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Declare a major or minor?
Declare a Double, Combined or Special Major?
Receive Course Approval for Summer School?
Receive Study Abroad Approval?
Receive
Credit for an Internship?
Do An Independent Study?
Receive Funds for Senior Thesis Research?
Gain human subjects permission?
Declare a
major or minor?
The Major
You may declare a major during or after the second semester of your
sophomore year. Obtain a "Major Declaration Form" from the Registrar's Office and
meet with the
department representative. The department normally assigns students
to advisors based on availability but you may also ask a faculty member
directly. File one copy of the form with Susan Campbell, the Department
Assistant in 332G Milbank Hall and the original with the Registrar.
The Minor
You declare a minor in sociology once you have completed five courses, including
SOCI BC 1003 or SOCI V 1202, within the major. Obtain a "Minor Declaration Form" from the
Registrar's Office and have this signed by the department representative. File one copy
of the form with Susan Campbell, the Department Assistant in 332G Milbank Hall
and the original with the Registrar.
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Declare a Double, Combined or Special
Major?
The Double Major
A double major means that you intend to complete the major requirements in two
departments with no overlapping courses. However, there are two options for
completing the thesis requirement for the double major.
Double major with one thesis
In this option you will write one essay that satisfies the requirements for both
majors. You must have an essay sponsor for both departments and both departments
must agree on your essay grade, including possible Distinction. For this option,
you must fill out the "Double Major-One Integrating Senior Project" form
available from the Registrar’s Office.
Double major with two theses
You can choose to write two distinct senior essays, one for each of the two
major departments. You use the traditional “Major” form to declare the double
major.
You declare a double major any time during or after the second semester of the
sophomore year. The forms are available at the Registrar's Office in Milbank
Hall: please make sure you pick up the correct form (see above).
Combined Major
For most combined majors you create your own major based on course offerings
from two or more departments. A combined major integrates in-depth coursework -
at least 7 courses—from each department or program. During the senior year, you
will write an integrating senior essay that will have a sponsor from each
department. Unless a particular course combination is listed in the Barnard
Catalogue (e.g. a combined major with Human Rights, Jewish Studies or Women's
Studies), you must petition the Committee on Programs and Academic Standing
(CPAS) and receive the approval of the Chairs of the sponsoring departments.
Obtain forms and instructions from your Class Dean in the Dean of Studies
Office. The departments must agree on your senior essay grade, including
possible Distinction.
Special Major
A special major is a major designed by a student because Barnard does not
officially offer it. As with the combined major, you must submit a petition to
the Committee on Programs and Academic Standing (CPAS). The form asks for a
written rationale or proposal explaining the special major and a list of courses
that satisfy the special major. If at a later date, you need to substitute or
drop one of these courses you MUST submit a petition in advance to CPAS giving
your rationale for the drop or substitution. All involved departments (see
below) must approve these changes.
A special major does not necessarily involve more than one department. If it
does, both departments must agree on your senior essay grade, including possible
Distinction, and on your potential Departmental Honors nomination. Obtain forms
and instructions from your Class Dean in the Dean of Studies Office.
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Receive Course Approval for Summer School?
Meet with the
Department Representative to discuss the course and, if possible, provide a course description and
reading list. When the course is completed fill out the course approval request
form, and provide a copy of the syllabus and other course requirements to your
advisor. It is only after this has been submitted that course approval will be
assessed. Approval is at the discretion of the department. Courses that do not
meet Barnard standards for workload or intellectual rigor will not be granted
major or minor credit.
Except in
exceptional circumstances, you can receive departmental credit for a maximum
of two courses taken at another college or university (including study abroad), out of the total of ten
courses required for the major, or one course taken elsewhere out of five
courses required for the minor.
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Receive Study Abroad Approval?
The office of Dean
for Study Abroad has materials and information needed to make the decision on
where to study abroad.
