Majors and Concentrations

The IAS program offers two undergraduate degrees (majors): The B.A. in Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences (with 13 concentrations) or the B.S. in Environmental Science (no concentrations). If you are a B.S. student, you are admitted directly to your major and do not choose a concentration.

Choosing a Concentration

Concentrations are areas of specialization chosen by the student. Concentrations are interdisciplinary and flexible, enabling students to develop their own interests with faculty support. Concentrations appear on the transcript underneath the B.A. major, and further define the area that the student "concentrated" in for most of their courses here. It is good, however, to keep in mind that concentrations are very flexible—it is possible for two students to have the same concentration and choose very different courses.

How Do I Choose One?

After reading the descriptions of the concentrations and looking through the detailed checklists available in the IAS advising office, most students will be naturally drawn to one or two of them. Picking a concentration is easy for some students; others spend more time making up their minds. Read What's Your Major? to learn more about concentrations vs. traditional majors. A concentration should allow you to:

• take the courses that appeal to you
• go to school in the time frame you can attend, and
• prepare you for the career or graduate school in your future.

You can change concentrations and should, if you find your interests are changing and the concentration is stopping you from taking courses you want. It should be noted that concentrations prepare students for careers and graduate school to the extent that students choose courses within the concentrations that help them meet their goals.

Evening students should be aware that the IAS program recommends General Studies as the only concentration that we can assure that a student can earn with evening credits.

Declaring a Concentration

Choosing a concentration is the first step. Declaring a concentration is the next. It is a written request to be admitted to the chosen concentration. In your first visit with an academic adviser, you will have the chance to declare a concentration. We urge you to declare as soon as possible for two reasons:

• It places the student in a faculty advising group, assuring access to the benefits of the student/faculty relationship.
• It allows the program to adjust the course offerings to meet demand.

Declaring or changing concentrations or adding minors can be easily done during an advising appointment. We ask that you declare a concentration by your second quarter, or after you have earned 20 credits at UWT.

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