Double Major Program (College of Arts and Letters Only)
Students studying in the College of Arts and Letters can choose to double major by combining two disciplines from within the College of Arts and Letters. In cases of double majors, just one degree will be conferred and transcripts will designate the two major areas. Students can choose to combine any two CAL majors. If the double major contains a major in Science, Technology, and Society students can choose whether the overall degree is a B.A. or B.S., by fulfilling the requirements pertaining to each type of degree.
The six classes of the common core are counted for both majors. Students then have to take eight additional classes in each major area. No upper-division course may be counted towards both majors. For example: if the first major is in philosophy and the second in history, the two additional upper-division (300/400-level) classes that count toward the major in philosophy must be in a third discipline. The same requirement holds for the combination with interdisciplinary majors, and all other requirements for the single major apply. CAL 301, Seminar in Writing and Research Methods, or a research methods class, only has to be taken in one of the major areas.
Students choose in which major to write the B.A. thesis. The second major requires an extra tutorial course in addition to all the other requirements of the major with one of the following options in place of a second thesis: 1) research paper, 2) creative project, 3) portfolio, 4) musical composition or curated exhibit, 5) performance, 6) other similar project approved and monitored by the student’s faculty advisor in consultation with the student. Alternatively, students may also opt for one thesis that incorporates both majors. This work must be more extensive in length and scope than the single degree thesis, and is subject to the approval of both advisors.