Individually Designed Major

Image: studentThe Individually Designed Major allows qualified students in the College of Arts and Sciences, under appropriate direction of at least 2 faculty advisors, to design and pursue an interdisciplinary major presently not available in the College.

The Individually Designed Major is, as its name implies, a major designed by you. It must be a true major, with a progression of courses, including an appropriate number of advanced courses. It cannot be a simple collection of introductory courses in several disciplines. The major may be an extension of a presently existing interdisciplinary minor, or it may be a wholly new subject (e.g., Social Justice in Latin American Culture, Chinese Studies, etc.).

The major requires a minimum of 10 courses, and:

  • Must be truly interdisciplinary. While there may be a primary department, at least 4 courses must be taken outside that department.
  • Requires a suitable number of advanced courses.
  • Requires a senior project (seminar, capstone course, supervised lab, or whatever is appropriate for the relevant disciplines). The purpose of this project is to allow students to pull together the multiple threads of the interdisciplinary major.
  • Requires that you maintain a portfolio for the purpose of a reflective review and self-assessment of the progress and changes in direction, if any, of the major. You'll use these materials as part of a progress review with advisors at least once a semester. You must also submit a final assessment of the major to the review panel as a requirement for graduation.

To be eligible, you must have a GPA of at least 3.0 at the time of application. Applications and instructions may be downloaded, or obtained from the office of the Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences by contacting Associate Dean Manyul Im, who is available to answer any questions about the major or the application. Application is required by the end of your second year, though in special circumstances a review panel may allow application in the first semester of your third year.