Major FAQs
What is a Major?
Your major is the program of study that focuses on your strongest academic interest. Majors vary in number of credits, as you'll see when you look at the John Jay majors page.
What else do I need in addition to a major in order to graduate?
There are three components to your degree: general education requirements, major requirements, and electives. You will need to complete a major, finish all general education requirements, and take enough elective credits to reach the required 120. You will also need to earn a minimum 2.0 (C) average in order to graduate.
When should I declare a major?
Most students arrive at John Jay with a declared major, often because they expressed an interest in that major in their application. If you arrive at John Jay as a freshman or transfer student and you want to switch your major, you can usually do that right away. Freshmen can make the request for a major change when they have their registration group meeting. Transfer students can go to the Jay Express counter and fill out a Major Declaration form, but all students should consult the John Jay majors page and/or consult with a general academic advisor before jumping into a new major plan. The only students who might not be able to automatically switch into another major are those who want to pursue Forensic Science or Cell and Molecular Biology (CMB), since they have criteria that must be met for admission to the major.
Your first year or two of college is the time to explore possible majors. By the end of your sophomore year (around 60 credits earned), you should not only have decided on your major, but taken the prerequisite courses and also some courses in the major as well.
How do I declare a major?
To declare a major, you can go to the Jay Express counter in the New Building and fill out a Major Declaration form.
Are there special major advisors, or do I get major advising from my general academic advisor?
Yes, there are major advisors, but see the John May majors page for specifics about individual majors and how to get advising for them, since departments have different procedures for advising students.
If I change my mind about my major, is it difficult to switch into another major?
No, it's simple. Just go to the Jay Express counter in the New Building and submit a Major Declaration form that indicates you are dropping one major and choosing a different one. You can't keep changing your major during a single term, however; you can only change it once per term. If you want the new major to be your official major for the current term, be aware that the deadline for major declaration in a Fall or Spring term is fairly early, around the 4th week. If you change your major after that deadline, the new major will go into effect for the following term.
Note: Students who want to switch into the Forensic Science or Cell and Molecular Biology (CMB), major need to keep in mind that they have criteria that must be met for admission to the major.
How often can I change my major, if I'm having trouble making up my mind?
Think carefully about your choice before you act, so you're not constantly changing your major. You can't keep changing your major during a single term; you can only change it once per semester. Meet with ageneral academic advisor and/or major advisor to discuss your options, read the John Jay major page information very carefully, and use the resources right here on this site (See the Fact or Fiction exercise and Undecided section) to figure out why you're having such a difficult time making a decision.
Can I overlap general education requirement courses with my major?
If you are considering an English major or a Global History major, you might have some slight restrictions on overlapping major courses with general education, but overall there is no official rule that prohibits you from overlapping general education and major courses. Still, in order to get an interesting and well-rounded education it's important to take a range of courses that give you different perspectives and develop different skills.
Can I double major, and if I can, how do I set this up?
Yes, most students can double major, and it’s just a matter of submitting a Major Declaration form at the Jay Express counter. On the form you would indicate that you are keeping your current major and adding another one, rather than replacing one with the other. Remember to check in with a general academic advisor to confirm whether you have enough room to add a second major. If you are majoring in Forensic Science or Computer Science and Information Security or Fraud Examination and Financial Forensics, you cannot pursue a double major because all of those majors require over 45 credits. It may still be possible to pursue a minor, but not a double major. See a general academic advisor!
What questions should I ask myself if I'm considering a double major?
- Do I have an equally strong interest in two majors?
- Since all majors involve at least 33 credits (and often more, especially including prerequisites), do I have enough room for a second major? The best way to find out is to meet with a generalacademic advisor, who will look at whether you could complete a second major without exceeding 120 credits. You could certainly go a bit over 120 credits, but most students prefer to complete everything within the 120 credit range. If you are a freshman or sophomore, there's a good chance you have space for a double major. If you have more than 60 credits completed, you might be able to pursue a double major, particularly if you have already taken some courses towards the second major. But check with a general academic advisor to confirm--don't just assume it will work.
- Which requirements do I still need to complete in each of my majors? You can do some self-monitoring by checking out your major requirements and resource materials such as checklists and major guides on the John Jay majors page, but if you have any questions that the majors pages don’t answer, look at the Get Advising For Your Major section of the major page to see how you can meet with a major advisor
- Am I remembering that if I double major, I can only overlap a maximum of TWO courses between my majors? In other words, even if three or four (or more) of my courses appear on both major requirement lists, I need to take into consideration that I'm limited to sharing no more than two.
- Would I rather focus mainly on two areas from now to graduation, which is what I would be doing with a double major, or would I prefer to have more freedom to take a variety of elective courses (which a minor would allow me to do)?
- Since my interest in two majors suggests that I like studying more than one subject/discipline at a time, have I considered John Jay's interdisciplinary majors (Gender Studies, Humanities and Justice Studies, etc.) which would allow me to study not just one field but look at perspectives, issues, and research from several?
What's the difference between a major and a minor?
A major is required, and is your main focus as you pursue your academic plan. Majors will require anywhere from 33 to 75+ credits, depending on which one you choose. A minor is not required, but we strongly encourage you to consider one as a way of organizing and focusing some of your elective credits into an interesting program of study. Remember you will need elective credits to get up to the total 120, and selecting a minor will help you avoid simply taking random, scattered credits with no particular motivation.
