Generally, a liberal arts education, regardless of major, will help you to hone your critical thinking skills, strengthen your presentation skills, better develop a persuasive argument and  evaluate a text, and work within a discourse specific to an academic discipline. All of these skills are transferable to work in any field. Did you know, for instance, that studies have shown that philosophy majors excel on the LSAT and the GMAT, the pre-entry exams for, respectively, law school and business school?

Of course, it cannot hurt to try to anticipate the kinds of experiences that might be important when applying for jobs in different industries. For example, if you are considering a career in the financial industry or business, you would be well advised to take some economics courses. If you are planning to attend medical school, you will need to consider the types of courses that are generally required of medical school applicants when planning your course of study.  The health professions advisor in the Career Resource Center is a good resource for this information.

As you begin the process of choosing your major, you should take a moment to think ahead. Ask yourself, "What will I get out of my major?" and spend a few moments honestly answering. Identifying what you enjoy about the major and what specific goals you would like to achieve may help you to make your decision while simultaneously preparing you to market that experience in the future.

Students normally apply for acceptance as a major in a department or program by the middle of their fourth semester. Exceptions are the College of Letters (COL) and College of Social Sciences (CSS), which accept applicants at the end of the first year. Eligibility requirements are set by the department, program or college.

Students accepted into a major program should submit a signed Major Acceptance Card to the Registrar’s Office by Friday, February 29, 2008. Students who miss this deadline may not have major status in time for course registration.  For students who must declare in the fall semester, the deadline is Friday, October 19, 2007. The card must be signed by an authorized member of the department or program in which a student intends to major. Students not accepted as a major by the beginning of their fifth semester may not retain junior standing and may not enroll in the University until accepted into a major or collegiate program. If you plan to study abroad during the spring semester of your sophomore year, arrangements to declare a major need to be made at the end of the fall semester.

Refer to the Student Handbook for more detailed information.

Who oversees the major declaration process? When will I be informed?

The Office of the Dean of the Sophomore Class is responsible for the process. Information about Departmental Open Houses and necessary paperwork will be mailed in early February. Students who are in their fourth semester in the fall will receive that information in early October.

There are three types: standing interdepartmental majors, departmentally-sponsored interdepartmental majors, and University majors. For the last, a student may arrange a major program involving two or more departments with the approval and supervision of at least three faculty members and joint approval of the Educational Policy Committee and University Majors Committee.

The University Major affords students the opportunity to design a program that responds to their individual interests and aptitudes.  It  requires that students use the methodologies of two or more disciplines, and gives them the chance to work independently on an entire program.  Students need to develop the necessary background and coherently integrate the courses in order to achieve their objectives. Not all proposals are approved, and students are required to declare another major in March before submitting the University Major proposal in early April.  More information and application form.

Yes, although you should consider carefully the impact this will have on the breadth of your academic program and on fulfilling your graduation requirements. While the intention is often to expand one’s scope with two majors, the reverse often happens and students can find themselves needing to fulfill a requirement with every course. Due to these increased requirements, a student who double-majors may not be able to pursue additional interests within the diverse Wesleyan curriculum nor may there be time to be involved in co-curricular activities.  Furthermore, a double major by itself does not necessarily give a student an advantage in the job market.

When a student declares a major and submits the declaration card to the Registrar's Office, the student’s former faculty advisor is removed from the University's database and replaced with the major advisor. Departments and programs have varying policies on securing a major advisor; some assign advisors, others allow students to choose. The student must consult with the specific department or program about its policies. 

When a course has a limited enrollment, the faculty divide the seats up by major preference and class year. For a course designed in part or totally for majors, the instructor reserves seats specifically for senior and/or junior majors. During the scheduling and adjustment periods for on-line registration, only majors have access to those reserved spaces.

Each department and program has a different policy in this regard. Consult with the Chair or with the designated advising experts in the department(s) in which you are interested.

Can I take as many courses as I want in a single department? What is oversubscription?

A senior concentration form is your contract with the department or program in which you have declared a major. On that form, you indicate all the courses that you have taken and will take in order to complete your major requirements. The senior concentration form must be signed by your major advisor and submitted to the Dean’s Office at the start of your seventh semester at Wesleyan.

What are the consequences of not satisfying the General Education Expectations?

Students should be aware that some departments require fulfillment of the GenEd Expectations for admission to or completion of the major or for eligibility for departmental honors. In addition, students who do not satisfy the GenEd Expectations are not eligible for University Honors or for election to Phi Beta Kappa.

How can I monitor the fulfillment of the General Education Expectations?

Information on each student's progress towards fulfillment of GenEd can be found in the General Education Report in the student's e-portfolio.