2017-2018 Catalog > Degree Information and Requirements > The Bachelor of Arts > The Academic Major and Minor

The Academic Major and Minor

Every student is required to complete an academic major, which must be formally declared no later than March 31 (or Oct. 31) of the second semester of the sophomore year. Students have the option of completing academic minors or additional academic majors, each of which should be declared as early as possible but no later than the end of the first semester of the senior year.

All changes to major or minor status of graduating students must be declared by April 1, with individual variations to major and minor requirements approved by departments and programs no later than April 15. Departments and programs must review the progress of all graduating students completing a major or minor,and may alter their status based on insufficient coursework. Students may change their major or minor status immediately prior to graduation, based on unanticipated non-completion of requirements.

A major must consist of at least nine and no more than 15 semester courses (typically 36 to 60 credit hours), unless otherwise dictated by the standards of a professional society. At least six of these courses must be at the 200 level or higher, with at least two at the 300 level or higher. Only a certain number of courses may be counted in common between the requirements for two separate majors:

• If the total number of combined semester courses for the two majors is fewer than 24, three courses may be counted in common.
• If the total number of combined semester courses for the two majors is at least 24 and fewer than 30, four courses may be counted in common.
• If the total number of combined semester courses for the two majors is 30 or more, five courses may be counted in common.

If more than the designated three, four or five courses in common are required between the two majors, then an equivalent number of courses need to be added as electives.

A minor must consist of at least five semester courses, at least three of which must be at the 200 level or higher. Only one course may be counted in common toward the requirements for a major and a minor or toward the requirements for two separate minors. A student may not receive credit for more than three minors.

The College offers both department-based and interdepartmental majors. Interdepartmental majors generally include a required core comprised of at least one introductory course specific to the major and a capstone experience (individual study, honors study, seminar, colloquium or internship) in which the analytical skills and subject matter from prior courses are employed and tested.

Certain majors provide students the option of selecting a specific track or concentration. A concentration is noted explicitly on a student’s transcript, whereas a track is not.

SDI Majors

Student-designed interdisciplinary majors must consist of a closely articulated group of nine to 15 courses in two or more disciplines and a proposal for an integrative project — individual study, honors study or an appropriate seminar — that counts as one of the nine to 15 courses and serves as a capstone to the major, through which students have the opportunity to reconcile or synthesize the interdisciplinary materials with which they have been working.

A completed application for a Student Designed Interdisciplinary Major Consists of five parts, each signed and dated by the adviser:

PART I: SDIMM APPLICATION FORM

PART II: PROPOSAL FOR THE MAJOR

PART III: SDIMM INTEGRATIVE PROJECT PROPOSAL

PART IV: SDIMM PROPOSED COURSE LIST

PART V: LETTER OF SUPPORT FROM SDIMM FACULTY ADVISOR

 SDI Minors

Student-designed interdisciplinary minors must consist of a closely articulated group of six or more courses in two or more disciplines and a proposal for an integrative project — individual study, honors study or an appropriate seminar — that counts as one of the courses and serves as a capstone to the minor, through which students have the opportunity to reconcile or synthesize the interdisciplinary materials with which they have been working.

A completed application for a Student Designed Interdisciplinary Minor consists of five parts, each signed and dated by the adviser:

PART I: SDIMM APPLICATION FORM

PART II: PROPOSAL FOR THE MINOR

PART III: SDIMM INTEGRATIVE PROJECT PROPOSAL

PART IV: SDIMM PROPOSED COURSE LIST

PART V: LETTER OF SUPPORT FROM SDIMM FACULTY ADVISOR