Once you have decided on a study abroad program, you should make an appointment
with the Department Representative to go over your projected program. The
Department Representative will need to know the following: course descriptions,
the number of course hours per week, course requirements. After consulting with
the director, you must fill out the Dean of Studies' Study Leave Course Approval
Form, listing the courses you plan to take. The Department Representative will
then pre-approve your courses through e-bear. While abroad, please keep all
supporting documents (a course description, syllabus, transcript, and, when
possible, course work such as papers or exams) to bring back to Barnard; this is
particularly crucial if you decide to drop or add a new course.
Pre-approval
does not guarantee you course credit from the department toward the major or
minor. At the discretion of the department, courses that do not meet Barnard
standards for workload or intellectual rigor will not be granted major or minor
credit. (If in doubt, while you are abroad, you can fax or e-mail reading lists
at the beginning of the term to the departmental representative.
Except in
exceptional circumstances, you can receive departmental
credit for a maximum of two courses taken, out of the
total of ten courses required for the major, or one
course out of five courses required for the minor at
another college or university (including study abroad.)
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Receive Credit for an Internship?
Barnard does not
award academic credit for internships per se. However, you may use an internship
experience in an independent study project sponsored by the department and
receive credit for the academic work involved in the project. Online
instructions about the independent study are available.
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Do An Independent Study?
Students who wish
to do an independent study project should speak to a full-time Barnard Sociology
faculty member willing to serve as sponsor, then fill out a "Request for
Approval of Credit for Independent Study" (see link below) and obtain signatures
from the sponsor and chair of the department. File the form with the Committee
on Programs and Academic Standing, which must approve all requests. (Note that
no credit is given for an internship or job experience per se, but credit is
given for an academic research paper written in conjunction with an internship,
subject to procedures outlined above.) Students must consult with the sponsor in
advance of filing as to workload and points of credit.
A project approved for three or four points counts as a course for the purpose
of the ten-course major or five-course minor requirement. No more than one such
three or four-point projects may be used for the major, and no more than one for
the minor. An independent study project may not be used to satisfy either the
colloquium or senior seminar requirements, except with the permission of your
advisor and the Department Chair.
Each instructor is limited to sponsoring one independent study project per
semester.
The Registrar will assign a section and call number unique to the faculty
sponsor. The Request for Approval of Credit for Independent Study is available
(in PDF) from the Registrar's web site.
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Receive Funds for Senior Thesis Research?
Tow Foundation Travel Fellowship
Barnard rising seniors seeking funding for travel expenses related to research
for their senior essay should contact Dean James Runsdorf (also at 212-854-2024)
in the fall of junior year about the Tow Travel Fellowship. Candidates must
apply to the Committee on Honors (CoH) before March 1st of the junior year to
request support for travel that will take place during the summer between the
junior and senior years. Starting in 2002 the Tow Foundation has donated $25,000
each year to support senior research-related travel. Individual awards have
ranged between $1,000 and $3,500.
Lucyle Hook Travel Grants
The Lucyle Hook Travel Grants are awarded by the Committee on Honors to
promising Barnard rising or current seniors with enriching, eclectic senior
projects who demonstrate originality and self-direction. Students seeking
funding for travel and other research expenses related to their senior essay
project can apply to the CoH for this grant. Expenses may be incurred during the
summer prior to the senior year as well as during the senior year, i.e. the
rising or current senior may apply in November for either the previous or the
following summer. The applicant should submit a full description of her essay
with a detailed estimate of expenses, along with a letter of recommendation from
her (prospective) senior essay advisor, to the attention of Dean Karen Blank.
The nomination deadline usually is around November 10. About $1,500 is available
each year, with most grants in the $100-$300 range.
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Gain human subjects permission?
Students wishing to
conduct any sort of research involving individuals must fill out an on-line
human subject test. This is available through the Columbia University IRB
via the RASCAL electronic grants management system at
https://www.rascal.columbia.edu/
Once at the RASCAL
web site go to the log in section. Where it says
"Select Module" click on the drop down menu and select
"Training Center" then enter your uni and password and
log on. Once you have logged on click on the
"Course Listings" and then click on "TC0015 Morningside
Human Subjects Training Course". Instructions on
the menu bar at the left tell you how to take the course
(after reviewing the Course Overview, click on "Take
Course"). Once you take the course, click on "Take
Test." (back to top of
page)
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