In the College of Arts & Sciences, you can choose one of the established majors or apply to develop your own through the independent major program. While independent majors involve interdisciplinary work, many established majors within Arts & Sciences also involve studies in various fields. So be sure to do your research before deciding that your interests do not fit comfortably into an existing department or major.
If you decide to pursue an independent major, you’ll work with the director and faculty in your areas of interest to develop and then refine your proposal, which will be reviewed by a board of faculty members.
Some recent independent major projects have included: Computing, Cognition & Aesthetics: Courses in computer science, psychology, history of art, cognitive studies and information science Latin American History and Literature: Spanish, history, government, Romance studies and anthropology Space Policy: Astronomy, earth and atmospheric sciences, physics, policy analysis and management and government Cultural Food Studies: Anthropology, psychology, food science, hotel administration and science and technology studies The Politics and Law of Environmental Issues: History, government, science and technology studies, applied economics and management, natural resources, biology and society and biology Biological Illustration: Biology, art history and drawing
Outcomes
All information below is based on the 2014-2018 First-Destination Post-Graduate Survey. Lists are not exhaustive, rather they are a sampling of the data. "Other" includes time off, travel, volunteer experiences, and/or preparing for graduate school. If you would like more information, please email as_careers@cornell.edu
Approximately 4/5 of 2014-2018 Independent Major graduates reported being Employed.
63% of the Class of 2014-2018 Archaeology graduates completed the survey. n = 5
Below, you will find:
- Top Employment Sectors
- Where Graduates Work
- Top Graduate Fields
- Where Graduates Study
Top Employment Sectors
- Communications/Media
- Nonprofit Organization
- Technology
- Hospitality
Where 2014-2018 Independent Major Graduates Work
| Employer | Job Titles |
|---|---|
| Bully Pilpit Interactive | Fellow |
| Hilton Worldwide | Management Development Trainee |
| Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center | Clinical Research Study Assistant |
| Neuralink | Machine Learning |
Top Graduate Fields Pursued
- Archaeology
- History of Art & Archaeology
Graduate Degrees Pursued
- N/A - 0 graduates reported attending graduate school
Where 2014-2018 Independent Major Graduates Study
- N/A - 0 graduates reported attending graduate school
