Academic load/ majors, minors, concentrations

Colleges and Universities A-Z Davidson College
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<p>I guess this directed to amplifiar, but anyone else can reply if they are knowledgeable... haha. I recognize these are somewhat technical. Maybe I should ask an adcom. </p>

<p>I think, but am not sure, that you can have a concentration in something without majoring in a related field (biology/psychology coincide with neuroscience, but can a history major have a concentration in neuroscience?) Is this true?</p>

<p>Also, I've heard it's rare that a Davidson student double majors. Know of anyone who does? would you suggest it if you're interested, or discourage it because the load would be too great?</p>

<p>Does Davidson limit minors (could someone major in one thing, and minor in two?) </p>

<p>I've read that the normal course load is 4-5 courses per semester. Do most people take 4? does 4 seem like a heavy load, or do you think there is definitely enough breathing room to take 5 every semester? Ever heard of 6 (probably way over the top)?</p>

<p>Anyone know how easy it is to work with the center(?) for interdisciplinary studies? Know many people that design a major/study through it? Is it hard to get approved? </p>

<p>I've been looking at a lot of different/weird combinations of stuff.. possibly creating a major @ center for interdisciplinary studies that fits my broad interests more than any specific major. Also looked at doing a major, 2 minors, and maybe even a concentration. Seems do able credit wise, but of course it seems a little excessive, and worried might be too much.</p>

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<p>You can probably find out specifics about much of what you are asking by exploring the academic section of the Web site. I can tell you that four is the standard course load; you can get permission to take three under some circumstances, but only once I believe (that is something you can almost certainly find out from the Web site). Few people take five a semester, and the ability to do so depends a lot on what your courses are--obviously if you have one or more lab courses that will take up a lot of time and make it more difficult to schedule a fifth a , let alone do the prep for all the classes.</p>

<p>But you really should also try to get in touch with the admissions office to get more guidance if you can. Perhaps someone there can in turn refer you to other departmental or interdisciplinary sources. </p>

<p>Keep in mind too that first year students will not necessarily have firsthand experience with some of the issues you are raising. Majors are not declared until sometime during sophomore year, after all, and the first couple of semesters can be a time of exploration and discovery. Obviously first years may be very well informed via older friends and word of mouth but still, not the same as getting information from a staff person or even a sampling of juniors and seniors (who don't seem to be on CC anymore though there used to be one or two).</p>

3

<p>Yeah, I think I should direct this over to the adcom i've been talking to. I know that you can take 3 courses, but only in senior year, and you must meet the 32 course requirement. Obviously, i'm more interested in taking more, not less (haha that may change as i see the load).
I actually scanned through an absolutely massive document on academic regulations and just found much of what I was looking for. The results are saddening!
"Students pursuing a concentration may not pursue a double major or a minor.</p>

<p>Some departments or programs offer a minor, a designated set of five or six courses. Students are allowed to declare one and only one minor to the appropriate academic department by no later than October 1 of their senior year. Students declaring a minor may not also declare a concentration or a second major."</p>

<p>So, there's a requirement of 1 major... and a student can opt to have ONE extra minor, concentration, or major, but not any more nor a combination. Doesn't make much sense to me... especially because there is enough room for more, especially something like two minors, or a concentration and a minor.</p>

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<p>Basically, yeah, you've got the gist. You HAVE to have at least one major. Then with it, you can also have a concentration within your major (or just a concentration, maybe?) OR a minor and only one minor. And not many departments offer minors. I think the ones that offer minors are Philosophy, Education, Music, Anthropology, Chinese, Economics, French, German, Russian, Mathematics, Religion, Spanish, and Theater. You can't have more than one minor and once you declare a minor, you're not allowed to also have another major or a concentration.</p>

<p>Yes -- a history major can also do a concentration in neuroscience, I believe. Like, I know you can do ANY major with the premed track, as well. I would look into that more through the admissions office, because I'm actually kind of unclear about the whole concentration thing, but I'm pretty sure that's the case.</p>

<p>I don't think many people do double major, because seriously, it is kind of overrated and most people will tell you that. A BA/BS doesn't mean much nowadays, and while it does open up your options for graduate school (like, you could go to graduate school for English OR History if you major in both), it can also just mean a lot more work and less possibility for you to do one with honors.</p>