If I declare a double major or a minor, will it take longer to earn my degree?
No, if you start early enough and plan well, you should be able to finish everything within the 120 credits. See a general academic advisor to get a better sense of whether you have enough room for a second major or a minor.
Is a minor required?
No, but it’s a great way to organize and focus some of your elective credits.
How do I declare a minor?
Go to the Jay Express counter in the New Building and submit a declaration form.
Can I have more than one minor?
Yes! It all depends on whether you have enough room for that many more elective credits. See a general academic advisor to determine whether it’s possible for you, given how many credits you’ve earned and what general education and major requirements you still need to complete as well.
Can I overlap my major and minor courses?
You can overlap (share) a maximum of two courses between a major and a minor.
If I want to complete one of the John Jay certificate programs, how does that work?
If you have looked at John Jay’s Undergraduate Certificate Programs and one looks interesting to you, meet with the advisor listed for the program to ask questions and confirm what you would still need to do. Fill out a declaration form at the Jay Express counter. Remember that you can overlap/share a maximum of two courses between a major and a certificate.
What is the difference between having a double major and earning a dual degree?
There is often confusion about the difference between pursuing a double major and earning dual degrees:
Double Majors
All John Jay undergraduates need to complete 120 credits to earn a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degree or a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree. Every student must have a major, and some students will choose to add a second major if they have enough elective credits to make a second major possible. These student will complete two majors as part of one undergraduate degree, using the second major to pursue an area of strong interest and build up elective credits to reach the needed 120 (note that a second major, since it is not required, is actually considered elective credit).
So if you declare a B.A. major and another one that is a B.S. major, what one degree will you earn in the end, a B.A. or B.S.?
This depends on which major you declared first. For example, if you declare a Criminal Justice B.S. (CJBS) major first, and then a Forensic Psychology major B.A., the undergraduate degree you will ultimately earn is a B.S. If you declare a Gender Studies B.A. major first, and then declare a Public Administration major B.S., you will ultimately earn a B.A. degree. If for whatever reason you would like to switch your degree to the second one you declared, as long as you inform the Registrar BEFORE you submit a graduation application, this is possible. You absolutely cannot request such a switch after you have applied to graduate. You will receive one diploma indicating your degree, and there will be a notation on your transcript that you completed two majors.
Please note that if you are majoring in Forensic Science, Computer Science and Information Security, or Fraud Examination and Financial Forensics (all majors that require more than 45 credits), you cannot double major.
Dual Degrees
Some undergraduates would like to earn two undergraduate degrees, and this requires more than the standard 120 credits for one undergraduate degree. John Jay undergraduates cannot pursue two undergraduate degrees at the same time. They finish their first degree and then add the second one afterwards. Dual degree students must earn at least 150 credits (120 for the first degree + at least 30 credits earned while completing the second degree).
If you have already earned a Bachelor's degree (at John Jay College or elsewhere) and are admitted to John Jay to pursue another undergraduate degree, here are the guidelines:
- You must earn at least 30 credits at John Jay in pursuit of the second undergraduate degree (many students must take more than 30 credits to complete the second degree's major; some students will be able to complete the second degree's major in less than 30 credits but in that scenario they must take elective credits to reach the 30 credit minimum).
- You must complete all requirements for the second degree major.
- All of your general education requirements are considered done.
- If there are credits included in your first Bachelor's degree that count towards the major in your second undergraduate degree, you are allowed to count a maximum of 15 such credits towards the second degree.
- You must earn at least an overall 2.0 GPA.
If you wish to pursue a second Bachelor's degree, it's wise to research this decision carefully, particularly checking to confirm what prerequisite courses you may need as foundation for the major and what kind of course sequences the major requires. Some majors require math foundation or certain course sequencing that may take you a while to complete. Though a second undergraduate degree can work well for some students, consider whether it might be more productive for you to move higher on the academic ladder and apply to a graduate program.
Though it isn't possible to pursue two undergraduate degrees at John Jay simultaneously, it is possible to pursue a BA/MA program once you have earned 60 credits and if you meet certain high admissions criteria. This program allows you to pursue an undergraduate (Bachelors) degree and a graduate (Masters) degree at the same time.
If I have questions about graduate school in a particular subject/discipline, where do I go for answers?
If you want to pursue a graduate program in a certain field, a good place to start your research is by talking with faculty who are experts in that area. If you have some favorite professors who are doing work in a field that excites you, ask if you can talk with them and get some guidance and perspective. If you want to pursue graduate studies at John Jay, it’s a good idea to look at the descriptions of the available programs, and contact the Graduate Admissions Office with any questions. You can also talk with the Center for Career and Professional Development and the Pre- Law Institute (even if you’re not interested in pursuing Law School, they can be a helpful resource for graduate program preparation).
If I want a better idea of the connection between majors and careers, where do I go for information and guidance?
The Center for Career and Professional Development has a very helpful website, and they are happy to talk with you about not only the academics-career connection, but internships, job fairs, resume-writing, and more. Look at the Fact or Fiction exercise to see if your assumptions about academics and careers are accurate!