Majors, Minors, Five College Certificates & Concentrations
As a requirement for graduation, you must complete at least one major. The list of departments and programs offering major programs of study is available at on the Courses of Study page. You may add a second major, minor or Five College certificate, or concentration at any time after you declare your first major. Smith College recognizes only two purely academic programs (major, minor or certificate) on the student’s record, in the following combinations:
- One major
- One major and one minor
- One major and one Five College Certificate
- Two majors (i.e., double major)
A concentration is the only option to add a third program of study to your record. You must apply and be accepted into a concentration before you can declare it.
Declarations
You must declare a major by the end of the registration period during the second semester of your sophomore year; however, you may declare early as the second semester of your first year. If you plan to study abroad, you must declare a major before you submit your study abroad application in early February of your sophomore year. Junior transfer students must declare a major before registration for their second Smith semester. Ada Comstock Scholars must declare within a semester of earning 64 credits.
Smith College recognizes only two purely academic programs of study (major, minor or certificate) on the student’s record, in the following combinations:
- One major
- One major and one minor
- One major and one Five College Certificate
- Two majors (i.e., double major)
A concentration is the only option to add a third program of study to your record. You must apply and be accepted into a concentration before you can declare it.
You must declare a Five College Certificate by submitting the declaration form with the registrar's office and completing the steps on the Five College website. The student record sheet that is submitted to the Five College Consortium must also be submitted to the registrar's office in order for the certificate to be eligible to appear on your Smith transcript.
To declare a major complete the Program of Study Declaration form found on Workday or our Forms page. When declaring your first major, you need the approval of your liberal arts adviser (LAA) and your new adviser. If you are declaring a second major, minor or Five College Certificate, or a concentration, you will only need the approval of your adviser for that specific program of study. No major or minor can be in the same department or program as the first major.
Concentrations
A concentration may be declared as an additional program in conjunction with any of the academic program combinations above. A concentration gives students a way to organize a combination of intellectual and practical experiences, such as internships and service learning, around an area of interest.
Courses Outside the Major/64-Credit Rule (Bachelor of Arts)
A student’s program requires a minimum of 36 credits in a department or interdepartmental major. For the bachelor of arts degree, one-half of a student’s total program, or at least 64 credits, must be taken outside the department or program of the major. Any course (including prerequisites) which is explicitly listed in the catalog as required for, or counting toward, fulfilling the requirements of the major shall be considered to be inside the major for the purposes of this rule. Normally cross-listed and dual-prefix courses are also considered to be inside the major.
The sole exception to the 64–credit rule is that in the case of a major requiring study of two foreign languages taught within a single department or program, no fewer than 56 credits shall be taken outside the department or program of the major
Practical Advice
- Courses inside a department or program’s major count as such even if they are not required to satisfy major requirements. Pay particular attention to dual-prefixed and cross-listed courses, as well as departments and programs offering courses under multiple subject codes (e.g., ARS and ARH courses are counted as in the same department).
- You may have to check catalogs from multiple academic years for complete course information as course offerings and curricula change.
- Any course that is (1) a prerequisite for a course in the major or (2) can reasonably be counted toward the major, is counted in the major (e.g., a Five College course that carries a non-Smith subject code but whose content clearly falls within the major department or program).
Rules for Double Counting Courses and Double Majors
Academic Progress
At this time, Academic Progress reports are only available for major requirements. Updates will be provided to the college community as minor and concentration become available on Workday.
What is Workday Academic Progress?
The Academic Progress report on Workday assists students and their advisers in navigating Smith’s curricular requirements and tracking academic progress. It integrates the major requirements detailed in the Smith College Catalog with a student’s coursework in Workday to produce an easy-to-read audit. The report is a vital tool for academic planning and course selection, and students should use it in consultation with their adviser(s).
How will I use Workday’s Academic Progress report?
The student and their adviser(s) will use the Academic Progress report to review progress toward the major and plan for the semester(s) ahead. The Academic Progress report provides detailed, up-to-date information on major requirements, as well as Latin Honors. It displays how completed and in-progress coursework applies toward the completion of those requirements, and provides information on outstanding requirements.
The Academic Progress report is a planning tool and is not meant to take the place of meeting with adviser(s). Students should meet with their assigned adviser at least once a semester to ensure understanding of degree requirements, are taking necessary prerequisites and following correct course sequences, and are making progress to complete all degree and program of study requirements in the appropriate time.
The Academic Progress report will also be used by advisers to certify completion of major program of study requirements for graduation.
Whom do I contact with questions about the Workday Academic Progress report?
Questions about major program of study requirements–particularly missing or unsatisfied requirements–should be referred to the major adviser. In some instances, advisers may need to submit an “override” to allow certain coursework, such as transfer or Five College courses or an approved elective outside the major, to satisfy a requirement. Other requirements, such as individualized areas of focus within a major, should be determined in consultation with your adviser and submitted by the adviser via an override. (Please note that the registrar’s office is not able to initiate overrides.)
Questions regarding Latin Honors requirements should be referred to the registrar’s office WDAcadProg@smith.edu
For more information on using the Academic Progress report, click here.
Note/Disclaimer: The Academic Progress report is intended to support and complement faculty-based advising, not to replace face-to-face advising sessions or information included in the Smith College Catalog. It is the student’s responsibility to read the available information on requirements and proactively engage with their adviser(s) to ensure full understanding of and compliance with these requirements.
The Academic Progress report is not an academic transcript or proof of completion. Any discrepancies in the Academic Progress report do not automatically grant students an exception to their degree requirements. Final certification of the program(s) of study and 64-credit requirements resides with the faculty adviser(s). Validation of the 64-credit requirement and Latin Honors distribution resides with the Office of the Registrar. Final responsibility for meeting all graduation requirements resides with the student.