Information on Majors and Minors

Choosing a Major

Some students declare their major when they enter Susquehanna. Many others prefer to wait and investigate a number of fields before deciding. Susquehanna welcomes and encourages these undeclared students. Students may pursue an “Undeclared” option for their first two years. During this time, faculty advisors, department heads and the Career Development Center can help them to choose or design a major that satisfies their interests and goals. To ensure they can complete degree requirements within the normal four-year period of study, students must declare a major by the end of the sophomore year. Those seeking to enter programs leading to teacher certification must have a grade point average of 3.00 or better and secure the approval of the department. Those seeking to major in music must audition successfully with the music faculty before admission. Those seeking to major in creative writing must submit a portfolio (eight to 10 pages) of work to the creative writing faculty. Those seeking to major in studio art or graphic design must submit a portfolio to the art faculty.

Departmental Majors

Coursework in a major typically consists of eight to 12 courses, or 32 to 48 semester hours. Requirements may include courses from related disciplines. Music education, elementary education, graphic design, computer science, mathematics, ecology, biology, neuroscience, accounting and other majors offered through the Sigmund Weis School of Business require more than 48 semester hours; students choosing these majors should do so early and plan carefully to complete the requirements in four years. Students must complete at least half of their major coursework at Susquehanna. Unless it is explicitly stated otherwise in the section for that individual department, students must earn a grade of at least C- in a course to apply it to their major.

Dual Majors

Students pursue dual majors for a variety of reasons. Many have a strong interest in more than one field; others feel that a second major will better prepare them for their profession. Students seeking to declare a dual major must have the approval of both departments and plan their program with a faculty advisor from each. Because completing two majors is demanding, the university expects candidates to have a strong academic record. Most dual majors can be completed in four years, but additional time may be needed depending on the particular combination of majors proposed and the student’s academic level when making this decision. Some departments have restrictions on the number of credits that can be double counted toward a second major (or minor) and such details are listed on each department’s catalog page.

Major/Minor Combinations

Students may not major and minor in the same department, unless specifically stated under a department’s catalog entry. If a student is earning an interdisciplinary minor, at least 16 semester hours of that minor must not be counted toward the student’s major.

Self-Designed Majors

Self-designed majors must contain 48 to 60 semester hours from at least two different departments, with at least 28 semester hours from one core department. The student receives a primary advisor from this core department and a secondary advisor from one of the other departments from which a number of courses are taken for the major. Only grades of C- or higher may be used to satisfy the requirements for a self-designed major, and the student must have at least a 2.00 GPA in the major. Other degree requirements, such as the university Central Curriculum, remain in effect for students pursuing self-designed majors and should be included in the plan of study. The plan must be approved by the sponsoring departments and the dean of the school, with the proposal being signed by the primary advisor, secondary advisor and the department head of the sponsoring department.

Accelerated Degree Options

Most majors, with the exception of accounting, elementary education and music, adapt to Susquehanna’s accelerated degree option, which allows highly motivated students to complete degree requirements in three or three and one-half years of study. For further details, contact the Office of Admission.