Eligible Majors
More than one hundred degree programs on the Twin Cities campus can be completed in four years. If you have not declared a major, you can still sign up for the plan. In some cases, majors can be started as late as the end of your second year. Other majors must be begun sooner, some as early as your first term at the University. If you are undecided, focus on taking your liberal education courses, and use them as a chance to explore your options and test your skills and preferences.
You may change majors during your first two years of study if you can still meet all the requirements for the new major within the period designated for that major. For majors that have second-tier admission, you need to be admitted to your department by the beginning of your junior year.
Almost every undergraduate degree program on the Twin Cities Campus is eligible for the Four-Year Graduation Plan. A short list of those programs that are NOT eligible is available here. Check with your adviser if you have questions about choosing a major.
Twin Cities Degree Programs Eligible for the Four Year Graduation Track
- Math/science: Some majors have a strong focus on mathematics and science. This group includes all majors that require calculus or short calculus (in a few cases, statistics or college algebra) plus a strong introductory science component with some combination of chemistry, physics, and biology. Most students who expect to pursue graduate careers in the health sciences will also want to follow this plan, regardless of their major.
To stay on track in any of these majors and graduate in four years, you generally must complete at least two (usually three to four) science courses by the end of year one, and take at least one math course per term, beginning in your first term, until your math requirement is completed. Many majors in the Institute of Technology require either physics or chemistry, or possibly both, in the first term, in addition to calculus.
| Agricultural Industries Marketing |
Animal Production Systems |
Architecture |
| Astronomy |
Astrophysics |
College of Biological Sciences
(all majors) |
College of Natural Resources
(all majors) |
Computer Science (BA) |
Chemistry |
Crops and Soil Resources
Management |
Environmental Horticulture |
Environmental Science |
| Food Science |
Geology BS |
Mathematics |
| Mortuary Science |
Nutrition/Nutrition Science |
Physics |
| Physiology |
Science in Agriculture |
Statistics |
(Note: To complete the following majors in four years, you must begin in these majors as freshmen and generally complete 16 to 18 credits per term.)
| Computer Science (BS) |
Geophysics |
Institute of Technology
(all engineering majors) |
- Math/social science: This group of majors requires calculus or short calculus (in some cases, statistics or college algebra) as preparation for quantitative studies in the social sciences or business.
To stay on track in any of these majors and graduate in four years, you generally must have completed at least two (usually three to four) social science or quantitative courses by the end of year one, and must take at least one math course per term, beginning in your first term, until your math requirement is completed.
| Agricultural and Food Business Management |
Applied Economics |
Carlson School of Management BSB degree (all majors) |
Economics
(BA and BS, all tracks) |
Geography (BS) |
Speech & Hearing Science (BS) |
| Urban Studies (BS) |
|
|
- Professional focus and/or Fine Arts/Design/Performance: Some majors require many courses in the discipline; you must begin early in your college career to meet all of the requirements. Included here are majors that are focused on specific career preparation, and majors that are focused on performance in the arts.
To stay on track in these majors, you must generally begin taking courses in these areas no later than your second term, and for some majors in your first term, at the University.
| Art (BA or BFA) |
Business and Industry Education |
Dance (BA or BFA) |
| Family Social Science |
Foundations of Education: Elementary Education |
Foundations of Education: Early Childhood Education |
| Housing |
Human Resource Development |
Kinesiology |
| Music* |
Recreation, Park, and Leisure Studies |
Retail Merchandising
|
Scientific and Technical
Communication |
Sports Studies |
Theatre Arts
|
*
Music: BA both tracks (performance, academic), BM (music education, music therapy):
To complete a music degree in four years, you must begin the program in the first term of the freshman year which requires passing the music audition in the previous spring.
- Liberal Arts, language-based: These majors include programs requiring either (a) three or more years of language study in one language, or (b) passing the Graduation Proficiency Test in one or more languages, or (c) two years of study in two languages before entering the major.
Students in these areas must begin their language study in the freshman year to stay on track for four-year graduation.
| All language majors |
All area studies majors |
American Indian Studies
(Language focus) |
| Chicano Studies |
Global Studies |
Jewish Studies |
- Liberal arts, general: Includes all remaining CLA majors not specifically listed above.
Assuming completion of at least 28 credits of liberal education core courses and at least one year of language, these majors can generally be declared at the end of the second year of study.
|
African & Afro-American Studies |
American Indian Studies
(cultural focus) |
American Studies |
| Ancient Near Eastern Studies |
Anthropology |
Art History |
| Child Psychology (BA) |
Classical Civilization |
Communication Studies |
| Cultural Studies & Comparative Literature |
English Literature |
Cinema, Media and Culture |
| Geography (BA) |
History |
Journalism and Mass Communication |
| Linguistics |
Philosophy |
Political Science |
| Psychology |
Religious Studies |
Sociology |
| Speech & Hearing Science (BA) |
Urban Studies (BA) |
Women's Studies |
|
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