<p>I flip flop on major a lot. I'm torn between History, English, Classics, Philosophy, and Psychology. The only chance I'll double major is if I'm dying to do Philosophy, because I would need a more practical major to justify it to myself....
You're not bound to any major until the end of sophomore year when you have to declare. Also, a point worth mentioning is that lots of kids (80% of our class) enter convinced that they are going to be premed. Myself included. I'm in three premed classes and I've already decided I don't wanna do it. I'd love to be a doctor, but I really don't want to ruin my junior year by having to take a year of organic chemistry. And I don't want to ruin my second semester freshmen year by having to take multivariable calculus. I'm not really interested in doing either and I'm not great at sciences ... so I've learned to play to my strengths and go with something humanities-ish.</p>

<p>I know several kids who are working with center majors. The consensus is that it's difficult to get what you want (you have to apply, REALLY KNOW WHAT YOU WANT TO DO in terms of classes and possibilities for a thesis, you have to get it approved, it's a ton of paperwork, and if you get denied and still wanna go for it again, it's just more paperwork), BUT once you get it, it's a great experience. I've also considered a center major in European Studies. But that's kind of broad. I would probably have to narrow it down a bit.</p>

<p>There is no way I could conceive of taking 6 classes in a semester. Five would be a nightmare. Four is already more than overwhelming if you don't quickly figure out what study habits work for you. My boyfriend's roommate is taking five courses and so every time the bf invites me down to his room to watch the game or something, I'll ask if he thinks we will bother his roommate. The answer is always the same. "Nah. He's partying it up in G-11."<br>
G-11 is his roommate's study-carrel in the library. Doesn't matter what time it is. If it's during waking hours (or even sleeping hours), his roommate is there working, and usually he still won't finish homework by the next day.
That said, you pick your poison. If you're dead-set on taking five classes, pick with care. If you have two or three "easy" (meaning comparatively so) it might be manageable, but it is seldom recommended. Usually it's strongly discouraged and it's only something seniors desperate to graduate on time undertake.<br>
Also, I'm pretty sure first semester freshmen DEFINITELY can't take five classes. Maybe second semester, but that option might only be offered to sophomores and up.</p>

<p>Lemme throw out two ideas that has taken me forever to grasp, but has since changed the way I look at life:
FIRST -- Trying to take on everything you are PERMITTED is usually not a good idea. You have to be willing to be flexible in college and in life. If you want to sign up for five classes, you have to be aware that you're probably forgoing having any kind of social life, at least temporarily. If that truly doesn't matter to you, then you have nothing to worry about. But sometimes it's good to just start small and figure out what you really can handle. Never let yourself get down if you're struggling in a class and don't spend forever beating yourself up if you don't do as well on a test or exam as you would have liked -- instead, think about ways you can improve and actively pursue them. Never rag on yourself for not being Superman. You're human and you can only take so much work and stress. When I came here, I was determined to take the hardest courses I could and make straight A's and give it my absolute all.
But seriously, if I wanted to do that, I would never get out and I would never have fun. I'm making mostly A's and B's and I'm really quite content with that. I work hard but I always make time for fun, even if I'm nowhere near done with homework. Eventually you figure out that sometimes it literally is impossible to finish a given reading or assignment within a certain time-frame. When that's the case, work until you feel you've done it justice, but if it's taking over your life and interfering with work in other classes ... there has to be a time when you just say "Okay, there is actually no way I can finish this on time realistically, I've given it a solid effort, and now I'm going to bed so I'll be alert tomorrow."</p>

<p>SECOND -- Play to your strengths. Challenge yourself within fields you enjoy -- because I promise you, at Davidson, even if it's your best subject, you still will be challenged. Don't take an upper level math class just because you place into the class if you HATE math and you're truly terrible at it.</p>

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<p>Also. Please remember. You don't have to know what you want to do with your life at the age of eighteen! You've got time!</p>

6

<p>haha thank you very much for that (once again) long and great post. I definitely understand you on the everything you are permitted thing. definitely what i was trying to do was get an idea as to what the workload would permit class and major/minor wise. i've accepted that I hate uncertainty and that's not going to change soon. i don't let myself stress over it (uncertainty), but I do like to try and plan things (as you can see, very prematurely, too, haha) or plot out possibilities to see what something might or could be. </p>

<p>I am definitely going to take it easy (relatively speaking, of course) freshman year to test the waters to see what things i really want to put my time into and be involved in, and what i would want to be doing academically. </p>

<p>oh, and trust me... i don't have much intention of taking hard classes that i dont enjoy just because. i will fulfill the art and math requirements... but i really doubt i'll be going any further than that.</p>

<p>thanks again!!</p>