Bryn Mawr College

Majors

Before preregistration in the spring of your sophomore year, you will be expected to choose a major subject. Then, in consultation with the departmental adviser, you will decide upon an appropriate sequence of major courses and complete a major work plan. Many resources are available to assist you in choosing a major.

• Undergraduate Catalog: Each department's pages within the catalog present its academic focus and summarize the requirements for the major. Most department websites will also include this information, along with supplemental materials that will give you a more in-depth view of the field. You should read these materials for all the departments you are considering.

• "How to Choose a Major" Workshops: Each fall the Dean's Office sponsors panels of deans, faculty, and upperclasswomen that address some of the issues you should be thinking about in the process of choosing a major.

• Faculty members: Any faculty member in a department can discuss with you the intellectual characteristics of the discipline. Keep in mind, though, that new members of the department and visiting instructors may not be very familiar with specific major requirements or with Bryn Mawr policies.

• Major advisers: Major advisers are available to meet with you to answer questions about the major and, once you're ready to declare, to help you fill out a Major Plan of Work. Each department has its own system for designating major advisors. To find out who does major advising in a given department, you may contact the Chair or the department secretary, or just ask any member of the department. Many major advisers will have extended office hours after spring break to be available to meet with students and to answer any questions.

• Student Major Representatives: These students are available to talk informally about their majors and to assist you in making an informed choice.

• Major Teas: Most departments conduct major teas each spring to introduce students to faculty and to declared student majors as well as to give prospective majors the opportunity to learn about the department. Increasingly, departments also host teas in the fall as well for students who are considering study abroad and thus need to consult with major advisers earlier.

• Your Dean: Your dean would be happy to talk with you at any stage of this process; however, talking with him or her is no substitute for talking to faculty and students in the relevant departments If you still have questions after you have attended major teas and have consulted with faculty members, do not hesitate to make an appointment with your dean.

How to Declare a Major, Majoring at Haverford, & Double-Majoring

Designing an Independent Major