All undergraduates, in order to be recommended for a degree, must be accepted into an area of major, often called a major. Each major falls within one of the three general academic divisions, as noted in the table that follows this section. The "Approval Form for majors and Minors" (which includes instructions) must be used when applying for acceptance.
Students are expected to apply for major during the semester they are completing 64 credits or more toward their degree. In February of each year sophomores are informed that they must make application to a department. Students are sent a reminder in the summer if they fail to respond to the first notice. In November notification is sent to juniors who still have failed to be accepted to a department. If students remain unclassified by mid-March of their junior year, they are reclassified to sophomore standing.
Detailed information about declaring the major, including useful FAQs, is available on the Web site maintained by the Sophomore Committee. See http://www.rochester.edu/college/sophomores/declare.html.
Majors (majors) by Division
Humanities (H)
American Sign Language
Art History
Classics
Comparitive Literature
English
Film and Media Studies
French
German
Japanese
Music
Philosophy
Religion
Russian
Spanish
Studio Arts
Social Sciences (S)
Anthropology
Economics
Financial Economics*
Health and Society
History
Linguistics
Political Science
Psychology
Natural Sciences, Mathematics, and Engineering (N)
Biological Sciences:
Biochemistry
Cell and Developmental Biology
Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
Microbiology
Molecular Genetics
Neuroscience
Biology
Biology-Geology
Biomedical Engineering
Brain and Cognitive Sciences
Chemical Engineering
Chemistry
Computer Science
Electrical and Computer Engineering
Engineering and Applied Science
Engineering Science
Environmental Science
Environmental Studies
Geological Sciences
Geomechanics
Integrated Sciences
Mathematics
Mathematics-Applied
Mathematics-Statistics
Mechanical Engineering
Optics (Optical Science and Engineering)*
Physics
Physics and Astronomy
Statistics
Variable (Determined at time of entrance into major)
African and African-American Studies (H or S)
Interdepartmental Studies (H, S or N)
Russian Studies (H or S)
Women’s Studies (H or S)
* Pending N.Y.S. approval
1a. Application for major in Arts and Sciences
Students should consult the University Bulletin, read the department’s offerings, and formulate a rough idea of the courses needed to complete a major. The student should then make an appointment with the departmental adviser to complete plans and gain acceptance. The names of departmental advisers, and the "Approval Form for majors and Minors," may be obtained at the Lattimore counter. Departments in Arts and Sciences will accept students and assign faculty advisers if at least 12 courses and any specified prerequisites have been completed with a 2.0 or higher average. Any conditions of the acceptance will be noted on the form. In making its decision, the department may ask the Office of Academic Records for a copy of the student’s advising record.
Courses taken at another college that students want to use to satisfy major requirements must be approved by the appropriate person in the department.
Students simultaneously register their plans for the Rochester Curriculum. The dual- purpose form permits students to indicate the set of formal coursework (i.e., Cluster, minor, major) that they will complete for each academic division.
1b. Application for major in Engineering and Applied Sciences
Engineering students who have met the freshman and sophomore requirements for their particular programs may apply for admission to major in Engineering and Applied Sciences. Students should seek assistance from engineering faculty members (particularly their faculty advisers) and Dean’s Office personnel to help insure that introductory courses both explore potential areas of major and prepare the student for the major that might be chosen.
To be admitted formally to major, the student and adviser must complete (usually during the spring of the sophomore year) the "Approval Form for majors and Minors." Advisers should check with the chair of their undergraduate curriculum committee regarding the process. It is the responsibility of each department to notify the SEAS Dean’s Office of a student’s acceptance into a major. The Dean’s Office reviews the application for the major, and, if approved, processes the formal acceptance.
All students in the School of Engineering are responsible for four semesters of equipment fees. Students should be advised that questions regarding this policy should be directed to the Associate Dean in the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences.
2. Changing a major
A change from one major to another is completed in the same way as the application. After acceptance by the new department the student returns the "Approval Form for majors and Minors" to the Center for Academic Support (SEAS Dean’s Office for engineering changes) and informs that office of the change. The "Rochester Curriculum Registration" is revised if necessary. The Office of Academic Records notifies the former department that the student has withdrawn and requests forwarding of the departmental folder.
3. Double major
Students wishing to pursue a major in two Arts and Sciences departments for their Bachelor of Arts degree apply to both departments following the usual procedure. They also revise the "Rochester Curriculum Registration" if necessary. In addition, both areas acknowledge in writing that they are aware of and approve the student’s pursuit of a double major. This approval should be written on the "Approval Form" or in a separate memo, signed, and sent to the Office of Academic Records. Specific rules exist concerning Mathematics-Statistics double majors (see Bulletin).
Course overlap between the two majors should be kept to a minimum. Some majors have formal overlap rules, e.g., HLS and IPA. Students may obtain complete information about these restrictions in the Center for Academic Support.
Beginning with the Class of 2010, the following policy governing the overlapping of courses will apply: No more than three courses in a major or two courses in a minor may be used toward a separate major or minor. Allied field courses used to fulfill the requirements of the major are included in the set of courses subject to this restriction. However, prerequisite courses required for the major and non-departmental ancillary course requirements (such as chemistry for biology majors) are not subject to this restriction.
A list of the double concentrators in any one department is maintained by the Office of Academic Records. Students may obtain a major, or a double major, along with one or more minors. (see Minors) A statement will be placed on the official record concerning a third approved major, although the third major will not be (cannot be) entered into the computerized record.
4. Double Degrees
Students wishing to pursue both a B.A. and a B.S. degree program, or two B.S. programs, within The College submit signed major forms to the Center for Academic Support, along with a petition to the Administrative Committee seeking permission to pursue the double degree. A list of Double Degree students is maintained by the Office of Academic Records.
Students following a double degree program must fulfill all graduation requirements of both degrees.
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