students in class

Major and Minor Progress

Staying on Track with Your Major & Minor 

By your junior year, you have already declared your major—but your academic journey is still evolving. Now is the time to deepen your engagement with your major and/or minor department, refine your academic interests, and ensure you’re on track for graduation. 

Key Steps to Take This Year 

  • Check-in with Your Department – Meet with your major advisor to review your progress, discuss upcoming requirements, and start thinking about your senior thesis or capstone project. Some departments have structured junior seminars, while others may expect you to begin exploring potential thesis topics independently. 

  • Evaluate Your Major & Minor Plans – If you’re considering adding, dropping, or switching a major or minor, now is the time to review your options. You should consult with faculty in the intended department and the Junior Class Dean to understand the academic and logistical implications of making a change. 

  • Think Ahead to Your Thesis or Capstone – Many departments expect juniors to begin developing ideas for their senior work. Take time to reflect on the courses, research topics, or projects that have sparked your interest and start exploring how you might shape them into a thesis or capstone experience if required. 

  • Consider Study Abroad or Other Academic Opportunities – If you’re studying abroad or pursuing other off-campus opportunities, ensure that your coursework aligns with your major requirements and that you stay in touch with your department. 

Your junior year is a time to solidify your academic path while remaining open to new opportunities. Regularly checking in with your department and Junior Class Dean will help you make informed decisions as you move toward senior year. 

Frequently Asked Questions

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Students with deep interests in more than one field of study often consider double majoring, and around 20 percent of each class do so. There are some areas of study for which double majoring is quite common, such as languages. 

For most double majors, junior and senior years are devoted to courses in the two major subjects, many of them upper-level. If both majors require a year-long senior conference sequence and a substantial thesis, a double major may be especially challenging. A minor or a concentration may offer some of the same advantages as a double major but with fewer requirements. 

If you would like to major in two subjects, it is best to plan ahead. You must obtain prior approval from both major advisors as well as the Junior Class Dean. Before you initiate the formal declaration process, you should meet with major advisors in each department to make sure you understand that department's major requirements, as well as its minor requirements. Discuss the possibility of double majoring. If the two majors are in related fields, find out what the department's policy is regarding double-counting courses towards both majors. 

If, after meeting with both major advisers, you're confident that you want to major in both subjects, you should begin the declaration process. 

Note: If one of your proposed majors is at Haverford, you must follow both colleges' sets of procedures. 

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