Apr. 5 , 2007

MC student offers advice on how to design your own major
Jon Moffett
jrm001@marietta.edu

Marietta College offers students a wide variety of academic paths which they can take. These paths all lead to one common goal: graduation. Although the paths that MC students take are very diverse, they are all very important.

The college offers dozens of opportunities for students to major in unique disciplines. These majors range in a wide variety of fields from Art and Graphic Design to Finance and Management.

However, one thing that many students who attend MC may not know is that, if they don’t feel comfortable selecting one of the 37 majors offered by the school, there is another alternative.

Marietta offers students the option to design their own majors. With intense advising and eventual approval from faculty and the administration, students are able to essentially create a major that they wish to pursue.

The Marcolian caught up with Tyler Snell, senior, who has designed his own major.

“I was two years into a biology degree, and something just didn't feel right. I wasn't able to dedicate myself wholly, or my mind. At the end of the day, I just felt like something was missing. I know now that thing was photography,” said Snell.

Snell has already gone through the extensive process of creating his major.

“It’s actually already designed and created; the title of it is Biological Photojournalism. It was accepted by the curriculum committee last spring,” Snell added.

Snell explained the difficult process that has to be followed in order for a student to be able to design his or her own major.

“You must first come up with a solid plan in your head that doesn't seem like an easy way out. Generally, a mix from multiple disciplines is required to create a student-designed major. In my case, Biology and Mass Media,” said Snell. “Department chair signatures are required for each department in the major, along with signatures of your advisor. There are many rules and regulations governing the creation of student-designed majors; for example, no more than 2/3 of hours in each concentration can have been completed, and there is also a minimum amount of 300 and 400 level hours to include.”

“The actual process requires the student to come up with a rational outline and reasoning for the major. Subjects touched on should include why you want or need to do this, possible jobs outside of college, what will this prepare you to do, and how will it be better than current programs offered here at Marietta,” Snell added.

When asked of any recommendations he had for students who wish to design their own majors, Snell commented, “Have a goal or a vision. Also, be ruthless and don't get discouraged; once you get the concept approved by the committee, you can revise it.”