Requirements for an Additional or Double Major
Successful completion of an additional major requires completing all the courses listed under the major or track requirements for that major. This can be as many as twenty or as few as nine depending on the major.
The same requirements, including the maintenance of a minimum grade point average of 2.0, apply to the second major as to the first. In some cases, courses may be applicable to both majors. Normally no more than two courses may be approved for double counting. Courses listed as prerequisites for the major do not count toward this limit. Students must obtain written approval for the shared course(s) from the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs. The second major is declared in the same way as the first but not before the fall of the student’s senior year.
Students should consult with their advisor before attempting a double major as the requirements of the first major and the second limit the options for students to complete two majors in the standard 128 credits. In addition, in some cases the Chinese language requirement, which consists of the equivalent of four semesters (the “Chinese Language Requirement”), further limits the ability to complete two majors.
The ability to satisfy the requirements for an additional major cannot be guaranteed for any student and will be based upon course availability and the time the student is willing to invest to satisfy all of the requirements of the additional major. In some cases this might require more than 8 semesters of undergraduate study.
Regulations Pertaining to both Major and Minor
The major and minor requirements to be followed are those stated in the major sections of the Bulletin in effect during the semester of the student's first registration in the College. No credit toward the major or minor is granted for grades of C- or lower, although such grades will be computed into the grade point average of the major or the minor, as well as into the overall grade point average. Only courses passed with a grade of C or higher may serve as a prerequisite for a higher level course.
No course to be counted toward the major or minor or used as a prerequisite may be taken on a pass/fail basis. (See "Pass/Fail Option" under Academic Policies in this Bulletin.)
In order to ensure that students do not have to compete for access to their required courses, registration priority is given to students who are registering for courses in their primary major. Although the university encourages the exploration of other disciplines, access to courses outside a student’s primary major (including those courses that fulfill requirements for an additional major, minor, etc.) is on a space-available basis and is not guaranteed.
Requirements for Minors
Students may minor in subjects outside their major or disciplinary area. A minor in a secondary subject enables a student to acquire a useful understanding of concepts and analysis without the same degree of coverage as would be obtained in a major. A grade of C or better is required for a course to be counted toward a minor. If a student fails a course required for the minor, the course must be retaken at NYUSH; a course taken outside the University will not normally be allowed to substitute for a minor requirement. No course for the minor may be taken as pass/fail. Student may not use Core Curriculum classes to fill minor requirements and may only double count one course used for minor requirements for their major or an additional minor requirement.
Students interested in one of the minors offered should consult with their advisor to plan a course of study that meets their needs. Each minor track consists of at least four 4-point courses. Prerequisite and disciplinary requirements cause some minors to require more than four classes.
Students should discuss their minor plans with their advisors. It is best to concentrate on completing breadth and general education requirements in the first two years as interest in minors may change as students take classes in different disciplines and changing minors after taking some of the courses may delay graduation for some students.
Students should request approval for a minor in the spring of their sophomore year by completing the minor declaration form available in the Registrars (Office). Students that have approval for pursuing a minor receive preference in registering for classes that meet that minor’s requirements over those that do not (and who do not need to take it for their major). Students may declare more than one minor but may only receive preferred enrolment for one. Students may declare a minor up to the last semester before graduation but should do it earlier to receive the benefits described above.
Course offerings are subject to the availability of faculty. Therefore, it is not possible to guarantee that any particular course listed will be offered in a particular academic year. If failure to offer a course in a student’s approved minor will delay their graduation they should consult with their advisor to consider available options.