Majors
The College maintains majors and minors, which permit depth of study in our departments and interdisciplinary programs.
A major represents significant course work leading to substantial knowledge and competence in a given field. A major includes the culminating senior studies requirement, ordinarily a senior seminar or a senior thesis. At least 8 but no more than 15 courses must be taken in the student’s major field, but more than the minimum of 8 may be required.
Some departments/programs offer “tracks” within their major, which represent different specialties within the major (e.g., an English major can complete either the literature track or the writing track). In other words, a track is a version of a major and it is inseparable from the major such that a student must complete a track to complete the major (e.g., there is no “stand alone” English major; that is, students must choose either English: Literature Track or English: Writing Track). The major/track combination appears on the student’s transcript.
Presently, the College offers the following major/track combinations:
- Art: Art History Track
- Art: New Media Art and Design Track
- Art: Studio Art Track
- Data Science: Finance and Economics Track
- Data Science: Statistics Track
- Data Science: Computer Science Track
- English: Literature Track
- English: Writing Track
At a minimum, students must complete one major in order to graduate from the College. In all cases, students are expected to declare a major by the end of the sophomore year and to make significant progress toward the completion of that major during the junior year. See below for the full list of majors.
Minors
A minor entails less course work than a major and is designed to produce basic knowledge and competence in a given field outside of one’s major. Therefore, the minor must consist of at least six courses, including four courses that do not double count in the student’s major or other minor. Minors are optional—students may declare a minor any time before they graduate but are not required to declare a minor for graduation. The minor appears on the student’s transcript. See below for the full list of minors.
Concentrations
A concentration allows students to augment their major with focused coursework in a complementary field or specialty area (e.g., a student in interested in economics can complete either the “stand alone” Economics Major or the student could complete an Economics Major with Finance Concentration).
Concentrations are paired with specific majors, typically require less coursework than minors, and are exempt from double-counting rules. Concentrations are optional—students may complete a given major either with or without a concentration. Declared major-concentration combinations appear on the student’s transcript (e.g., Finance Major: Accounting Concentration).
Presently, the College offers the following majors with concentrations:
- Asian Studies with a Language Concentration
- Business with an Accounting Concentration
- Business with a Management Concentration
- Business with a Marketing Concentration
- Economics with a Finance Concentration
- Finance with an Accounting Concentration
- Finance with an Economics Concentration
Restrictions on Combinations of Majors and Minors
Students may declare up to two majors and one minor or up to one major and two minors. Students declaring a major and a minor must complete course requirements in both major and minor fields.
It is possible for some courses to be counted toward both majors. However, the second major must consist of at least five separate courses, ones that do not double count, and at least three of these five must be at the 300 or 400 level. Students who have more than one major must satisfy the senior studies requirement in each of their majors; a single senior studies credit cannot count towards two majors.
List of Majors
Majors may be pursued in the following interdisciplinary programs (noted with an asterisk) and departments.
African American Studies *
American Studies *
Area Studies *
Art
Asian Studies *
Biochemistry and Molecular Biology *
Biology
Business
Chemistry
Communication
Computer Science
Data Science*
Economics
Education
English
Environmental Studies
Finance
French
History
International Relations
Latin American and Latinx Studies *
Mathematics
Music
Music Education
Neuroscience *
Philosophy
Physics
Politics
Psychology
Religion
Self-Designed Major *
Sociology and Anthropology
Spanish
Theater
List of Minors
Students may declare a minor any time before they graduate but are not required to declare a minor for graduation. The minor must consist of at least six courses, including four courses that do not double count in the student’s major or other minor. Minors are offered in the following departments and interdisciplinary programs (noted with an asterisk).
African American Studies *
American Studies *
Area Studies *
Art
Asian Studies *
Biology
Business
Chemistry
Chinese
Cinema Studies *
Classical Studies *
Communication
Computer Science
Data Science*
Digital Media Design*
Economics
Education
Educational Studies *
English
Entrepreneurship and Innovation *
Environmental Studies
Finance
French
Gender, Sexuality, and Women’s Studies *
History
International Relations *
Journalism *
Latin American Studies *
Legal Studies *
Mathematics
Medieval and Renaissance Studies *
Museum Studies *
Music
Music Education
Neuroscience *
Philosophy
Physics
Politics
Print and Digital Publishing *
Public Policy *
Psychology
Religion
Social Justice *
Sociology and Anthropology
Spanish
Theater
Urban Studies *
Interdisciplinary Studies
The College encourages interdisciplinary approaches to knowledge and supports majors and minors that seek to draw connections among traditional academic disciplines. Many of our majors and minors, listed above, cross disciplines.
Self-Designed Major Program
Some of our strongest students find that no one traditional major fully meets what they want to study. A student interested in psychoneuroimmunology could major in psychology and biology but still might find his needs aren’t entirely met with those two departments alone.
Working with a faculty advisor, students accepted into the Self-Designed Major program can develop their own major, culminating in a thesis or creative project. This major is compatible with the pursuit of a second major as well.
The Self-Designed Major emphasizes self-determination for its students. The responsibility for initiative lies with students, beginning with presentation of their case for admission to the program. Second-semester sophomores or first-semester juniors are invited to apply and submit a detailed presentation of their proposal. The Self-Designed Major program takes place during the junior and senior years. Admission is determined by the Self-Designed Major Program Committee.