Self-Designed Major Proposal

Self-Design Major Proposal Handbook

Self-Designed Major Proposal:

A Guide to the Process

Contents

I. Timeline2

II. Frequently Asked Questions3

III. Sample Self-Designed Major Descriptions5

IV. Some Hints for Writing the Narrative8

IV. Sample Self-Designed Major Proposal:

Environmental Humanities10

V. Sample Self-Designed Major Proposal:

Sustainable Livestock Management and Power Systems15

VI. Sample Self-Designed Major Proposal:

Life Science Education through Agriculture20

VI. Appendix A: Self- Designed Major Proposal Form26

VII. Appendix B: Self-Designed Major Checklist33

Timeline

First Year

Take core course requirements

Explore widely in various majors

Second Year

Consider different major options

Talk with your advisor about whether a self-designed major path makes sense for your interests and long-term goals

Third Year, 1st semester

Attend Community Week Self-Designed Major Workshop
Enroll in bi-weekly SDM workshops held throughout semester (1 credit INT course)
Work with your advisor and a second reader to develop, revise, and polish your proposal
Advisor and second reader approve proposal for submission to the Academic Council for review
SDM proposals are due to the Academic Council by the 7th week of the fall semester
Upon approval a formal letter is sent from the Academic Council Chair to the students’ advisor and to the Registrar.
Revise your proposal as needed for final approval

Third Year, 2nd semester

Begin SARP or plan Senior Project

Submit any significant changes to your self-designed major to the Academic Council for approval

Fourth Year

Complete Senior Project or SARP

Submit any significant changes to your self-designed major to the Academic Council for approval

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a self-designed major?

As described in our online academic catalogue, “The self-designed major is a student-centered option for those who wish to explore an area outside of currently offered majors or to integrate coursework from existing major areas. Students work closely with faculty to develop a high-quality academic program that both fulfills a student’s educational goals and is within the realm of faculty expertise.”

What is the Self-Design Major Workshop?

The Workshop is an introduction to the process of designing a major. You will be guided through the stages of developing a major proposal, be introduced to the proposal form, and begin working with an advisor and a second reader during the course of the workshop. The 1-credit workshop is required for students in the self-designed major process.

When do I have to submit aproposal?

Proposals are due to the Academic Councilby the seventh week of the first semester of a student’s third year. Students are expected to have discussed proposals with their advisor and second reader, and revised as necessary, before submission to the Council.

Does the title matter?

Yes. The title is one of the most important components of your major. It indicates the focus of your studies to people outside of Sterling, and many titles have very specific connotations.

Should I list every class I have taken?

No. Your self-designed major proposal should list only the courses that together create your major (your major course of study).

Can courses I took at a different institution count toward my self-designed major?

Yes. Look at your transcript in order to include the course number and credits in your proposal. Indicate the institution where you took these courses.

What is the description?

The description articulates in a concise way the scope and focus of your major. A one-sentence statement of what the major is should introduce the description. Within the 200-words of the description is where you have a chance to explain the parameters of the major to the Academic Council, to your advisor, and to others outside Sterling. Some sample self-designed major descriptions are included in this packet.

Can my narrative be a simple chronological listing of all the courses in my major?

No. The purpose of the narrative is for you to discuss how your courses fit together. While this discussion might end up being chronological, it should be structured thematically, around components of your major. See the sample self-designed major proposals in this packet for examples of how you might approach the narrative. Be sure to include your plans for a SARP or a Senior Project.

When will my self-designed major proposal be approved?

The Council will consider your proposal in a meeting shortly after the submission deadline, and you will be notified of either approval or a request for revision in the week thereafter.

What happens if I make changes to my major after it has been approved?

Significant changes to an approved self-designed major must be submitted to the Council for approval. Significant changes include more than two courses, a change in title, description, or timeline. All changes should be discussed with your advisor.
Sample Self-Designed Major Descriptions

DESCRIPTION of proposed major and rationale. Please describe the focus and scope of your major. This section should also identify the academic context of your proposed major as well as your specific goals and objectives and why you have chosen to pursue this particular major track at Sterling College (approximately 200 words).

