<p>So I was really looking forward to a major in Neuroscience, but apparantly it's a concentration under the Biology major on the Biology website. So I was thinking... Major in Biology w/ a Concentration in Neuroscience AND another in Public Policy with a certificate in Global Health or Health Policy.</p>
<p>BUT the Duke undergraduate academics website lists Neuroscience as a certificate!!</p>
<p>So which is true? I'd have to pick between the two if both are certificates ]:</p>
<p>My question is even broader than fengshuibundi's and stemmed from reading his question. I thought concentrations were just another name for majors? Sorry for sounding ignorant. But can someone explain the difference b/w concentrations/certificates/minors/majors blah blah blah lol?</p>
<p>For the broad question:</p>
<p>Majors - ~10 classes
Certificates - ~7-8 classes
Minors - ~5 classes</p>
<p>Concentrations (to my knowledge) are particular to a major - they may require certain particular courses within the major to "concentrate" in a certain field of a major. I'm on the liberal arts side of things so, to my knowledge, that would be like a poli sci major who's doing Comparative Politics or International Relations - which of those two you concentrate would determine the focus of your courses in the major.</p>
<p>Not every major has concentrations. The public policy major has "pathways," but those are more in order to classify electives - no different requirements are involved.</p>
<p>Terminology varies considerably from school to school. At Duke, a concentration is a sub-major within your first major; for example -- I am making this up, these concentrations do NOT exist -- an Economics major could concentrate in Finance or in Health Policy or in Marketing, or something.</p>
<p>And FSB, probably it could be either/or.</p>
<p>From the Neuroscience Webpage:</p>
<p>"Most students complete a Neuroscience Concentration as either a Biology or a Psychology major. Each of these departments sponsors a coursework track that is integrated within the major and coordinated with the UNP. Some students, however, major in other fields such as Chemistry, Mathematics, or even Philosophy but still wish to emphasize neuroscience in their undergraduate careers. The Course Sequence Option leading to a Neuroscience Certificate is designed to support the interests of these students."</p>
<p>This leads me to believe that a concentration and certificate are separate. I do believe you can dual major and take two concentrations (I know a rising Junior who is concentrating in Chem-Pharma and Bio-Neurosci). It would probably be a ton of classes, some overloads/summer, but the Bio-Neurosci is very interesting, I'm considering it myself.</p>
<p>Okay! I'll just call later or ask whenever I get there. It's not like I'd be doing certificate/concentration specific classes for at least a semester or two!</p>
<p>Yea, and just wait. Everything changes in college, you'll go through 9 majors in your first 6 weeks, thats why you dont declare for 3/4 semesters lol</p>
<p>Certificates are completely different from concentrations - some have no connections to a major (i.e. Markets and Management Certificate), while a number of Health Policy courses are PPS courses. The admissions site describes them as such:</p>
<p>"Certificate programs allow students to supplement their major area of study with a distinctive and interdisciplinary approach to a subject not available in any single academic unit."</p>