Degree Requirements for Special Interdisciplinary Major

In this section

Prerequisites

A student must have completed twelve units at Puget Sound before applying for the SIM earning a cumulative GPA of at least 3.2. The student must also have completed at least four units of coursework relevant to the SIM before submitting a proposal.

Application

The student and faculty committee prepare a proposal for a degree plan that includes the title of the degree and a list of courses with departmental sign-off indicating when the course will be offered; educational objectives of the degree and a discussion of how the proposed major will meet the objectives; an explanation of how particular courses in the proposed degree program will address the requirement of a thorough grounding in methodology in the contributing disciplines, of breadth within the major, and of depth within the major; an explanation of how existing majors and programs are not adequate to meet the educational objectives of the proposed SIM; an explanation of how the proposed major will serve the student's broader academic and career goals; a statement of how the proposed major compares to established majors in the same field at other institutions; and a recommendation of whether the degree awarded should be a BA or a BS that at minimum addresses the type of degree typically granted by the disciplines represented or for a similar degree at other universities and, if a BS is proposed, the extent to which the proposed SIM prepares the candidate to do advanced research.
The application must include a letter from each faculty member on the proposed SIM advisory committee evaluating the merits of the proposal and specifically explaining the following: how particular courses in the proposed degree program provide a thorough grounding in methodology in the contributing disciplines along with exposure to the breadth and depth of the major; faculty preparation to support the proposed degree program; and a plan for how frequently the student, advisor, and full committee will meet (with an expectation that the full committee will meet at least once per year, excluding their presence at the student's public presentation of research).
The principal advisor forwards the completed package (proposal, letters, student transcript) to the Curriculum Committee for approval.

Only complete applications are considered.

General Requirements for the Major

General university degree requirements stipulate that 1) at least four units of the major be taken in residence at Puget Sound; 2) students earn a GPA of 2.0 in courses taken for the major; and 3) all courses taken for a major must be taken for graded credit. Any exceptions to these stipulations are indicated in the major degree requirements listed below.

Requirements for the Special Interdisciplinary Major

A minimum of 12 courses, of which 10 must be at the 200 level or above and of which 6 must be at the 300 level or above. The major may not exceed 16 units. Nine of the 12 required courses must be completed at the Tacoma campus.
No more than 2 Independent Study units may be applied to the SIM. If 2 Independent Studies are proposed, one must focus on the integration of the fields within the SIM.
A Senior Project (SIM 490). Public presentation is required in the sec- ond semester, senior year.
A grade of C or higher in each course applied to the SIM.