergraduate semester, whichever comes first.The Division of Nutritional Sciences reports minors to College Registrars only once they are complete, including all relevant forms.
Please note that the Applied Exercise Science Minor is available only to GPHS, HBHS, and NS majors.
Global Health Minor Intent Process: If you are interested in completing the Global Health minor, please make an appointment with Sharon Kaplan to discuss the minor, its requirements, the Experiential Learning Opportunity (ELO), and next steps. Students who plan to enroll in NS 2600 for the next Spring semester must meet with Sharon by September 30.
Global Health Minor Elective Petition Form: This form may be used to request that an alternative course be reviewed to fulfill the Global Health Minor Elective requirement. The petition should be submitted prior to taking the proposed course. While the form may be completed after completing the proposed elective course, prior completion does not guarantee that the petition will be approved.
Global Health Minor Verification Form: Please complete this form once you complete all of the requirements of the Nutrition & Health Minor, or at the beginning of your final undergraduate semester at Cornell, whichever comes first.
Please see the Experiential Learning Opportunities (ELO) tab on this page for more information about the ELO petition process.
Nutrition and Health Minor Intent Form: This form should be submitted once a student determines they intend to complete the N&H Minor.
Nutrition and Health Minor Verification Form: Please complete this form once you complete all of the requirements of the Nutrition & Health Minor, or at the beginning of your final undergraduate semester at Cornell, whichever comes first.
Please note that the Nutrition & Health Minor is available only to non-DNS majors (HBHS, GPHS, NS, and Biological Sciences majors with a Human Nutrition Concentration may not complete the minor).
Additional Forms & Petitions
Additional Forms & Petitions
All ELO forms are available through the DNS ELO Canvas course. If you are a current GPHS major or Global Health minor and do not have access to the course, please email dnsstudentservices@cornell.edu for assistance. Please see the upcoming deadlines to submit an ELO petition directly below or on the Canvas course.
Experiential Learning Opportunity (ELO) Petition Deadlines
- Fall 2024 ELOs Due: 11:59pm on August 18
- Spring 2025 ELOs Due: 11:59pm on December 15
- Summer 2025 ELOs Due: 11:59pm on April 1
All ELO forms are available through the DNS ELO Canvas course. If you are a current GPHS major or Global Health minor and do not have access to the course, please email dnsstudentservices@cornell.edu for assistance.
Please register for research credit using NS 6000, NS 8990, and NS 9990 using the University Student Add/Drop Enrollment Request Form during the Add period.
To register for undergraduate research credits with a DNS faculty member under NS 4000 Directed Readings, NS 4010 Empirical Research, or NS 4020 Supervised Fieldwork, use the Human Ecology Special Studies Form. The form becomes available at the beginning of the Add period. The Human Ecology Registrar’s office administers the form, and your supervisor will be asked to sign off on your submission. Once your form has been approved, you will receive a permission number by email to self-enroll in the research credits.
To register for research credits with a faculty member in any department other than DNS at Cornell, please check with the home department of the faculty member for information about their special studies/research credit registration process.
To register for undergraduate teaching assistantship credits for an NS course under NS 4030, use the Teaching Assistant (4030) form. Once your form has been approved by the Registrar’s office and your supervisor, you will receive a permission number by email to enroll in the NS 4030 credits.