Mar 18, 2024  
2017-2018 Undergraduate Bulletin 
    
2017-2018 Undergraduate Bulletin [ARCHIVED BULLETIN]

Individually Designed BA Major in the Humanities, Natural Sciences, or Social Sciences


The individually designed interdisciplinary BA major in HCLAS enables students to earn a Bachelor of Arts degree, with at least one concentration in the humanities, the natural sciences, or the social sciences. In close consultation with the program director and with faculty advisers, students design a major consisting of at least 36 semester hours in two or three distinct but related subject areas, at least one of which must be in the Humanities, Natural Sciences or Social Sciences in the Hofstra College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. Qualified students may, for example, design majors in biology and history, anthropology and community health, or geology, economics, and political science. In the spring semester of the sophomore year, students must design a sophomore contract in consultation with the program director and faculty advisers. This contract specifies the courses that students will take in each of the selected areas of concentration in order to complete the requirements for the individually designed major.

Program Requirements


Candidates for graduation with the individually designed BA degree must fulfill the following requirements:

A. The complete BA degree requirements  described in the HCLAS section of this Bulletin.

B. Individually designed major requirements: at least 36 semester hours as specified in the sophomore contract, including the following:

  1. One of the following:
  • At least 12 s.h. in each of two subject areas of concentration, plus 3 s.h. in either subject area of concentration, depending on departmental or program requirements. (In some cases, requirements may significantly exceed the minimum of 12 s.h. in each subject area.)

OR

  • At least 9 s.h. in each of three subject areas of concentration, depending on departmental or program requirements. (In some cases, requirements may significantly exceed the minimum of 9 s.h. in each subject area.)
  1. IDP 170 - Internship , 1-4 s.h. (taken preferably in the junior year)
    Note: Students must take a minimum of 3 s.h. to fulfill the degree requirements.
     
  2. IDP 180 - Senior Seminar , 3 s.h. in one of the subject areas of concentration. (fall of senior year)
     
  3. IDP 190 - Senior Project ,* 3 s.h., under the advisement of the program director and faculty advisers (spring of the senior year).
     
  4. Residency Requirement:
  • Students earning the degree based on two concentrations must have completed at least 6 semester hours in-residence in each of those areas, excluding the internship (IDP 170 ) and senior project. (IDP 190 ).
  • Students earning the degree based on three concentrations must have completed at least 3 semester hours in-residence in each of those areas, plus 3 semester hours in one of those areas, excluding the internship (IDP 170 ) and senior project (IDP 190 ).

* The Senior Project may also serve as an Honors thesis for HUHC.