Choosing a Major
Guidance and the most current information on selecting a major, including events sponsored by departments and your residential college directors of studies, can be found on the Major Choices website.
The decision about your major is an important one. It is a decision that will affect the way you look at the world around you, but it will not determine once and for all who you are and how you will live your life. When deciding on a major, you should be aware of what it means and what it does not mean to major in a department.
• It does not mean that you will have to work in that area for the rest of your life or that you will be unqualified to do anything else.
• It does not mean that you will (or will not) get a particular job after graduation.
• It does not mean that you will take courses in only one department for two years, or that the scope of your undergraduate education is restricted. Although focused on a discipline, you can continue to explore other interests.
• Choosing a major does mean that you will do independent research under the supervision of a faculty member on a specific topic and from a specific intellectual perspective. You certainly will spend much of your time and energy working within the department, so above all you should enjoy and feel stimulated by your chosen field.
When you think about choosing a department, you should consider its requirements, its opportunities for interdisciplinary study, the accessibility of its faculty members, any special strengths and weaknesses, and whether or not you will be supported in your choice of independent work projects. Because a large part of departmental work consists of individually supervised research projects, you should explore the kinds of independent work that are possible in the various departments.
Each year a number of students find it difficult to choose among departments when asked to pick a major. In some cases, this is because the student is truly interested in two different academic areas; in other instances, the student is torn between what “looks good” as a major and what is personally most satisfying. An often-sought remedy for this dilemma is what other schools call a “double major.” For Princeton students, however, a double major is not an option. While you can certainly pursue your interests outside the major and may even complete the requirements for a concentration in more than one department, your degree and departmental honors are granted in one department only.