Undergraduate Academic Options

Cross Registration

Students may enroll in undergraduate courses not listed in SoPA offerings. For School of Liberal Arts courses, students need only meet the course prerequisites before enrolling. Courses at the Schools of Architecture, Business, Public Health and Tropical Medicine, and Science and Engineering require approval from the dean of that school.

Please note that the tuition charged for courses taken outside of SoPA may be significantly higher than the SoPA undergraduate course tuition rate.

Choosing an Undergraduate Major

Selection of a major is one of the most important decisions students make in their college studies. Students are encouraged to consult with their academic advisor about the many options available at SoPA. Once students decide on a major course of study, they must meet with their academic advisor to formally declare the major.

Double Majors

Students may complete two majors by meeting the requirements established by the departments concerned. Although two diplomas are not awarded for a double major, both majors are listed on the permanent record from which transcripts are made. To undertake a double major, students must plan each major with the department concerned. Some minimal overlap may occur: in cases where one course is listed by two major departments as part of the major curriculum of each. In cases where one major is departmental and the other interdepartmental: for example, a double major in English and Medieval Studies might have a Chaucer course in common. In any case, each major of a double major must show at least eight courses that do not overlap, except a double major in Cell and Molecular Biology where no more than five courses may overlap.

Dual Degrees

Students may earn dual degrees (a BS and a BA) by completing 150 credits rather than 120 and completing all the requirements of both a BS and a BA degree.

Independent Studies

Because SoPA believes superior students should assume responsibility for some of the direction of their own education, many departments offer to a limited number of students of superior scholastic standing creative opportunities for independent study under the direction of a faculty member especially interested in individual instruction.

The work may take the form of directed readings, laboratory or library research, or original composition. Instead of traditional class attendance, the student substitutes conferences, as needed, with the director. Students who wish to take an independent studies course must have the approval of the associate dean for academic affairs.

Internships

An internship involves a relevant academic foundation in addition to an experiential learning process. The academic foundation may, for example, consist of a term paper, a number of short papers, discussions of several books, and the like. Students may identify their own internship opportunity or they may consult with those persons on campus who coordinate internship programs to arrange an internship experience.

Internships are available through various departments. Students participating in elective internships register for Internship Studies within the appropriate department after having made initial arrangements with a professor who will sponsor the internship. Registration is completed using an Internship Studies Registration form. Each student registered for an internship must submit an Internship Prospectus form to the appropriate departmental chair for approval within one week prior to the end of the add period. A copy of this form bearing the signatures of the student, sponsoring professor, internship supervisor and departmental chair also must be filed with the Office of the Dean within one week of the end of the add period. These forms are available in departmental offices and the Office of the Dean.

Each student completing an internship must write a synopsis of the internship, including both the academic and experimental components. This synopsis is to be approved by both the supervising professor and the appropriate departmental chair and filed with the Office of the Dean prior to the end of the final examination period.

Internships are open only to juniors and seniors in good standing. Only one internship may be completed per semester.

Requirements of the media arts and paralegal studies practica (internships) differ somewhat, since these practica are required. Students must register in Paralegal Studies 5900 or Media Arts 5050 during the regular registration period. Arrangements for these practica should be made with the media arts or paralegal studies program directors.

Second Degrees

Students already holding a baccalaureate degree may enroll in SoPA for a second baccalaureate degree. They must complete a total of 150 credits instead of 120 (60 credits must be taken at Tulane University), satisfy the SoPA proficiency, supporting, distribution, and residency requirements for a second degree, and fulfill the requirements for the major.

Business Course Restriction

Students may not earn more than 27 credits in courses under the business studies category or apply more than 27 credits of business courses toward any SoPA program. Business studies credits earned at SoPA are not applicable to any AACSB-accredited business school and may not be used toward a degree at the A.B. Freeman School of Business at Tulane. All courses in accounting, business law, finance, management, and marketing fall within this restriction.

Minors Offered

For minors, students must have a 2.00 grade-point average in all required coursework and 50 percent of the coursework must be earned at Tulane.

The School of Liberal Arts and the School of Science and Engineering

SoPA students may select any major in the School of Liberal Arts or the School of Science and Engineering which offers a B.A., B.S. or B.S.E. degree. The academic departments determine the requirements for these majors. Students electing this option must fulfill the core curriculum requirements for the major. SoPA undergraduate students who wish to major in a program not available within SoPA will be required to meet Newcomb- Tulane College residency requirements. Those requirements are that students must earn at least 60 credits in Newcomb-Tulane College courses (which may be cross-listed with SoPA), the last thirty of which must be earned while enrolled in Newcomb-Tulane College. In practice, this requires SoPA students to transfer into Newcomb-Tulane College prior to earning their 90th college credit. SoPA students with a non-SoPA minor will not be required to transfer.

Students should consult with their SoPA advisor if they wish to pursue a major offered by these schools.

Note: Majors completed in disciplines not sponsored by SoPA will likely require that the student take courses at a significantly higher tuition rate than is available directly through SoPA.