Be sure both to DESCRIBE what this major is (and what it explores) and to DISCUSS why you are proposing this major.

Environmental Humanities:

This major integrates art and sustainable agriculture, with a focus on “reading the landscape” to explore and understand ecological concepts. Concurrently, this understanding of ecology (primarily through courses in natural history) emphasizes the environmental humanities, especially literature, creative writing, and place-based/folk arts. Together, these subjects create a strong blend of the arts and the sciences, resulting in a major that provides not only the practical skills necessary for the various disciplines mentioned above, but also the philosophical approach needed to engage in a deeper exploration of the world.

I have chosen this as my major because I feel that it reflects my interest in connecting farming and art. To me, both art and agriculture are fundamental aspects of our humanity: we need to eat, and we need to express the creative powers that live inside us. It only makes sense to find a middle ground where the two can connect. In this place, inspiration for art, whether it be writing, spinning and weaving, drawing, or throwing pots on a wheel, grows out of the landscapes around us almost as naturally as the plants and trees do.

Pre-Industrial Agriculture and Textiles:

Conventional agriculture depends upon cheap oil to drive the equipment that does the job that was once done by hand and horse. The sustainable agriculture movement does not recognize oil as a sustainable resource because it is a finite one. Today’s textiles are made on machines driven by this same substance that will one day run out. When this happens, how will we clothe ourselves? Our consumer culture is fed largely by the fashion industry, demanding new disposable garments continually. Changes need to be made in the way we think about clothing and fashion and in the way those garments are produced.

Students studying Pre-Industrial Agriculture and Textiles will go back in time to learn how natural fibers were grown, processed, and turned into pieces of durable, wearable art. Coursework combines sustainable agriculture and fiber arts. Sustainable agriculture courses include Animal Science, Exploring Alternative Agriculture, Livestock Project, and Whole Farm Planning. Once students have gained an understanding of where natural fibers come from, and how they are grown, they progress to fiber arts courses. These courses include Fiber Arts I and II, and guided independent studies, including Fabric Dyeing Techniques and Dye Plant Identification and Preparation. At the completion of course requirements students will find themselves prepared for work as fiber artists, farmers, and sustainable fashion consultants.

Herbalism Education:

Herbalism is a medicinal practice that complements conventional medicine by emphasizing prevention of disease; it uses plant chemistry to promote health. Herbalism Education is an interdisciplinary approach to studying health and healing, as well as a method to engender powerful self-advocacy of personal well-being. Classes within the realm of herbalism focus on skills in making and formulating effective holistic herbal remedies, diagnosis for treatment, and applying treatment. They also focus on basic plant science, how plants grow on a microscopic and empirical level, and the conditions in which plants need to grow. Education courses also play an important role because they emphasize interpersonal skills. These skills are important in a patient-caretaker relationship by providing emotional support and intellectual satisfaction and facilitating clear communication that will foster translation of herbal medicine into everyday, informal language. Being a doctor means more than dispensing drugs; it means connecting to a person as an individual to determine what is best for healing.

Sustainable Livestock Production and Power Systems:

This major in Sustainable Livestock Production and Power Systems focuses my coursework on livestock, small farm business, and agriculture power systems which will lead to a successful career for me in the Livestock Production field. Opportunities off campus combined with on campus study will complement each other in creating this major. For example, doing an internship on a grass-raised cattle ranch, and taking a year of classes at Vermont Technical College will enable me to pick up in-depth livestock production and business classes, along with automotive courses to broaden and deepen my knowledge of various livestock production power systems. While at Sterling I have gained the ability to integrate draft power in farming systems, along with knowledge of basic animal science. My success and future in the livestock production business will depend on my ability to form a more focused course of study than the Sustainable Agriculture degree allows.

Environmental Humanities:

Environmental Humanities explores the human connection to the environment with special consideration given to the role of language in understanding and expressing our connection to the world around us. This involves consideration of such philosophical issues as humankind's place in nature, as well as the ethical responsibilities of humanity in the preservation of the environment, cultural perspectives, and expressive approaches to environmental insight. What different ways of knowing influence perception and action? How do various intellectual frames shed light on different aspects of environmental problems? How are people influenced by ethical motivation, morals, or experience in the arts as they undertake these questions? These questions draw from a range of disciplines, such as philosophy, art, literature, biology, religion, and physics, to explore human understanding and interpretation of nature, suggesting that the lenses available can work together to build connections between different, yet parallel processes, and displays that the rules of each process are analogous to the others.

