Individualized Studies at the University of Washington - College of Arts and Sciences
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Individualized Studies - Design Your Own Major - Overview

An Individualized Studies major is a special interdisciplinary major designed by an individual student. Each Individualized Studies program is unique.

An Individualized Studies program is not a random collection of courses. Instead, each Individualized Studies major is a carefully selected group of courses, all of which relate to a central theme. Because they cannot be too similar to any existing UW major, all Individualized Studies majors are interdisciplinary, drawing courses from two or more departments.

Before you can design an Individualized Studies major you must be able to state the interdisciplinary theme of your major. This website mentions a number of themes as examples, but there is no list of Individualized Studies themes. You must create a theme that meets your interests and needs, and then you must spend some time perusing the Course Descriptions to draft the list of courses that will constitute your major. An Individualized Studies adviser, as well as the Individualized Studies committee and your faculty sponsors, will suggest improvements and point out potential problems at different stages of the process, but they will not design your major for you.

The creation of an Individualized Studies major requires a good deal of work and reflection. The reward is a major tailored to your own interests.

How to Design an Individualized Studies Major

  1. Identify the theme of your major.
  2. Write a description of your major.
  3. Draw up a list of courses that will constitute your major.
  4. Go over the draft of your proposal with an Individualized Studies adviser.
  5. Submit your proposal to the Individualized Studies Committee.
  6. If your proposal is approved, obtain the signatures of two faculty sponsors.
  7. Return your signed proposal to 171 Mary Gates Hall and complete a change-of-major form.