Requirements for Graduation: Hunter Core and Major Field of Study

REQUIREMENTS FOR GRADUATION: Hunter Core and Major Field of Study*

A student at Hunter College must earn a total of 120 credits to graduate with a bachelor’s degree. These 120 credits must include credits to satisfy the Hunter Core Requirement (up to 42 credits) and to satisfy the requirements of a major field of study (major).

Credits for the Hunter Core and for a major usually do not add up to 120. A student may reach the necessary 120 credits by completing an additional major, a minor field of study (minor), a certificate program, or by taking elective courses.

MAJORS

A major is a concentration of courses in a particular subject area. A major for a BA usually consists of 24 to 42 credits. BA students must complete at least 90 Liberal Arts credits to graduate.; a major for a BS is approximately 60 credits, BS students must complete 60 credits in liberal arts for the BS.. To earn a Hunter degree, students must complete at least half of their major credits at Hunter. In order to graduate, a student must have a minimum GPA of 2.0 in the courses designated for the major. Many major departments have higher requirements. All majors offered by Hunter College have been authorized by the New York State Education Department. See Inventory of Registered Programs www.nysed.gov/heds/irpsl1.html. Some advanced courses and career opportunities (such as internships) may be available to students only after they have declared a major.

Major Courses and Hunter Core Courses

A course taken to satisfy a major requirement often may satisfy a Hunter Common Core requirement. However, students are not allowed to take more than two courses from one department or program to fulfill CUNY Common Core categories (note: English Composition 1 will not be counted as an English course in this context).

More than One Major 

BA students have the option of declaring up to three majors.   Students must complete the required number of credits for each major.  If the same courses are required for two (or three) majors, the student must take additional courses as approved by the major department to reach the required number of credits in each major. Majors cannot be changed during the graduating term. To graduate with more than one major, a student must satisfy the sequence of study for each major and complete all of the Hunter Core Requirement. Regardless of major(s), BA students must complete at least 90 Liberal Arts credits to graduate. Students are urged to meet frequently with an adviser to help them make good course selections.

Advising 

Hunter College is concerned that students select their major(s) with careful consideration and with good knowledge of the range of options. For students who are nearing the 60-credit point and remain undecided about their choice of major, there are a number of avenues of assistance. Designated faculty advisors in each academic department can inform prospective majors about their undergraduate programs and related career possibilities. Also, the counselors in the Office of Student Services and Career Development Services can offer assistance in choosing a major.

Each department has advisers to help students with such matters as course content, when a course is expected to be given, how a course is conducted (lecture, discussion) and the textbook(s) to be used. Students may want to discuss majoring in a subject before they make their official decision or to inquire about graduate schools. Majors should see the department advisers frequently to discuss their interests. 

Declaring a Major

To declare or change a major, students should print a Major Declaration Approval form at registrar.hunter.cuny.edu/subpages/forms.shtml, and confer with an adviser in the major department who will review the program of study and determine the student’s eligibility. If the student is admitted into the major, the adviser will sign and stamp the form. That form must be forwarded to OASIS. Each major must be declared in the same way and approved by an adviser in the major department.

All matriculated students must declare a major no later than the semester in which the combination of credits earned and credits for which they are currently registered totals 60 or greater. Transfer students entering with 60 credits or more must declare their major before the end of their first semester of attendance at Hunter.

Choosing a Major and TAP Financial Aid

Under New York State guidelines, students who have not declared a major by the 60-credit point are ineligible for TAP financial aid. The calculated financial aid is based on the declared major as of the end of the DROP/ADD period.