Environmental Chemistry:

Environmental Chemistry studies the interactions among organisms, between organisms and their environment, and among environmental systems, where the nature of those interactions is chemical. Of particular interest are the chemical components of soil, water, and air systems. Studying the chemistry of the environment involves understanding the reactions, movement, and transformation of chemicals, and quantifying the pools and fluxes that make up biogeochemical cycles. Environmental chemists use science to solve environmental problems around, for example, pollution, nutrient management, climate change, and water quality, and knowledge of the chemical basis of Earth systems helps allow for informed and directed stewardship.

Integrated Forestry and Woodworking:

Integrated forestry and woodworking explores the process of harvesting trees from the woodlot, sending the logs through a mill, and crafting and marketing finished pieces, including furniture and buildings. This major will provide an introduction to silviculture and woodlot practices, logging, skidding and milling tools and equipment, including hand and power tools, animal powered and gas powered skidding equipment, and different types of mills, as well as carpentry skills and practices, construction methods and sustainable building design.

Natural History:

My proposed major is Natural History. This major is based upon the ability to observe and understand the natural world, its abiotic and biotic aspects, and to investigate the biodiversity that surrounds us. As a naturalist, using identification and classification skills as well as understanding evolutionary and geologic history, one is able to interpret the ecosystem in a holistic manner. Sterling College offers courses in this area of study, and provides a variety of opportunities to explore natural communities on and around campus and afar through field studies.

Some Hints for Writing the Narrative

NARRATIVE. This is a thematic discussion of your course of study, organized around the key components of your major. Considerhow your proposed coursework connects together to support your major description. Address how your major includes both breadth and depth of study. Be sure to talk about your senior capstone project and its relevance to the major (500-750 words).

Identify the key areas or components of your major, and dedicate a paragraph or section to discussing the courses that are part of each.

Focus on how the courses you discuss contribute to your major and your course of study, rather than simply describing them. Discuss what you learned in these courses and how this contributes to your understanding of the components of your major.

Connect your narrative to your description.

Include an introduction and a conclusion.

Be sure to discuss your Senior Project or SARP (at least your ideas for them).

Consider discussing your internship and/or your future plans, if relevant.

It is OK to use “I.”

SAMPLE SELF-DESIGNED MAJOR PROPOSALS

These sample Proposals are intended to give you a sense of what a successful proposal looks like. Keep in mind that there are many different approaches; these are merely three. They are not meant to be prescriptive or to suggest that there is a “right” way to complete the proposal.

Sterling College Self-Designed Major Proposal

YOUR NAME: Schirin Rachel Oeding

TITLE of proposed major: Environmental Humanities

INTENDED DATE OF GRADUATION (including completion of SARP): May 2012

DESCRIPTION of proposed major and rationale. This section should identify the academic context of your proposed major as well as your specific goals and objectives and why you have chosen to pursue this particular major track at Sterling College (approximately 200 words).

Faculty and Other Resources for this Course of Study: a brief narrative (approximately 100 words) on how particular Sterling faculty expertise and interests, as well as off-campus resources, support the major.

Carol Dickson is my advisor (and will also be the primary advisor on my SARP), and will continue to advise me over the course of my final three semesters at Sterling. Furthermore, Jody Stoddard, Ross Morgan, Anne Obelnicki, various farm/garden faculty, as well as humanities faculty (including Carol Dickson and Pavel Cenkl, specifically for SARP work) will act as resources for this course of study. Off-campus resources include the Northeast Organic Farmers Association of VT (NOFA-VT) and Maine Organic Farmer’s and Gardener’s Association (MOFGA) conferences and trainings, as well as attending various other trainings and workshops pertinent to my course of study. Work with farms and farmers, artists, writers, chefs, and my upcoming experience as garden manager and intern at Camphill Häggetorp in Vedum, Sweden (Summer 2011) will round out the major.