A student must petition the Committee on Honors and Academic Standing for permission to complete the requirements of two major programs. Application forms are available from the residential college deans. A student contemplating the completion of two majors should bear in mind that doing so will almost invariably limit the opportunities for a wider distribution of studies over different subjects.
Each major must be completed independently of the other, with no more than two term courses overlapping. Prerequisites in either major are not considered to be overlapping courses. Other than such prerequisites, all courses taken in a major—including those taken in excess of the minimum requirements of the major—are counted in the consideration of overlapping courses unless such courses are in excess of the minimum requirements for both majors. Overlapping courses may not include the senior essay or senior project, unless the essay or project is unusually substantial and represents at least the equivalent of the minimum essay or project requirement of the one major in addition to the minimum essay or project requirement of the other major. If a single senior essay or project is approved for the two majors, no additional overlap in course credits is permitted.
It is not possible to offer as two majors a combined major with one of its component majors. For example, a major in Economics and Mathematics cannot be joined with a second major in either Economics or Mathematics. Similarly, a student completing a major that permits the inclusion of a concentration of courses from another major or program cannot also major in that second major or program. For example, a major in Sociology with Psychology cannot have a second major in Psychology. A Special Divisional Major may not be offered as one of two majors.
A petition for two majors should show clearly how the requirements for each of the two programs will be met, and should include the approval of the appropriate directors of undergraduate studies. The completion of two majors does not result in the award of two degrees; a student who completes a major that leads to the award of the B.A. degree and another major that leads to the award of the B.S. degree may choose the degree to be conferred. A petition to complete the requirements of two majors should be made only after the student's plans are definite, but no later than the due date for course schedules in the student's final term of enrollment. Petitions submitted after this deadline will be accepted only by exceptional action of the Committee on Honors and Academic Standing and will be fined $50.
A student may not petition for permission to complete the requirements of more than two major programs.
