Majors

Bachelor of Arts (BA)

Saint Michael’s College offers the following majors within the Bachelor of Arts degree:

Bachelor of Science (BS)

Saint Michael’s College offers the following majors within the Bachelor of Science degree:

Self-Designed Major

The Self-Designed major is a student-designed, integrated course of study that allows students to examine in depth a field of study not covered by an established major.  While the Self-Designed major provides students with some flexibility regarding their plan of study, this plan must be developed in the context of some nationally or internationally recognized area of inquiry. Students interested in a Self-Designed major must write a proposal that documents a carefully thought out academic plan, taking into account not only an array of courses but also the sequence and integration of those courses in an overall course of study.  The proposal must articulate how the Self-Designed major will enhance a student’s academic experience and further their educational goals, and explain why their educational objectives cannot be fulfilled in the conventional manner with an established major. The Self-Designed major may not be used to avoid the requirements of an established major or to abbreviate the requirements of a double major.  

The Self-Designed major is the first and primary major and should be unrelated to any second major. The Curriculum and Educational Policy Committee (CEPC) recommends that in those cases where students create a Self-Designed major that stems from an established major or program of study, students should not retain the latter as a second major. Students may choose to add established minors to their program. Established majors and programs of study are those that appear in the college catalogue. 

Self-Designed Major Procedure

Prior to writing the proposal for a Self-Designed major a student will identify and consult with a primary faculty advisor. This advisor will guide the student through the process of writing the proposal, help the student incorporate any changes recommended by the Curriculum and Educational Policy Committee (CEPC), and serve as the student’s Academic Advisor if the proposal is accepted. The student will submit the proposal and supporting materials to the Dean of the College for review by the CEPC no later than March 1st of the sophomore year. Proposals that are not successful may be re-submitted up until October 1 of the student’s junior year. A minimum 3.0 GPA is required for a student who wants to propose a Self-Designed major. The number of courses in the major is limited to 9-11, as is the case for established majors. Consideration for additional courses will be given for self-designed majors in interdisciplinary fields. The CEPC will take prior course work into account.  

Double or Multiple Majors

Students with a cumulative grade point average of 2.0 or higher may pursue an additional major. Requests for an additional major will only be considered after the student has completed at least one semester of graded coursework at Saint Michael’s. Generally, such requests should be made no later than the end of the Junior year.

Students may only receive one undergraduate degree from Saint Michael’s College: a Bachelor of Arts (BA) or a Bachelor of Science (BS). When a student pursues two (or more) majors that are associated with different degrees (i.e. a major for which a BA is awarded and another for which a BS is awarded), the student identifies which degree they wish to pursue at the time the additional major is declared. A student may change their degree preference any time before the degree is awarded, but not after. When a student pursues two or more majors across degrees, both major credentials are awarded and indicated on the transcript.

A major in a particular field of study normally consists of between nine and eleven full courses. For double/multiple majors, students are advised to complete at least seven courses distinct from the courses completed for any other major that they undertakes. Itis the student’s responsibility – in consultation with the advisor – to monitor the double counting of courses.

Prohibited Major Combinations

Because of a) overlapping content areas and significant number of shared courses; or b) prohibitions related to education licensure, the following double majors are always prohibited: