If your academic and career goals do not match one of our traditional majors, the Committee Interdisciplinary Major (CIM) may be the right choice for you.

A CIM major is best suited for the self-directed student who has a very particular, well-defined interest, not currently offered within one of our majors. The topic must be broad enough to be able to build a series of existing classes around the theme, yet specific enough to be able to create a thoroughly researched and comprehensive research project around.

Students in the CIM are responsible for drafting their own academic plan and finding three supportive faculty members to serve as their advisors so this major is best suited for a self-directed student who is proactive and able to work independently. The first step a student will need to take is to write a proposal for their concept. The proposal must include a title, an abstract that describes the major and provides a rationale for why the topic cannot be studied within an existing major, a list of classes that would make up the major, and the names of the three faculty members who would serve as the advisory committee.

The primary faculty advisor should log in to the Committee Interdisciplinary Major Proposal Form and it should be filled out together by the faculty and the student.

Download our fact sheet to read more about what a CIM entails.