Independent Major Program

In order to earn an A.B. degree from the College of Arts and Sciences, students must complete a major -- a sequence of courses, graduated in sophistication, in one field, and usually in one department. Completing a major should help you gain the intellectual maturity - creative, critical, and skeptical acumen - that comes from disciplined, intensive work in one subject. You may choose one of the established majors in the college, or you may work out your own major through the Independent Major Program.

Independent majors involve interdisciplinary work; some established majors do, too. In fact, at an advanced level, every subject and every professional field, involves interdisciplinary work. The departmental structure reflects this interaction to some degree: some departments crosslist courses, or accept courses from other departments toward the major. Some majors, such as Africana studies, archaeology, Asian studies, biology and society, religious studies, science & technology studies, and women's studies are interdisciplinary by their very nature. You should design an independent major only if your interests do not fit comfortably into any existing department or major.

You work out a proposal for an independent major with the help of faculty and the director of the Independent Major Program. A special board of faculty members reviews your proposal for final approval. The board considers whether the plan brings a particular subject into clear focus, whether the range of courses is sufficiently inclusive, and whether, in pursuing the program, the student is likely to acquire methodological and critical skills which students acquire in the departmental majors. A rule of thumb is to include 8-10 courses at the 300 level or above; most independent majors include more.

After your program is approved, you will be expected to stick to it, although course substitutions caused by changes in the college's curriculum and your increasingly focused interests are not unusual. Any substantial changes should be discussed with the director of the Independent Major Program.

Preparing an application for an independent major is not an easy task. It requires a clear idea of what you want to study. It also requires a great deal of time to locate appropriate courses and appropriate people to help you. You may talk with a half dozen professors before you finally settle on an adviser. After a proposal is submitted, you may be asked to refine it further. If your proposal is approved, you are likely to find your major more demanding than the usual departmental major. You are also likely to find it deeply exciting and satisfying.

How to Develop an Independent Major Proposal

1. Define your idea. The idea should be an definable subject (not a social topic/agendum) or a set of organizing intellectual questions,it should not be a future job. If you cannot describe what you want to study concisely, you may not yet know what you want to study.
2. Develop a tentative list of courses. Look at the offerings in the departments that interest you. Remember that you may find courses in seemingly unlikely places. If you are interested in the social sciences, check departments like history or the literature departments, whose courses often provide background to a culture. Area studies, such as Asian studies, may have courses of interest to almost any major. Check the course offerings of other colleges. You may find courses in Human Ecology, or in Industrial and Labor Relations, for example. A number of areas of study have published booklets listing related courses throughout the university. Out of college Cornell courses approved as part of an independent major count as part of the 100 credits required in Arts and Sciences. Keep in mind, however, that your major should be in the spirit of a liberal arts education and that it should be centered on work in this college. If you find that you have selected courses primarily from one department, you should reconsider your plans, for you do not need an independent major.
   
   Because independent majors sometimes use independent study to unify their programs, special course numbers are available for independent study when your work does not fit a department's independent study criteria or when there is no departmental course number.
3. Schedule an appointment with the director of the Independent Major Program (55 Goldwin Smith Hall) as soon as you have a tentative definition of the major and an idea of the courses you want to take. He will discuss with you the feasibility of a major in your area of interest. He is usually able to make suggestions about courses and advisers.
4. Confer with faculty members. When you have a list of possible courses and a draft of your description of your major, it is time to start talking to faculty members. You can learn about their interests from looking at the courses they teach. The Graduate School catalogue also lists the areas of special interest of many faculty members. Seek out one or two who seem likely to be helpful. Do not be afraid to ask for help; you will find that most faculty members are quite willing to discuss your program. Their advice about courses, about who might make a good adviser, or about how to plan a major is crucial, and could make the difference between a successful major, and a rejected proposal. The director of the Independent Major Program will also help. You should give yourself at least a couple of weeks to see people and to work your plans out.
5. Find an advisor, and with his or her help, prepare your final application. If you take the time to work out your application carefully with your adviser, your chances of submitting a sound proposal -- and therefore of having it approved -- are much better than if you hurriedly put together a list of courses and talk your adviser into accepting it.
6. Discuss your final proposal with the director of the program. He will be presenting your application to the board, so you must be sure he understands what you are trying to do. (Do not wait until the last moment to schedule an appointment.)
7. Your formal application must include:
   • A cover sheet (available in 55 Goldwin Smith), listing your name, address, proposed independent major title, adviser, etc.
   • An explanation of your proposed major. Since there is no interview in the board's selection process, your written proposal is definitive. It is worth spending a few extra hours to put together a strong, well-written proposal with a convincing rationale. You should describe the subject you propose to study - your organizing questions or idea - indicate what you will know at the end of your study, and explain why you have chosen particular courses or groups of courses, why you cannot accomplish the program with a regular major and electives, and how this program of study fits into your future plans. Be thorough, yet concise; five pages is usually too long; one paragraph too short.
   • A list of the proposed major courses by semester. State department, course number, and title of each course.
   • A letter of support from a faculty member who will serve as your independent major adviser if your proposal is approved. His letter should evaluate the proposal in detail. The adviser may not have taught you and thus be unable to recommend you personally.

Honors Students in the Independent Major Program may earn honors. To be eligible, you must maintain a 3.0 overall average, a 3.5 inside the major, and have no grade below a B and no grade below C in the major. During the fall term of senior year, the honors candidate formulates a proposal,recruits a three person honors committee of whom the adviser is one, and undertakes research. During the spring term the student completes the honors project. A more complete description of the honors program is available in 55 Goldwin Smith Hall.

When to Apply There are two deadlines each term for submitting applications. Dates appear in Courses of Study under Arts and Sciences Calendar. You may also inquire in 55 Goldwin Smith. The first deadline of each term is set so that you will know whether your application is approved before course registration for the following semester. The second deadline of each term is set so that you will know whether your application is approved before classes begin in the following semester. The Independent Major Board sometimes considers applications of juniors, but proposals submitted that late in the college career are usually difficult to work out satisfactorily.

You need to undertake the application process and talk with the director early enough to insure that all materials, including the faculty letter, arrive at 55 Goldwin Smith by the due date.

For more information regarding the Independent Major Program, please contact:

James Finlay, Assistant Dean
E-Mail: jmf13@cornell.edu
Academic Services/Advising
55 Goldwin Smith Hall
Ithaca, NY 14853
(607) 255-5004