Bachelor of Arts
The majority of Manhattanville’s undergraduates pursue the Bachelor of Arts degree. Some freshmen know the academic area or areas in which they want to concentrate; most do not. Consequently, it is possible to begin work in a major field the first year, but there is no need to declare a major until the second semester of the sophomore year. All students must complete a minimum of 90 credits in the liberal arts and sciences to meet New York State requirements for the Bachelor of Arts degree. All courses listed under the various departments are considered “liberal arts” unless an asterisk follows the course title.
The Self-Designed Major:
If a student‘s interests lie outside or between the areas of existing departments or programs, he or she may propose to the Board on Academic Standards a self-designed major program of study. The Board on Academic Standards approves all self-designed majors. The student’s proposal must include a carefully thought-out rationale stating the goals of the program and the means of attaining them with the courses chosen. Self-designed majors are by nature interdisciplinary and involve courses from two or more departments. The student must consult with faculty from the departments from which courses are drawn and obtain their signatures on all portfolio forms requiring major departmental approval. Students considering self-designed majors are advised to discuss their case with the Advising Office or the chairperson of the Board on Academic Standards. Examples of recent self-designed majors include Social Justice, Ethics and Society, the Economics of the Performing Arts, Political Economy, Art and Society, Italian Civilization, and German Cultural Studies.
Double Major:
Qualified students may pursue the requirements for major study in two departments as long as both majors lead to a Bachelor of Arts degree. (Majors leading to two separate degrees, for example a B.A. and B.F.A., are not usually possible.) Students develop such programs with the guidance of academic departments and the approval of the Board on Academic Standards. Students majoring in Education are required to be double-majors: they must have a second major in a liberal arts field. (Students pursuing a double major are not required to have a minor.)
Teacher Certification:
A major in Education is available, with which students acquire provisional New York State teacher certification at the elementary or secondary school level. All students considering a teaching career are strongly encouraged to discuss their plans with an advisor in the School of Education as soon as possible. Also, since not all states have uniform requirements, students wishing to teach in a state other than New York should contact the appropriate state’s education department to learn what specific requirements they will need to meet. All majors in Education, except for Music Education and Art Education, are necessarily double majors: they must also have a second major in a liberal arts field. (For further information please see the School of Education Undergraduate Catalog.)
Preparation for Professional and Graduate Study:
A Pre-Health Professions Advisory Committee advises students who are preparing for medical school and careers in health. (See Pre-Professional Studies for pre-health requirements.) Students preparing for law school can consult with the Pre-Law advisor; students preparing for business school or other types of graduate study should work with a faculty advisor in the appropriate department
Joint Programs with Graduate Schools:
Manhattanville College’s close relationship with various graduate institutions can facilitate a student’s progress toward a career in physical therapy, speech language pathology, social work, dentistry, computer science, or publishing. (For more information, see separate section on Joint Programs.)