Selection of Major/Minor
1.    Exploration of Majors
Providence College encourages students to explore various majors before making a commitment to a particular major.  Trained advisors are assigned to such undeclared students to help them in selecting an appropriate major.  Freshmen may enter Providence College as undeclared and any freshmen or sophomores may become undeclared if they have doubts about the major that they have selected.  Students are not permitted to remain undeclared beyond the sophomore year.  It is recommended that students declare their majors by early March of the sophomore year in order to facilitate academic advisement and course registration procedures for the following fall semester.

2.    Selection of Major
Students are responsible for the preparation of a satisfactory program of study developed in conformity with the requirements contained in the catalog. The program should be planned in consultation with the department concerned.  Faculty advisors act only in an advisory capacity, helping students to conform to the academic requirements set forth in the official catalog.  Moreover students are responsible for understanding and meeting the graduation requirements of their academic programs.  Any modification of the application of any major department or program rule or regulation can be made only by securing written approval of the academic department chairperson or program director, along with final authorization from the Office of the Dean of Undergraduate Studies.  All students must officially declare a major prior to the beginning of the junior year.

3.    Selection of Minor/Certificate Program
Students whose academic interests extend beyond their major discipline may enroll in an approved minor or certificate program.  Such a program, which normally consists of six (6) or seven (7) courses of at least three (3) credits per course outside of a student's major, includes specific requirements as determined by individual academic departments or programs.  Students desiring to explore minor or certificate program options should confer with the appropriate department offering the specific minor program.. Students must obtain the "Selection of Minor" form from the Office of Academic Records.  This form must be completed and returned to the Office of Academic Records for processing.  Formal declaration of the minor or certificate program should be in place no later then the end of the fall semester of the senior year, unless otherwise stipulated.

4.     Change of Major
Students desiring to change from one major to another must obtain a "Change of Major" form from the Office of Academic Records.  Students are expected to consult with their new academic department chairperson or program director to review all previously completed coursework and to determine their plan for completing all remaining degree requirements.  The "Change of Major" form must be completed and returned by the student to the Office of Academic Records. 

Double Major
Students who academic, intellectual, or vocational needs cannot be met within the normal departmental structure are encouraged to formulate curricular programs that meet their unique needs. Double Major is one of these options:

The Double Major
This program requires students to complete all the requirements of two academic departments.  Selection of Double Major forms may be picked up at the Office of Academic Records and, when completed and signed by the appropriate department chairpersons, returned to the Office of Academic Records.  In cases in which one major would confer the bachelor of science and the other would confer the bachelor of arts,  the student will inform the Office of Academic Records which degree should appear on the single diploma.  The student's transcript will be annotated to show that the student completed a double major, e.g., physics/philosophy.

Individualized Studies Program
Students whose academic, intellectual, or vocational needs cannot be met within the normal departmental structure are encouraged to formulate curricular programs that meet their unique needs. The Individualized Studies Major is one option.

Individualized Studies Major
Students in good academic standing who wish to pursue a course of study not defined in any of the established majors in the College have the option to develop an individualized studies major which is usually interdisciplinary in nature.  In order to develop an individualized studies major to be considered for approval by the College faculty, students must proceed as follows:

1. Student will meet with the dean of his/her class year to discuss the proposed individualized studies major and review the required forms to be submitted for the review of the proposal for the major.

2. Student will identify at least two full-time members of the Ordinary Faculty who will constitute a committee to sponsor the proposed course of study, approve the selection of courses that meet the breadth and depth expectations of all individualized studies majors, and monitor the completion of the course of study.

3. Student and faculty members will meet together as a committee to complete the proposal.  Supporting documentation must include the student's typed proposal outlining overview and rationale for the program, proposed course of study, fulfillment of College requirements, and estimated completion calendar.  In addition, recommendations by all faculty sponsors involved in the program must be submitted, along with forms acknowledging the proposal's review by appropriate academic department  chairs.
4. Student will meet with the academic department chairs of those departments in which the program's faculty sponsors hold appointment.  Department chairs will have the opportunity to review and comment on the proposed program and will be asked to identify any issues (e.g., course availability) that may prevent the student from completing the program in a timely manner.
5. Student will arrange an appointment to meet again with the dean of his/her completed individualized studies major proposal to the dean for review.
6. If the dean agrees that the proposal satisfies the minimum requirements for all individualized studies majors (e.g., fulfillment of all Core Curriculum and general education requirements, minimum of 10 courses from two or more disciplines, identification of courses to be used in determining major GPA, at least two-thirds upper-division courses for major (normally 300 to 400 level), a course of study not possible within existent programs, faculty sponsorship), he/she will forward the proposal to the Committee on Studies for review.
7. With the approval of the Committee on Studies, the student may proceed to complete the courses and credits specified in the proposal.  Any changes to an approved course of study require that the student and faculty members must meet again as a committee to review and endorse the changes.  The changes must then be submitted to the Office of the Dean of Undergraduate Studies for review. Substantial changes will be subject to the Committee on Studies re-review and approval.

Normally, the student will submit a proposal for an individualized studies major no later than the beginning of the spring semester of the sophomore year.  For more information, please consult with the Office of the Dean of Undergraduate Studies.