Some students choose instead to meet the requirements for majors in two different departments. In those circumstances, a separate minor is not required. Obviously, this is a more difficult academic route. Usually we encounter chemistry students who complete a second minor in an area like mathematics, biological sciences or physics. However, we have had students with second majors in music, art, education and business.
If you are considering this route, you should meet regularly with academic advisors in both departments since scheduling will become much more complex. You should complete a formal junior audit for both programs. Life is even more complicated if your second major is in a college other than Arts and Sciences. This is because the graduation requirements are significantly different from college to college. As a rule, we find that the colleges are very cooperative in finding accommodations that meet the spirit of the rules and allow for waivers from detailed requirements. However, any waiver of the requirements must be formally approved and should definitely be requested in advance.
You should carefully consider a decision to take a double major. Think carefully in terms of your professional objectives. It is not generally desirable to complete a minimal major in two fields. The minimal requirements may not leave you in a competitive position with respect to jobs or graduate study.
return to the advisor's index of topics