At Hobart and William Smith, you have the freedom to create an individual major spanning several disciplines and tailored to your interests. With the guidance of a faculty sponsor, you can propose and embark on a custom program of study. The Individual Major is a special experience allowing you to apply courses from across the HWS curriculum to a thematic major routed in the liberal arts.
Combining natural resource law, environmental policy, urban history and social innovation, Gib was able to create a community and environmental resilience individual major to lead him to a career in public service.
Individual Major students looking to engage more in their work can study and complete Honors and research projects in a chosen topic with the guidance of a faculty mentor.
Past examples of Honors projects include:
Wren Grace Andrews ‘21: Individual Major, Art and Social Change: Formal Questions: Artistic and Ethical Considerations in Art with Intended Social Purpose
Kathryn Cowles, Associate Professor of English, Adviser
Liam John Cranley ‘21: Attempts to Preserve Identity Over the Centuries: A Story of Music and Nationalist German Identity
Eric Klaus, Professor of German Area Studies, Adviser
Attend lectures on policing hosted by the Fisher Center for the Study of Gender and Justice or work with local scientists at the Finger Lakes Institute.
At Hobart and William Smith, learning goes beyond textbooks and classrooms. You’ll gain high-impact practical experience that deepens learning and opens doors.
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While your individual major may be unique, you can study abroad by taking courses in a variety of subjects across the world. You might study social justice in Hong Kong, sports literature in England or food biology in Rome.
Wherever you go, our top-ranked global education program will allow you to apply classroom knowledge, develop cultural understanding and build global connections that expand your personal capacity and sense of purpose.
Individual majors often include fields of study relating to belonging, equity and diversity. Past majors include Mobility Justice, Equity and Education, Indigenous Studies, Politics of Race, Race, Gender and Identity and Social Justice.
"My decision to create my own major, Child Development and Advocacy, was not a hard one. I wanted the flexibility of deciding which classes work best to meet the needs of my intended major. I was able to apply a wide range of classes across different disciplines and departments which allowed me to explore a variety of issues facing children."
