For many students, declaring a major defines the sophomore-year experience. Your major will claim one-third to one-half of the courses you take at Bryn Mawr and will be the academic focus of your final two years. And for many students, the major department will become an important academic home.
If you’re largely undecided about your major, you might ask yourself the following questions:
Your next step might be to review majors available at Bryn Mawr and Haverford and choose a handful that focus on topics and approaches that incorporate some of the areas you’ve identified above. Include both those that you have taken courses in and those that you have yet to study. This will give you a chance to think broadly about the types of fields that exist while thinking through which might be a good match for you.
As you narrow down your choices, you might:
If the decision starts to feel overwhelming, remember that more than half of your courses will NOT be required by your major—and that your Bryn Mawr experience is much more than your course work! Take time to put this academic decision into perspective. Check out Co-Curricular Activities and Career Exploration to see the other aspects of your Bryn Mawr experience that matter the most to you.
* Interested in any of the following?
Click here for more information.
To complete your Major Work Plan, go to the Sophomore Plan in your Virtual Bryn Mawr Student Center. You may want to refer to your selected major's webpage on major requirements as a reference.
Click here for instructions for completing your Major Work Plan.
Study Abroad: If you are interested in studying abroad, review the information on the Study Abroad website, make sure to meet the early deadlines for completing Sophomore Planning, and make sure that your on-line Major Work Plan reflects your intention to study away from the college for one semester or, in special circumstances, for a year.
Major Declaration Appointment:
At your Major Declaration Appointment, your major adviser will have access to your completed Major Work Plan, your Sophomore Essay, and your College-Wide Requirements Plan (note, however, these additional forms are not required for the meeting with your Major Advisor). He or she will talk through your plans, suggest changes, provide alternatives, help you think through the pros and cons of various options—in short, try to make sure that the plan you’ve put together is good for you.
Once you are both satisfied with your Major Work Plan, your advisor will approve it through their VBM screen. Once this is done, the Major Work Plan cannot be further edited.
Next Steps:
To complete the Sophomore Planning Process, you will need to also do the following:
Back to Sophomore Planning Process