I am a junior at Alfred University. I am trying to double major in Material Science Engineering and Glass Science Engineering. I found out through the assistant dean and the chair of Material Science and the chair of Glass Science that it isn’t possible to double major within the same engineering college. Our school has one of the only undergraduate programs for glass in the world. They claim it is too similar, even though there are 5-6 different classes I took that were different for both majors. I took all the required classes for both bachelor degrees. Both my parents tripled majored within the same college and they only took 2-3 different classes to get their 3 bachelor degrees. Is there something I can do?
What does their paperwork say about double majoring? Some colleges allow double majoring and some don’t. The ones that do should have some sort of documentation to show how many credits students need to earn both.
What is the need for actually having the double major? If you take the courses, you have the knowledge, and you can note on your resume that you have coursework in the area.
I agree. You can note that you were a Material Science major with a concentration in Glass Science.
This is what it says on the website about Double Majors:
Students earn one baccalaureate degree with two majors (“double major”) if the majors are offered in the same College or School (except for B.S. and B.F.A. in the School of Art and Design; see 201.3, below). Students must complete the requirements for both majors and all other baccalaureate degree requirements that were in effect when the student was admitted (or last readmitted) to undergraduate study at AU. This includes all University, College/School, and major requirements. There is no total credit hour requirement for a double major beyond the minimum required for the degree program when only one major is completed. One diploma is presented at graduation. Note: A student may not add a second or subsequent major to a degree that has already been awarded.
This is what is says about Double Degrees:
Students may earn two baccalaureate degrees to be awarded simultaneously (“double degrees”) when the two degree programs are offered within the School of Art and Design (B.S. and B.F.A.) or when the two programs are offered by two distinct AU Colleges/Schools. (e.g.: B.A. in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences and B.F.A. in the School of Art and Design; B.S. degrees offered in the College of Business and in the Inamori School of Engineering.) To receive two degrees simultaneously, students must complete all University, College/School, and major requirements in effect for both programs at the time the student was admitted (or last readmitted) to undergraduate study at AU and earn a minimum of 148 semester credit hours. Two diplomas are presented at graduation.
Do you meet either of those requirements?
I should, I have taken all the required courses for both majors. But they claim 7 extra classes aren’t “Different enough”
I was told I should find a court case that involves a similar issue, but I can’t find anything involving a student being denied a double major by a university.
Take the document from the school’s handbook and your current transcript to your Dean of Students and ask them to review it with you. If they say you can’t double major ask them to show you where in their handbook it says that.
She will just go to the two chair members that told me no originally. They already went against what their own website says about double majoring. Just not sure who else to go to other than the provost of the school. If he says no then I am out of options. A couple law students told me that nobody really has this issue and it is super rare to find a court case about a student challenging a university.
Is there a student ombudsman? Is there a legal clinic ( a aw school with as students helping)? Some sort of Union or student group with bargaining power? What about any group that may represent you (women’s group…?)
If you come to your meeting with someone, you’ll have some leverage.
The handbook states you can double major (no restrictions).
Alfred is a NYS college. Our colleges are run by the New York State Education Department (NYSED). You can file a complaint with them. See [NYSED: Filing a Complaint](Filing a Complaint About a College or University | New York State Education Department).
To do that you have to go through all the grievance procedures in your handbook. Do it in writing because NYSED requires a paper trail. So copy the double majoring guidelines from your handbook and email your chair to request the major. If they don’t respond stop by their office to discuss it and document the conversation (date, time, summary of the discussion). Follow the chain listed in your handbook so you know who to email next. Once you’ve exhausted all the options at your college make a copy of all your documents and file a complaint with NYSED.
Alfred’s website says the following:
If you’re refused a degree that you’ve earned I’d file a complaint with the Middle States Commission too.
While this may be too late for the OP (if you’re still reading responses),
be sure to take a screen shot of the guidelines as posted on the web.
I’ve seen it happen far too many times that a student relies on what’s clearly posted, only to find that the posted description/verbiage has changed when challenged, and there’s no way to easily recapture the initial information that was initially relied on.