Shaped Major

Overview

The Shaped Major is meant to move beyond the shared “general” education experience of the Core, and to provide students with in-depth, intensive work in a particular area of intellectual interest. For most students, the traditional departmental majors meet this goal, focusing within a discipline. But some students’ intellectual goals cross the boundaries between liberal arts disciplines and their departments—and we would like the College to be able to provide the conditions for meeting those goals, which can be equally rewarding and legitimate.  Providing a Shaped Major can also extend in exciting ways the intellectual reach of educational opportunities at a small liberal arts college. 

Students hoping to pursue a Shaped Major should work with a faculty member in their area of interest to frame their goals for the Shaped Major, and make sure that their goals cannot be met within an existing departmental major. Because the Shaped Major is designed to cater to students whose goals cannot be met within an existing departmental major, students may not take a shaped major in addition to a major from a regular department. Students must contact their adviser for information regarding declaring a shaped major.

Degree Requirements

To earn the Bachelor of Arts in the Shaped Major, students must complete a minimum of 128 credits including major requirements, Yeshiva College Core/General Education and Jewish Studies requirements, and elective courses as needed.

Major Requirements (30 credit minimum)

Shaped major must include a minimum of 12 courses.