Self-Designed Majors

Students interested in earning a degree in an area of study that is not currently offered by the college may propose a self-designed major.  A student must have a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of at least 3.0 to be eligible to submit a proposal.

The self-designed major should consist of not fewer than 12 courses.  No more than four of the courses may be completed at other institutions.  No more than three of the courses may be conducted as independent studies. At least half of the courses must be at the 300-400 level. The proposed courses must include a senior capstone project that serves as a means of unifying the major.

While self-designed majors may often be interdisciplinary in nature and thus involve two or more departments, self-designed majors may be derived solely from single departments, provided that approval is granted at each required step, as described below.

All proposals for self-designed majors derived from two or more departments must be drafted with the advice and endorsement of two sponsoring faculty advisors chosen by the student from the relevant departments. Proposals are approved by the Provost, as evaluated and recommended by a newly established Self-Designed Programs Committee. This committee shall consist of five faculty members and at least one Dean, as established by the Provost in consultation with the Faculty Senate.

To complete a proposal for a self-designed major, students should adhere to the following procedures: 

     • In consultation with an advisor in the department(s) offering courses most clearly relevant to the proposed course of study, students should define the central purpose and outline the nature of a proposed self-designed major. In cases where three or more departments are represented, students are required to have advisors from only the two most involved departments in the proposed course of study. With the assistance of their advisors, students should prepare a formal proposal including: (1) a statement of justification and the goals of the specific interdepartmental major, (2) a list of the courses that will constitute their program of study, and (3) a preliminary description of the senior capstone project and the way in which it will serve to unify the course of study.

     • Advisors should be full-time, tenured or tenure-track faculty. Students should seek assurance that their advisors will be available to mentor them throughout the course of study. One of the advisors will serve as the principal mentor.

     • Having created such a proposal, as approved by the faculty advisors, students must obtain endorsements of their proposals from the Chair(s) of the department(s) in which they plan to complete their major as well as the Deans of the Schools that house these departments. Such endorsements must include assurances that the courses required for completion of the major (both TCNJ and non-TCNJ courses) will be offered and available to the student within the time frame of the proposal.

General Comments and Limitations

A program of Self-Designed Majors is a hallmark of outstanding undergraduate institutions. The availability of such a program of intellectual pursuit is available only to students whose academic goals are genuine and of a most serious nature. As such, the following limitations prevail:

1)  A student must have a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0 at the time of application.

2)  Proposals are encouraged during a student’s sophomore year, but they must be submitted and approved no later than the start of registration during the fall of the junior year. As the program is launched during the first two years, exceptions may be granted to junior and senior students who may have been planning such a major in anticipation of this program.

3)  The Self-Designed Programs Committee, whose endorsement and recommendation are required, will interview each candidate to discuss the proposal. The Committee must establish that each proposed major represents an academic pursuit of genuine interest to the student, one that represents an in depth study distinct from existing majors and one where completion is clearly possible within the time frame of the proposal. The Committee must ascertain that the supporting library, laboratory, equipment, and computer resources will be available to complete the proposed course of study and that the capstone project is feasible within the proposed time frame.

4)  Upon completion of the unifying capstone experience, it must be approved by all faculty advisors, and in most cases, the project will include a senior thesis, culminating in an oral presentation of research to faculty and students representing the involved departments. 

5)  As the program is launched, the Self-Design Program Committee will develop explicit guidelines for use by faculty when assisting a student in the design of such a major. An administrative procedure should also be developed for approving and monitoring each proposed course of study.