Application Evaluation Process

The Evaluation Process

The Independent Major Committee is composed of four faculty members, one or two students who are themselves pursuing independent majors, and one dean. In evaluating each application, including the student’s transcript, the Committee considers the following issues: 

• Is the proposed major appropriate within the context of a liberal arts college?
• Could the proposed major be accommodated instead by an established major and minor?
• Does the proposal convey its intellectual concerns and the role each course will play in this inquiry?   
• Are the proposed courses expected to be offered over the next two years?
• Will the faculty members be available for good advising?
• Does the student’s academic record predict success in the proposed major?
• Does the proposal itself show evidence of the student’s ability to handle a complex process competently?

The Committee may ask you to revise your proposal if it has promise but requires additional work. If revision is required, a new deadline will be given to you, and you will be expected to meet that deadline. 

The Committee’s decisions about a proposal are final. Please note that the fact that a particular topic was approved in the past is no guarantee that it will be approved again. 

If the Committee approves your proposal, you will be informed by email and sent the independent major work plan, which you will need to fill out. Once you have obtained the signatures of your advisers, you should submit the work plan to the Dean’s Office.