Majors, Minors, and Pre-Professional Tracks

The major provides students with a comprehensive study of a particular discipline, emphasizing rigor and coherence. Majors develop an understanding of the methods by which knowledge is discovered, developed, and refined over time within the discipline.

The major may or may not be directly linked to the career a student intends to follow, but it should reflect a student's desire to explore a discipline comprehensively. Departmental majors include a culminating experience during the senior year: a seminar, thesis, or project.

Minors are secondary fields of study that students may select in order to complement their major or to pursue personal interests outside of their area of concentration. Minors require fewer courses than majors for completion.

Students can be prepared for future graduate school work, as well as professional licensure and certifications with an undergraduate major in many content areas as long as the necessary prerequisite courses are taken. Pre-professional tracks ensure that students are taking the appropriate courses that will gain them admittance to, and success in, their graduate school, licensure and/or certification program.

Graduate course requirements and academic standards vary, so students should become familiar with the specific requirements for the pre-professional track they intend to pursue.