Designing your own major...

Colleges and Universities A-Z Vanderbilt University
1

<p>I've received a few questions, so this is just a brief overview of how to design your own major...</p>

<p>Basically, you fill out a course contract that consists of 48 hours worth of classes. Although you're initially locked into these courses, there's some flexibility if you decide that you do not want to take some of the classes that are in your contract. If you wish to substitute classes in your contract, you simply have to fill out a form to be approved by the Dean of Arts & Science. If the class swap fits into the overall theme of your major, then it will be approved.</p>

<p>Once you have the course contract filled out, you then have to write a paper outlining why you want to design your own interdisciplinary major. The paper only needs to be a few pages long. In this paper, you basically write about how/why designing your own interdisciplinary major will help you attain your educational/employment objectives. One of the most important things in getting your major approved is having a central theme to your major. In other words, the classes you choose can't just be random fun classes. You need to be able to clearly illustrate how the courses you have chosen fit together and how they will help you in your future endeavors. </p>

<p>Once you turn in the required paperwork, you then have to wait for a committee in the Arts & Science to approve/decline your major. Typically, the committee meets once a month.</p>

<p>The main advice I could give to anyone wishing to design their own major is to first arrange a meeting with Dean Bergquist to discuss the proposed major. For this meeting, make sure to bring a list of the courses you wish to take. She'll provide her input on your major and give you advice on what the committee looks for and what courses you might want to also consider adding/replacing in your major contract. You'd be a fool not to meet with her because she's really nice and genuinely wants to help kids design their own major. Plus, if you meet with her and leave a favorable impression, I'm sure she'll help use her pull to try to get your major approved when the committee meets.</p>

2

<p>Just saw this, thanks</p>

<p>I wanted to do something with all the Managerial concentrations made into one major, is that something doable?</p>

3

<p>I doubt it’d be approved because the committee would want you to have at least some semblance of a liberal arts education. For mine, I included 8 FNEC/HOD/MGRL courses. You could probably have like 10 business courses, but you’d also need to have coursework from other disciplines. My major is comprised of 5 ECON, 8 FNEC/HOD/MGRL, 2 SOC courses and ENGM 244. </p>

<p>Courses off the top of my head to look at…CMST 204, ENGM 244 and PHIL 110.</p>

4

<p>Could you email me the courses you are taking? Also, is it acceptable to follow someone else’s designed major or does it have to be crated by the student entirely? </p>

<p>I pm’d you my email.</p>

5

<p>Main Theme: To develop a core foundation of business knowledge
Secondary Theme: To better understand marketing and how people consume culture</p>

<p>CMST 204 Organizational and Managerial Communications (*Later replaced w/ HOD 1200 Understanding Organizations) </p>

<p>ECON 150 Econ Stat, ECON 209 Money & Banking, ECON 212 Labor Economics, ECON 231 Int. Micro. Theory, ECON 268 Health Econ</p>

<p>ENGM 244 Applied Behavioral Science</p>

<p>FNEC 140 Financial Accounting, FNEC 220 Managerial Accounting</p>

<p>HOD 1700 Systematic Inquiry</p>

<p>MGRL 190 Principles of Marketing, MGRL 191 Advanced Marketing, MGRL 192 Product Development and something, MGRL 198 Corporate Strategy</p>

<p>SOC 228 & 229 Can’t remember the names, but I tied them into my secondary theme of marketing and understanding how people consume culture</p>

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<p>Dean Bergquist has a notebook full of approved majors, which my friend said he looked at and used as a model when he designed his own major.</p>

<p>I created my major, for the most part, entirely by myself. Dean Bergquist suggested that I add CMST 204 and SOC 228 & 229, so I added them.</p>

6

<p>That was really helpful, thank you very much!</p>