Acceptance to Major Study Field

Early in the spring semester of the sophomore year and before registration as a junior, each student must choose a major field of study and make application as a degree candidate to the chair of the appropriate department or division. To be accepted into a major, a student must have achieved a C (2.00) cumulative grade point average by the end of the first three semesters and a C cumulative grade point average in the courses of the intended major. Some departments may require a BC (2.50) or higher cumulative grade point average.

Acceptance to a major is required to be able to register for the first semester of the junior year. A student will be admitted to a major field if the departmental chair of that major approves the application. That acceptance may be conditional. Conditional acceptance means that the student may proceed with registration but must satisfy conditions stipulated by the department before the next registration period. A student not accepted into a major may consult Academic Advising for possible alternatives in proceeding with registration.

Individualized Major

Students may choose from two tracks to create an individualized major at CSB/SJU:

1. Individualize an existing major, or
2. Design their own interdisciplinary major.

Students must select a faculty advisor to work with as they design the major. The student must apply for the major no later than the end of the first semester of their junior year. The following criteria are requirements for approval of the major:

• Minimum 2.0 cumulative grade point average at the time of application;
• Minimum 2.0 major grade point average in courses already completed for the major at the time of application;
• Minimum of 40 credits designated for the individualized major, with a minimum of 16 credits of upper division coursework;
• No more than 8 credits can be counted toward another major or minor;

A capstone experience:

1. If individualizing an existing major, the student may use the capstone in the host department if the chair deems it appropriate,
2. If designing an interdisciplinary major, the student must include a proposal for a capstone experience in the written rationale noted below;

A written and detailed rationale for the individualize major that includes:

1. A title for the individualized major,
2. A statement of the student's educational and career goals, along with an analysis of why the existing majors offered by the institutions do not fit these educational and career goals,
3. A listing of proposed courses, followed by a thorough discussion of how this particular set of courses uniquely meets the student's educational and career goals;

Approval by the faculty advisor, the chair of a host department, and the Assistant Dean/Director of Academic Advising:

1. If individualizing an existing major, signatures of those listed above is sufficient,
2. If designing an interdisciplinary major, the persons listed above must convene in order to hear the student's proposal.

Any appeals to these requirements and the timeframe for submission must be directed in writing to the Assistant Dean/Director of Academic Advising.

Pre-Professional Programs

Saint Benedict's and Saint John's offers the following pre-professional programs, some of which are also part of dual-degree programs with postgraduate schools. The below table lists these pre-professional programs. See also Pre-Professional Programs under Departments and Programs. 

• Athletic Training
• Chiropractic
• Dentistry
• Divinity
• Engineering
• Forestry
• Law
• Medicine
• Occupational Therapy
• Optometry
• Pharmacy
• Physical Therapy
• Physician’s Assistant
• Priesthood Studies
• Public Health
• Veterinary Medicine