See Also
Student Designed Majors and Minors
With prior approval, students may design their own major or minor that lies outside the College’s typical discipline-based majors, minors or interdisciplinary concentrations, but within our professors’ areas of expertise. Self-designed majors and minors are created to satisfy students’ particular intellectual interests, and are as academically rigorous as any established programs of study. All of them require significant student initiative and close interaction with faculty advisors.
Student-Designed Majors
A multidisciplinary major requires 14 courses from at least three disciplines within the competence of the College faculty. The student first prepares a proposal showing a progression of study. The proposal must include a statement of intellectual rationale for the proposed field of study, an outline of courses already taken, and a plan of proposed courses. Proposals are written in consultation with the director of the Center for Interdisciplinary and Special Studies and two faculty sponsors based in departments related to the proposed major. Faculty sponsors provide letters of support assessing the program of study. If the plan is approved, the faculty sponsors and the CISS director will serve as an advisory committee responsible for approving changes in the major plan and giving guidance to the student.
Student-Designed Minors
A multidisciplinary minor requires 6 courses from at least three disciplines within the competence of the College faculty. Admission to this program requires a proposal similar to that for the student-designed major. Students may design their own minor, or use a faculty-designed template as a basis for their course work and study.