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Frequently Asked Questions
How does my choice of major impact my career path?
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.
When must I have a major? What paperwork do I need to complete in order declare a major?
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 an online Major Acceptance formby
Friday, March 5, 2010. 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 23, 2009. The online declaration must be approved 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?
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.
What interdepartmental majors are possible?
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.
Click here
for more information regarding the University Major Program.
What is the University Major?
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.
Click here for more
information and the application form.
Can I have more than one major?
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.
Do I get a new faculty advisor when I declare a major? How?
When a student declares a major and submits the declaration online, 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.
How is preference given to majors during on-line course registration?
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.
What are my major requirements?
Departmental and program major requirements are usually explained in terms of necessary credits
and necessary courses or distribution of courses. Each department and program has its own set of
requirements. These can be found on WesMaps under
"Catalog Information" and on the department
and program homepages, which are updated annually and where you might be able to find additional
information. Do not hesitate to consult the departmental and program advising experts as well.
How many transfer credits (credits earned outside of Wesleyan) can I count toward my major requirements?
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?
(Students who entered
prior to Fall 2000 should consult the Academic Regulations for their guidelines and contact their
class dean with any questions.)
Yes, you may take as many courses as you want, but understand that students can count toward the
total of 32.00 credits required for the B.A. no more than 14.00 course credits in any one department
(15.00 with a senior project and 16.00 with a two-credit senior honors thesis).
Among the 14.00 course credits in any one department (15.00 or 16.00 with project or thesis) that
can be counted toward the degree, no more than 12.00 credits numbered 201 or higher (13.00 or 14.00
with project or thesis) can be included, and no more than 4.00 course credits numbered 101 to 200.
If a given course appears in more than one departmental listing, i.e., is cross-listed, it must be
counted in all the departments in which it is listed.
You are responsible for knowing where you are in relation to oversubscription. Your credit
analysis is a tool that tracks oversubscription, so check it regularly in your
e-portfolio.
The following is the maximum number of credits a student may count toward the 32.00 credits needed to
complete the degree.
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A maximum of two approved credits earned prior to matriculation by entering first-year students.
These credits include Advanced Placement (AP), International Baccalaureate (IB), Advanced-Level
and Ordinary-Level exams as well as college courses taken elsewhere
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No more than one credit in Physical Education
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A maximum of two credits in Student Forums or
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A combined maximum of two credits in Physical Education courses and Student Forums
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A maximum of two credits from Teaching Apprenticeships
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A combined maximum of four individual and group tutorial credits
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A total of four Independent Study and Education in the Field credits
Do Advanced Placement or International Baccalaureate credits or transfer credits count toward
the maximum credits allowed in any one department that can be counted toward the degree?
Yes, these credits also can oversubscribe you. Any credit posted to your Wesleyan transcript will
count towards oversubscription.
What is a senior concentration form, and how does it relate to my major requirements?
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 Deans' 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.
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