Majors (second or third)

Students may elect to take a second or third major. However, no more than three majors may be elected and normally no more than one major within a department. To elect an additional major, a student must apply to and be accepted by the department of the additional major. Some education majors are automatically double majors and upon admission only have to apply to a department if considering a third major. Course scheduling may make it difficult to complete some majors simultaneously. Completion of a second or third major may require more than the minimum number of course units required for a degree and may prolong the period of study at The College of New Jersey.

A student may double or triple major by completing all requirements for each major. Correlate courses and liberal learning requirements may be applied to each major. Double or triple majors qualify students for “Option A: Designated Interdisciplinary Concentrations or Second Majors” under Broad Sectors of Human Inquiry if, between or among the majors, there are two or more courses from at least two of the sectors (Arts and Humanities, Social Science and History, and Natural Science and Quantitative Reasoning). If only two sectors are represented, students must then take two additional courses from the missing sector. Except for Natural Sciences and Quantitative Reasoning, where students must complete a laboratory science course and a course in quantitative reasoning whether or not the sector is included in one of the majors, it is not necessary to cover both domains in each sector. When additional courses in a sector not covered in one of the majors is required, each course must have a different prefix. Furthermore, a maximum of three full courses from the first major may be applied to the second or third major. Unless the capstone requirement carries the weight of two full courses and is approved by both major advisers, a capstone cannot apply to more than one major.

Students completing a second or third major will receive only one degree. The first major, as indicated by the student, will determine which degree will be granted (B.A., B.S., etc.). However, all students majoring in elementary, early childhood, deaf/hard of hearing, or special education also take an additional academic major, which will be reflected on their transcript and receive the BS degree. All majors will be reflected on the transcript.

While the second or third major may be dropped at any time, the election of a second or third major or the switching of what will serve as the first major must be done prior to the semester of the student’s graduation. A second or third major cannot be completed after graduation (see college policy regarding second degrees).

Applications to elect, drop or switch majors must be processed through the Office of Records and Registration by the same deadlines and following the same departmental requirements as a change of major request. Students pursuing a second or third major are expected to seek advisement as they would for the first.

Recommended by CAP-Fall, 2004

Approved through governance-Spring, 2005