Hobart and William Smith Colleges

Individual Majors

The Individual Majors program provides students the opportunity to design an individually tailored major when the focus of study lies outside an established department or program-based major, and/or combines multiple disciplines. To create an Individual Majors proposal, the student works closely with a faculty advisor and designs a specific curriculum of study (including a capstone course or experience), articulating the focus and goals of the major. The student's proposal and advisor's recommendation are submitted to the Individual Majors Committee, which reviews the proposal. The Individual Majors Committee consists of four faculty members from across HWS, two deans, and a representative from the Office of the Registrar. Once an Individual Major is approved, any subsequent changes to the student's curriculum or major must be pre-approved by the Individual Majors Committee and the student's advisor through a formal course change request.

The process of designing and submitting an Individual Major requires a substantial time commitment. Students who are interested in pursuing an Individual Major are encouraged to begin the process in their sophomore year by contacting a faculty advisor, reviewing the Individual Majors proposal form, and contacting the Individual Majors Committee chair for additional advice on submitting a proposal. Individual Majors can be designed as either disciplinary or interdisciplinary majors.

Course requirements: An Individual Major requires 11 courses if a double-major, or 12 courses as a single major, of which at least 6 courses must be unique to the major. Normally only one of the 11-12 courses may be an introductory course, with several of the courses at the 300- or 400-level. An Individual Major may include a course equivalent, courses from study abroad, Honors, and/or an independent study but normally does not contain more than two courses at the 450, 495, or 499 level. All coursework for the major must be passed with a grade of C- or better. Courses taken credit/no credit require special approval by the Individuals Majors Committee to be applied to a student's program of study. Normally the Committee will not approve more than three courses taken at another institution, or more than three courses from any program or department offering its own major.

While most Individual Majors earn a B.A., it is possible to create an Individual Major with a B.S.; this requires a minimum of 16 courses, all from within the natural sciences division. The Individual Majors Committee takes the role of departmental/program chair for certifying the student's completed program of study (senior audit).