I am sure that there has been someone on this website that has either double majored and minored at Spelman or a school like it. If you could offer me any insight into what your experience in college was like and whether or not you finished in four years or whatever other tips you could give me. I am an incoming freshman and I was thinking about doing this when I went to school this fall to be super prepared for grad school and because of my genuine interests in these fields. I plan on being a Political Science and English double major with a minor in African Diaspora Studies. I know I sound like a psychopath but I am just very curious what this road would like if I chose to go down it. Thank you!
Why don’t you try mapping out a 4-year plan with these two majors and minor and see what it looks like? Pay special attention to when each course is offered as some courses are not offered offered every semester or even every year. Also pay close attention to pre-reqs.
My D is a double major (actually double degree, which is harder) with a minor at another college. She mapped out a 4-year plan that she follows with changes/adjustments as needed. Because she started with a lot of AP credits, she’s able to finish these and a masters degree in 4 years. But she also overloads (19-22 credits) each semester to make it work. Once you see what is required to complete both proposed majors and the minor, you can decide whether it’s doable for you.
Hey there - I went to Spelman College for undergrad, although I did not double major there (and I finished over 10 years ago).
When I was at Spelman, completing a double major was possible but quite difficult. You can sketch out a theoretical four-year plan as a guide. Because the college is so small, sometimes classes you need are only offered once a year, and sometimes there is only one section of it. If times conflict between requirements, you may have to wait an entire year to take a class you need, which may extend your time to degree. But also, Spelman used to have a policy that only up to 3 courses are allowed to “double count” towards two majors. I don’t know if it’s the same - again, I attended over 10 years ago - but it’s worth looking through the student handbook and seeing if that’s still the case.
I agree with itsgettingreal17 that if you are deadset on doubling, talk to your advisor right away about it. When you’re ready to register for classes, take a note of when the classes you would be required to take are offered as well - often, the times don’t change from year to year. Ask more advanced students and the professors in your department how often classes are offered. That’ll help you get a sense of how difficult or easy it is to double major.
Keep in mind that Spelman has a writing minor as well. If you’re just interested in boosting your writing skills before graduate school, consider minoring in writing (instead of majoring in English, which is about literature) or just taking a few classes in writing specifically. So you can major in political science, minor in African diaspora studies and then take some writing classes.