"Undecided." The word hangs over the sophomore class, an ominous cloud as the fall semester draws to a close and the pressure to choose a major heats up. The choice is obvious for some, and many have already begun shaping their schedules around the majors to-be. But for others, the choice is not as easy. Some ambitious souls choose to double major - either because they just can't decide on one subject or because they feel pressured to tackle more than one.
Sophomore Joe Coleti is one of the many sophomores who is still in the process of deciding, but double majoring isn't in the cards for him.
"I think most sophomores consider double majoring at one time or another, but with the heavy requirements at Tufts, it seems very difficult," Coleti said.
Some students, debating which subject to pursue, believe that double majoring will enhance their chances of landing a job. Still others worry that a single major will not require enough "hard work," and end up double majoring even though they may not want to.
Patricia Wong, a transfer student considering double majoring in economics and Japanese feels that she wouldn't be fulfilling her academic potential if she majored in only one subject.
"I just feel kind of lazy if I just had one major, I would at the least like to minor in something," Wong said.
But there is no need to make this decision sophomore year. Some juniors and seniors discover through their regular workload that they have enough - or nearly enough - credits in one discipline to major or minor in it. And many find that they have more than enough time to pick up a second major.
"If I had just majored in econ, I could probably finish up my major by junior year," Wong said. "I would like to be more productive and make the most out of my time."
Some students feel that international relations is the department that is most conducive to double-majoring because many IR credits count towards other majors as well. But that doesn't mean anyone is breezing through a double major that includes IR - as with most majors, only 50 percent of courses in one major can be applied toward the other major's requirements.
And for some students, the benefits of double majoring might not outweigh the tradeoffs. There is a significant extra workload for more students, which may merit taking some summer courses or even an extra semester. Double majors are also precluded from minoring in an additional subject.
It is stressed at Tufts that in most cases, one does not have to major or minor in a subject to get recognition for their attention to that area of study. Workshops are offered to help students incorporate all of their academic pursuits, even if they do not relate to their major, into their resumes.
Two subjects, Environmental Studies and Community Health, force students to double major because the University does not offer a sufficient number of classes to accommodate a major by itself. These are designated as "second majors" and degrees on not granted in these programs on their own.
Sam Segal, a junior is majoring in economics and math, added a second major because he had room in his schedule. When he came in as a freshman he had enough AP credits to take care of many of his freshman requirements, so he decided to start right away and begin his classes required for majoring in math.
"It makes me look more desirable as a potential employee, and I was interested in both subject areas," Segal said, in reference to the benefits of double majoring when it comes to entering the job market.
While some students decide to double major, others find their calling in the interdisciplinary majors. These majors incorporate a wider spectrum of classes and take disciplines out of an eclectic mix of subjects. These include most of the culture studies majors, as well as Peace and Justice Studies, American Studies, and International Relations. Sciences are also sometimes combined into one major such as biochemistry and biopsychology. These subjects combine many disciplines in majors so students can get a broader view of the real world and not narrow their studies to just one subject.
These subjects are attractive to students who are equally interested in two subjects and decide they can handle the extra work.
Todd Walters, a sophomore who has decided to double major in classics and bio-psychology, says that double majoring, "... gives me a chance to study two very different fields that I enjoy. One of the majors relates closely to what I want to do after college, while the other is one I find enjoyable and interesting to study."
