• design a program that responds to their individual interests and aptitudes
• provide the excitement and the challenge of using the methodologies of two or more disciplines
• give students the chance to work independently on an entire program, developing the necessary background and integrating the courses chosen in order to achieve the objectives the student has set

A student who wishes to arrange a University Major should discuss their intended program with members of the faculty in the student’s fields of interest. The purpose of the discussions is to help the student clarify preliminary plans and select the three faculty members who will serve as sponsors.

The proposal and supporting documents should be submitted to Dean Marina Melendez by April 1 for spring admission. The Committee on University Majors meets twice yearly, normally in November and April.

If your University Major proposal has not been reviewed by the major declaration deadline, you still must declare a major. You must be truly prepared to major in what you declare, since not all applications are successful.

Hi, I’m Jennifer Tucker and I’m currently the Chair of Feminist, Gender and Sexuality Studies (FGSS). For those of you who are interested in finding out more about majoring/double majoring in Feminist, Gender and Sexuality Studies (FGSS), I will hold special drop in pre-major advising hours in my office this Thursday, March 5th, from 1:30-4:30 in PAC 415.

Please feel free to stop in with any questions you might have about our major and I’ll try to answer them or suggest a faculty mentor in your field of interest.

Information about the FGSS Major may be found on our website at http://www.wesleyan.edu/fgss/major.html.

I can be contacted at jtucker@wesleyan.edu, or you can contact our AA (Noreen Baris) at nbaris@wesleyan.edu for urgent assistance with questions you may have.

Also, everyone is invited to attend a book signing and reception for one of our FGSS core faculty, Asst. Prof. Mary-Jane Rubenstein on Thursday, March 5th from 5-7 pm at Russell House. Refreshments will be provided.

Hope to meet some of you soon! And if you don’t major, hope to see you at some of our upcoming events, such as our Senior Thesis presentations May 7th and a trans-gender symposium next fall!

Good luck with your decisions

Sincerely,

Jennifer Tucker
Assoc Professor of History and Science in Society and Chair (2008-2009), FGSS

Come to an open workshop brought to you by your Peer Advisors:
-Advice from Dean Garrett, Dean of Class of 2011
-Learn how to use the online major drop/add tool
-Thoughts on how to choose a major
-Info on how to use the CRC resources to imagine careers of different majors

7-8pm THIS SUNDAY, February 22
In the USDAN MULTI-PURPOSE ROOM (basement)
SNACKS!!!!

Informal RSVP to atevah@wesleyan.edu is helpful but not mandatory.

Brought to you by your friendly Peer Advisors, of the Student Academic Resource Network (SARN)

Guest of Honor:
Professor Mary-Jane Rubenstein
Assistant Professor of Religion
Assistant Professor of Feminist, Gender, and Sexuality Studies

Come and enjoy a three-course meal and talk with Professor Rubenstein about her research in Religion and FGSS, her teaching, and why she loves what she does. Hosted by Dean Garrett and the Office of Residential Life.

When: Thursday, February 26, 6:00 – 7:30 p.m.

First-come, first-served.

Sign up soon!!

RSVP by February 23 to Susan Kulesza at skulesza@wesleyan.edu, or x2758.

Note from Dean Garrett: Major Declaration

Major Declaration Website
(www.wesleyan.edu/deans/major_declaration/)
Visit this site for information about choosing and declaring a major. Use The Guide for major exploration exercises and links to campus resources.

February 2009 Open House Schedule
In February, departments and programs host Open Houses for prospective majors and interested students. This schedule provides date, time and location information for these events. They are a great opportunity to meet faculty and current majors.

Departments/Programs
Review entry and major requirements of different departments and programs in the undergraduate section of their websites. Faculty bios and personal web pages are often available as well as useful guidelines on transfer credit policies, study abroad information, and research opportunities.

Department Chairs
Department and Program Experts for Advising
Have questions about a particular major and its requirements? Want to know more about opportunities available in different undergraduate major programs? Go straight to the source and talk with faculty members who have been designated to help you work toward major declaration.

Other Important Links

• Major Deferral form
• The University Major
• Office of International Studies
• Career Resource Center

Declaring your major is an exciting time in the sophomore year. Faculty regulations require that Wesleyan sophomores declare a major in a department or program in order to be eligible for promotion to the junior year. To receive major preference in the next Planning, Scheduling, and Adjustment period (April 3-21), you must have an approved major by Friday, March 6. This letter contains important information that will help you navigate your way to major declaration, so keep reading!

