For requirements, please visit the course catalog.
Why get a Self Designed Minor at Westminster?
Students with particular interests may prefer to design their own program of study in concert with a team of teacher-scholars. This goes far beyond the possibilities of taking the classes you wish within a particular degree program -- you actually tailor your own major based upon your specific interests and career plans. This option is hard work, but it engages your creativity and will make your Westminster College experience all the more enjoyable and meaningful.
How It Works
Westminster’s Self-Designed Minor allows a student to design a personalized program drawing upon the strengths of several disciplines and departments. When the Self-Designed Minor is approved, completion will satisfy the general degree requirement for a minor. All other degree requirements must also be fulfilled. The members of a student’s Self-Designed Minor Committee and the Associate Dean of Faculty must approve the minor description and the list of courses for the minor. Any changes to the Self-Designed Minor must be approved by the student’s committee and the Associate Dean of Faculty.
To complete an individualized degree program through the Self-Designed Minor program, a student identifies a faculty advisor and one other faculty member. The faculty members must be from two different academic departments that best represent the courses listed for the minor. The student, with the aid of the faculty committee, develops a proposal for a minor under the Self-Designed Minor program. One of the members of the committee must be designated as the student’s primary advisor. The proposal should consist of a general description of and justification for the self-designed minor, list specific courses to be taken, and indicate the semester in which each of the courses will be taken. Self-Designed Minors must contain at least 15 credits, and at least ½ of credits for minors must come from upper-level courses. Courses transferred from other institutions may be used to satisfy the requirements of Self-Designed Minors, with the permission of the student’s committee.
Generally, a student will begin work under the Self-Designed Minor after the freshman year, but in no case later than the start of the second semester of the junior year. Any exceptions to the start of a student’s Self-Designed Minor program must be approved by the Dean of Faculty. The academic advisor must meet with the student at least once each semester to review progress. A minimum of three semesters must be spent working under an approved plan.
Expanded Options
Self-Designed minors may also be created through a joint program with William Woods University. Working with WWU expands the range of options for a student, so students are encouraged to study the list of academic programs on both campuses as they design their minor. The faculty advisor must be a Westminster faculty member, and the other faculty member of the committee must be a member of the WWU faculty. At least half of the courses must be taken at Westminster. Preferential registration (registering after WWU current students but before incoming students) will be given to students with an approved course of study. No additional tuition is required; course fees must be paid directly to WWU.
Contact Info
Contact: Dr. David Jones
Phone: (573) 592-5288
E-mail: David.Jones@westminster-mo.edu
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