Choosing a Major
Choosing a Field of Study
At a liberal arts institution such as the University of Chicago, a major does not necessarily equate to a career. In fact, a low correlation exists between the subject studied in college and the chosen career field.
Graduate school can be an exception because in-depth study in a particular field (especially in the sciences) requires prior work in that discipline, although not necessarily as a major. On the other hand professional schools (including law, medicine, public policy, and social work) do not view graduates of liberal arts institutions either favorably or unfavorably because of major. They focus instead on assessing applicants' analytic and communications skills, among other qualities.
This is fortunate for Chicago graduates because courses in the College emphasize both problem solving and communications skills. The result is that graduates are attractive to both employers and graduate schools because they tend to be critical thinkers who are also broadly trained and well read.
Select the Best Academic Program for You
Rather than viewing major in career terms only, consider it as an academic interest in which one enjoys being immersed for hours at a time (reading and studying). Expect to make up your mind and then change it multiple times. Don't be surprised if choosing a major takes a long time, since experience (taking courses), soliciting advice, and reflection are crucial elements of this process. Caution: Be discriminating. While it is important to seek advice, not all of it will be of the same quality. The three best places to begin seeking advice are
- A College adviser
- The director of undergraduate studies of the potential major
- Professors/instructors
In addition
- Browse the College Catalog
- Join academic program e-mail list hosts to learn about lectures and events
- Read department/program Web pages
- Get to know the faculty
- Read advice from Career Advising and Planning Services (CAPS) about how to choose a major
Declaring Majors and Minors
Majors
Students declare a major by meeting with their College adviser and with the director of undergraduate studies in the major department. Unless otherwise specified by the department, the deadline for declaring a major is Spring Quarter of a student's third year. Keep in mind that declaring a major in the second year can be an advantage for students who may want to study abroad, attend graduate/professional school, or compete for an internship or fellowship. To declare a major, read the College policy on majors in the catalog and then set up an appointment with your College adviser. Departments ask all newly declared majors to introduce themselves to the undergraduate program director and complete any necessary paperwork. New majors should subscribe to the appropriate email list host if they have not already done so.
Double Majors
Students in the College may declare more than one major -- all majors are listed on both the transcript and the Convocation program -- but the University will grant only one bachelor's degree per student. Students are asked to choose one major as their primary major, and it is that major that is listed on the diploma. Consider the possibility of two majors with care as there are both positive and negative aspects to such a plan. If an honors thesis is required, check the college catalog to see which majors allow students to write a single thesis that will count for both. In such cases, students must submit a Dual Major/Single Bachelors Thesis Consent Form by the end of Autumn Quarter of graduation year. Note that students rarely write two separate bachelor's theses. Finally, if both majors require senior seminars, investigate whether it is possible to schedule both classes in the same quarter.
Potential positives of a double major
- Two majors can meet the needs of a student with diverse academic interests
Examples: biological sciences and art history
- Two majors may complement one another intellectually
Examples: physics and mathematics, or history and english
Potential negatives of a double major
- Employers/graduate schools do not necessarily view two majors as better than one
- Two majors do not make up for mediocre grades
- Most/all free electives are lost to the second major
- Many programs of study do not allow students to use one BA thesis for two majors
- It can be difficult to study abroad and double major
Minors
One way to take advantage of the positive aspects of interdisciplinary study is to pursue a minor. Minors permit students to use free electives with intellectual effectiveness, that is, to take a cohesive set of courses in a single subject area. Students may declare more than one minor -- all minors are listed on the transcript -- but minors do not appear on the Convocation program or the diploma. The deadline to declare a minor is the end of Spring Quarter of third year. To declare a minor:
- Read the policy in the College catalog
- Meet with your College adviser, who will give you a Consent to Complete a Minor Program Form
- Meet with the director of undergraduate studies for that minor, complete the consent form, and return it to your College adviser
Joint Bachelor's/Master's Degree Options
A small number of joint BA/MA program options are open to students in the College. For more information, read the appropriate section of the College catalog and call 773-702-8615 to make an appointment with Ronald Gorny, the College BA/MA program adviser, to investigate integrating graduate study into the College degree program.
