Special Programs

Double Majors in Science

In certain instances, students have the option of pursuing majors in two departments in the College of Science. Combinations that are normally approved include: Biological Sciences with Chemistry; Biological Sciences with Mathematics; Biological Sciences with Physics; Biochemistry with Mathematics; Biochemistry with Physics; Chemistry with Mathematics; Chemistry with Physics; Environmental Sciences (first major) with Mathematics; Mathematics with Physics; and Science Computing, Science Education with supplementary major in ACMS or Statistics. Examples of combinations that are normally forbidden include: Preprofessional Studies with any other science majors, Collegiate Sequence majors (Science Computing, Science Education) with any other science majors except supplementary majors in ACMS and Statistics, parallel subprograms such as Mathematics and Life Sciences with Physics-inMedicine and either of those with Biological Sciences or Biochemistry, any majors among Mathematics, ACMS and Statistics. All requirements of each major must be met, with no exceptions. Failing to complete a required course terminates that major for a student. Every student who wishes to major in two departments in the College of Science must prepare an agenda of specific courses to be taken, which both advisors and the dean must approve. This should be done as early as possible, but absolutely no later than the seventh day of the senior year. In certain instances, a student may possibly receive approval of a normally forbidden combination of majors, but only if a specific program has been set up by the seventh day of the sophomore year.

All double major programs in science are extremely challenging programs that require that the student take four or five science courses at a time. Thus, only students of superior scholastic ability should consider this as an option.

Students are warned that it is almost certain that completing a double major in two sciences will require total credits well over the college minimum of 124. Conflicts in scheduling of required courses may occur; neither the college nor the departments undertake to reschedule courses for the sake of double majors. For these reasons, it must be emphasized that completing a double major may well require more than four years. Only one degree is awarded (degrees in science do not specify a field).