Individually Structured Major BA

The Individually Structured Major offers students the opportunity to structure an independent, interdisciplinary major in cases where the student's plan of study cannot be accommodated by one or more of the existing majors within the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. The ISM must fulfill the goals of a liberal arts education; therefore, courses that make up the major are expected to largely be offered by the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. This major is open to highly motivated, self-directed students with a minimum 3.0 grade point average. All courses to be counted in the major must have a grade of C or better. 

For students willing to put the time, thought, and effort into creating an ISM, the process and learning experience can be rewarding, especially as students work closely with a team of faculty advisors. The capstone to the ISM is a Baccalaureate Project undertaken in the senior year, which allows students to integrate elements of their program in meaningful, creative, and productive ways. Students pursuing the ISM receive a Bachelor of Arts upon completion of their Alfred University degree requirements. 

Each Individually Structured Major requires a formal program proposal, designed by the student in consultation with a Faculty Advisory Board chosen by the student. Students interested in initiating the application process for an ISM should meet with the Assistant Dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences no later than mid-semester of their sophomore year, as the application involves several steps and requires research and time. Complete applications must be received no later than the end of the sophomore year. Proposals are then reviewed by the ISM Faculty Steering Committee and the Dean and must be approved by the beginning of the student’s junior year. 

Some of the academic programs designed by students under the auspices of the Individually Structured Major include Art: Museum Studies and Entrepreneurship; Ecological Psychology; Historic Preservation; Integrated Emergency and Disaster Relief Operations; Media Politics; Sustainable Agriculture; Violence and Conflict Studies, Social Justice and Popular Media, and Sustainability and Food Systems Journalism.