Alternative Majors Policy

Westmont College offers twenty-six departmental and interdepartmental majors. In addition to these officially approved majors, a student who has a particular interest or goal may wish to construct an alternative major and submit it for approval. The following guidelines should be followed:

  1. Secure a faculty sponsor who can sympathetically support what is proposed as a major and is willing to present it to the Academic Senate.
  2. A written proposal should be submitted through the faculty member and the Registrar to the Academic Senate for consideration. This should explain the coherence, breadth, and depth of the major being presented. In such a statement students are expected to explain how the courses fit together logically; how they cover the essential components of the field of study; and how they would provide mastery of a body of material which is comparable in scope to other majors Westmont offers. (It may be helpful–though not required–to show that the courses proposed would constitute a major at other institutions.) Specify degree (BA or BS General) at time of application.
  3. Explain carefully the personal goals or objectives that would be enhanced by the major that is proposed, and how these are consistent with the central aims and objectives of Westmont.
  4. Major courses should be available at Westmont, either as classes or tutorials, under qualified Westmont faculty.
  5. Tutorial units should be limited in number according to catalog policy.
  6. Major Honors courses may be included in the major proposal, but must be approved individually by the appropriate committees.
  7. Total units for the major, the distribution of units between lower and upper division, and limits on transfer units in the major should be within the normal major pattern.
  8. No appeal may be made to precedent; each application is unique and individual.