Major and Minor Requirements
Majors
A major is an area of study in which the student specializes by taking 30 or more semester hours. Majors are of two kinds: those based in an academic department, such as English or Psychology, and those organized on an interdepartmental basis, such as Communication. Candidates for degrees must complete the requirements for a major as established by the academic department in which the major is offered.
In some degree programs, a student may use the same course to meet both a General Education requirement and a major requirement.
A candidate for a degree must, no later than the beginning of the junior year, file an application for acceptance to a major with the Department and the Registrar. For admission requirements to specific programs, refer to the major.
Double Majors
There is no restriction on the number of majors a student earns as long as the majors are housed in separate departments and the student completes all stated requirements for each major without using the same courses for both majors. Double majors within a department will not be allowed if the majors are simply different or additional tracks of the same basic major or if one major is wholly subsumed within the other. Double majors within a department will be allowed if the department, in consultation with the Chief Academic Officer and Registrar, determines that there are substantive differences between the majors. For further clarification regarding double majors within a department, please see the appropriate departmental section of this catalog or contact the Registrar.
Minors
Students wishing to graduate with a minor must complete at least 18 semester hours in a selected discipline. Specific minor requirements are listed within the departmental sections of this catalog. In order to earn a minor when some of the coursework is also required by their major, students must take at least nine hours unique to the minor. In order for a transfer student to earn a minor offered by RWU, the student must earn at least nine hours at RWU.