Finishing Your Degree Requirements

As you plan your schedule for this year, take the time to review the degree requirements to make sure you will satisfy all of them. 

Each year a few seniors overlook something or misunderstand a requirement, so it is important to take the time to do this now.  You can find the requirements on the Class Deans’ website at http://www.wellesley.edu/academics/theacademicprogram/requirements

 

The first step is to review your Degree Audit on MyWellesley (look on the Administrivia tab, in the Especially for Students section).  See the details about this here

Next review your major(s) and minor, if any. 

The Degree Audit Report will list your major(s) and minor (if you have one), but it does not review major requirements, and these, too, can be quite complicated.  Although the general College policy sets a minimum of eight units to fulfill a major, requirements vary by major.  There are several nine- and ten-course minimal majors and some majors that require coursework in other fields as part of the major.  Make sure that you know the requirements of your major(s) and that you have a reasonable plan for meeting them. 

Even though all of you should already have declared a major, you will need to meet with your advisor and with their help complete a new major form this fall to confirm each of your majors by October 9. The online major/minor form is available on MyWellesley, on the Administrivia tab, in the Especially for Students section and opens on September 9th. 

Please do meet with your advisor or your chair in person before working on the form, in order to be clear about what courses are counting for your major.  Ideally, you will do the form together.  This process is for your own protection; the new form will confirm your plans and serve as a contract between you and your major department or program.  If you successfully complete the set of courses that the department or program has approved, your major will be done; if you make any changes from the approved plan, you should update the form to ensure that the substitution is acceptable. 

Note also that seniors may not make changes to their majors or minors after the end of Term 3 Add/Drop period, so if you are planning to declare a second major or a minor, please do this in either terms 1 or 2. 

Please note that the P.E. requirement, though separate from the academic requirements, is still necessary to your completing the degree.

All students must earn at least 8 units of P.E. credit in order to earn a Wellesley degree though there may be an exception for transfer students depending on when they transferred to the college.  Please have a plan to complete this requirement and try not to wait until Terms 3 and 4 to do so.  PERA has set up a special webpage for Fall 2020 P.E. options.

 

If your original advisor is not available for consultation about the major form or if you have been working more closely with another faculty member in the field, it is fine to change advisors.  Your official advisor is the faculty member in the department or program who approves your major confirmation.  

If you are doing an individual major and are following your approved plan, you do not need to complete a new major form, although any changes to your original plan need to be confirmed by the Committee on Curriculum and Academic Policy (please see the Registrar’s office for this).