How to use the major switch credit gap calculator
Switching majors, adding a second one or transferring into a new program all come down to the same arithmetic: how many of the credits you already hold count, and how many you would still have to earn. Enter one requirement area per line with the credits you have and what each of the two majors asks for, and both totals come back with the gap area by area.
Each area is compared on its own terms. A requirement is met when you have at least the number of credits it asks for, so matching it exactly shows 0 extra credits rather than a shortfall. Surplus credits above a requirement are not carried into another area, because whether a course counts somewhere else is a departmental decision and not something arithmetic can settle.
The difference line says which of the two majors would cost more credits from where you stand, and when the totals match it says so plainly instead of picking a winner. That is the limit of what the numbers do: a smaller credit gap does not make a major the better choice. Course sequencing, prerequisites offered only once a year, capacity caps in popular programs and how much you actually want to study the subject all weigh on the decision.
Requirements also change with the catalog year you are held to, and transfer credit evaluations are made by the receiving school. Use these totals as something concrete to bring to an advisor rather than as the answer.
Frequently asked questions
Yes. A requirement is met at or above the required number, so matching it exactly shows 0 extra credits and the area is marked as met rather than short.
Not here. Surplus credits in one area are not carried over to another, because course substitutions are decided by a department rather than by arithmetic. Each area is compared on its own.
No. This only counts credits. Course sequencing, prerequisites that run once a year, capacity limits and your own interest matter at least as much, so use the numbers as one input to a conversation with an advisor.