Although departments and programs vary slightly in the process by which students are accepted into the major, the following steps are applicable to all of you:

• Visit the Major Declaration Website (www.wesleyan.edu/deans/major_declaration/) for helpful links and information.
• Familiarize yourself with department and program major requirements by reviewing the description in WesMaps and on the department or program’s website, which also can be accessed from the major declaration homepage.
• Consult with a member of the faculty in the department or program in which you hope to major. If you are not sure to whom you should speak, see the list of department and program experts for advising and the Department Chairs on the major declaration website. You also can consult with the departmental administrative assistant (AA). AAs are knowledgeable and can be very helpful.
• Attend the Open House of the major(s) you are considering. Many departments and programs have scheduled Open Houses between February 11 and February 27. Faculty members will be available to answer your questions and address concerns you have about major requirements, and other issues.
  Click here for a schedule of these Open Houses (listed by major). Also, the schedule will be posted on the major declaration website and on the class blog.

Declaring majors will now be handled directly through the Student EPortfolio. Beginning on Wednesday, February 18, students will be able to submit electronic major requests to the appropriate departments/programs within EP>Student>Wesleyan Career>Major Declaration (Click Here). Please note that students may still be required to submit additional application information and/or meet in person with department officials. Also, please be aware that submitting a major request allows that department/program access to review the Student Academic History. An important feature of the new online submission system is the Pre-Major Advising Survey. Upon the first declared major, students will be prompted to submit feedback regarding their advising experiences. These confidential answers will later be available to the advisor as a tool to further enhance their advising methods.

You will have successfully declared a major when the department chair or a designated faculty member approves your Major Acceptance completed via your e-portfolio. To determine who your major advisor will be, you should talk with the department chair and/or administrative assistant. Individual departments and programs have different procedures for helping you identify an advisor. Your major advisor will help you design a major program of study and select courses in April for the fall semester.

If you are unable to declare your major by the Friday, March 6 deadline because you are currently completing a prerequisite course, you must complete a Major Deferral form so that the Deans’ Office knows that your entry into a major is in progress. You also must be in touch with the department or program chair about your intent to declare that major so they are aware of your situation. Individual departments and programs will have different policies regarding declaring a major while a prerequisite course is in progress.

IMPORTANT – KEEP READING!

Some of you may be feeling anxious or unsure about making the major declaration deadline in early March. Common concerns I have heard from sophomores in recent weeks include the following:

• I don’t have the entry requirements for the major I want! What will happen to me if I don’t have a major by March 6?
• I have changed my mind about my major and now have to start from the beginning. Will I be too far behind to graduate in ’11?
• I still haven’t decided on a major and I have no idea how to figure out what I should do! Can I get an extension?
• I know what I want to major in, but now I’m worrying about whether it’s the best choice if I want to go to grad school or get on the right career track.

If any of these situations sound familiar, please come to my office so that we can get a handle on your particular situation and work out a plan of action that will get you to where you want to be. While choosing a major is an important landmark in your college career, it is not a decision that will affect all aspects of your future in a profound and irreversible way. That may sound like heresy, but it is true. This is not to say that your major is irrelevant or insignificant, but it is important to know that there are many myths surrounding one’s choice of a major. Often, these myths–for example, that only certain majors lead to certain careers–create a lot of the anxiety and stress some of you may be facing right now.

Please come to my drop-in hours (listed below) or make an appointment (x2774) if you would like to discuss your concerns or plans. You also should discuss any concerns you have with your faculty advisor, departmental and program advising experts, and any other professor or resource person who you think might have some good advice. In addition, refer to the sidebar for a list of resources that includes group sessions, workshops, offices, and websites that should be helpful to you as you plot the course of your remaining semesters at Wesleyan.

All the best for a fabulous semester!

Sincerely,

Noel R. Garrett, Ph.D.
Dean for the Class of 2011
Email me (ngarrett@wesleyan.edu).

Puzzled over what major to choose? How it might fit into life post-Wes? Join Dean Garrett and Jim Kubat from the CRC for a discussion about major declaration and the resources you have at your fingertips!

• Ask yourself which courses you have most enjoyed and why.
• Ask yourself what kind of work you have enjoyed most (writing, working in a lab).
• Go through WesMaps and identify courses you are most interested in taking and ask yourself what patterns emerge. It is rare that a pattern does not emerge.
• Don’t think you are locked out of a particular major because you didn’t take any classes in that department in your first year. Many students don’t begin a major until their second year.
• Talk with your faculty advisor or class dean about the departments or programs you are interested in – even if you aren’t quite sure that you want to major in those departments. Then talk with faculty members whom they might recommend. Often these discussions will raise possibilities, or ways of thinking about potential courses of actions, in new ways!
• Talk to professors you know, even if your favorite professor does not teach in a field you are considering as a major.
• Make an appointment with the Career Resource Center (CRC) to think about your larger professional goals and how your academic choices might prepare and position you for those goals.

Your choice of major will guide and structure much of your education in the next three years, and the choice should be made with an eye both to what your current interests and passions are, as well as your future goals, not because it is determinative, but because you want to make the most of the time and energy devoted to your years here.

Most of you will declare your major(s) in the spring semester. Look for announcements in this newsletter and in Notes from Dean Garrett for major declaration workshops, faculty suppers, and department open houses. These events provide information to assist students in deciding about their major course of study.