Academics

Majors and Minors

Majors

Students may formally declare a major at any time during the third or fourth semester of residence. The student selects a department and applies to that department for assignment to an adviser. Students wanting to develop an interdisciplinary program apply to the dean.

A major must be declared no later than the fourth semester. Each spring a program is arranged that provides for consultation of sophomores with department chairs, for the purpose of helping students select a major. Sophomore students who have not declared a major should participate in this program if they intend to attain junior standing before the next spring.

The selection of a major is of considerable importance, and the entire program of concentration for the junior and senior years should be planned with the major adviser before the beginning of the junior year. Students officially declare their majors by registering with the chosen department(s) or with an interdisciplinary adviser approved by the dean, and with the Office of Records and Institutional Research. When the student’s major has been registered, the student’s file is transferred from the pre-major adviser to the new major adviser.

» How to declare a major.

 

List of Majors

 

Minors

A minor is a program within a recognized area of knowledge offering students more than a casual introduction to the area but less than a major in it. Although the completion of a minor is not a degree requirement, students may elect to complete the courses specified for one or more minors. A student who completes all designated courses in a minor with a grade point average of at least 2.000 will have the minor entered on the transcript at the time of graduation.

Minors may be combined with any departmental major or interdisciplinary major. Each minor must, however, include at least 15 credit hours that are being counted solely toward the minor. Courses may not be taken on a P/F basis if they are offered in the department of the minor or if they are being counted toward an interdisciplinary minor.

Minors consist of a minimum of five courses of three or more credits each. Many minors require a greater number of hours and specific courses. When a minor is offered in a discipline that offers a major, only those courses that count toward the major may be counted toward the minor.

Students should refer to the appropriate sections of this catalog for specific requirements.

Students should declare their intention to pursue specific minors by completing forms available in the Office of the Dean as well as the various departmental and program offices. Departments and programs assign advisers to students who declare minors in their respective areas. Students have the responsibility to know and satisfy all requirements for minors that they intend to complete.

Changes to the minor may not be made after students begin the second semester of their senior year.

» How to declare a minor.

 

List of Minors