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responsibility for the shape of their education and defining life
goals. They will need to be aware of
registration-related deadlines, keep appointments with
their advisors and come to advising sessions prepared
with questions and issues to discuss.
Pre-major Advising
During their first years at Penn,
prior to declaring a major, students have the
opportunity to develop a relationship with an adult
representative of the University to whom they can turn
for guidance. Pre-major advisors help students to
successfully make the transition from secondary school
to college. They can clarify policies, procedures and
degree requirements and help students plan their
undergraduate program. They are also available in
moments of crisis.
Students will be in a position to
declare a major and know how they wish to structure the
rest of their undergraduate program by the second
semester of their sophomore year.
Peer Advisors
Peer advisors are upper-class
students specially trained to help with choosing
courses and registering for the first and second
semesters. They can help to schedule appointments with
pre-major advisors during advance registration and to
find the answers to questions about degree
requirements, academic support services and University
procedures throughout the first year.
Assistant Deans for Advising
Assistant deans for advising can
help to clarify the College’s degree
requirements, policies and procedures. They also
supplement the advising of faculty pre-major advisors
regarding special academic programs or during the
summer, if the assigned advisor is not available. They
also assist with leaves of absence, locating resources
on campus, absence from class and general academic
problems. Most assistant deans for advising are located
in the College Office, the academic home office for
College students in 120 Logan Hall. Advisors for the
Benjamin Franklin Scholars Program have offices in the
ARCH Building.
The Help Desk
The Help Desk in the College
Office is available on an email or walk-in basis for
quick questions about routine academic
procedures.
Major Advising
Once students have declared their
major, they will be assigned a major advisor. This may
be the undergraduate chair, director or another faculty
member in the department or program. This advisor will
assist in planning the major, identifying research
opportunities in the major and discussing fellowship
and post-graduate opportunities in this academic field.
Students should still speak with a College advisor
periodically to discuss their overall progress toward
the degree as well as special academic options and
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programs.
Academic Options
Double Major
Students wishing to complete more
than one major in the College of Arts and Sciences may
do so by applying for, and completing the requirements
for, each major. At least 18 different courses must be
taken in fulfillment of major requirements. All other
degree requirements must also be completed. Some
students find that it takes more than eight semesters
to complete a double major. Students interested in
doing more than one major should consult with an
academic advisor.
Vagelos Scholars Program
This program offers Penn’s
most motivated young scientists an opportunity to begin
intensive course work and research in their first year.
Vagelos Scholars major in chemistry or biochemistry and
complete a second major in any other natural science
with the option of a master’s degree. The program
requires and funds summer research. Students enter the
program in their first semester.
Individualized Major
While most College students are
encouraged to choose one of the more than 50
departmental or interdisciplinary majors available in
the College, it is recognized that there are students
who find that the standard majors do not satisfy their
intellectual interests.
The individualized major offers
an opportunity for exceptional, creative,
self-motivated students with a g.p.a. of at least 3.5
to explore innovative and multidisciplinary fields of
knowledge. One of the most important goals of the
individualized major is to foster a closer relationship
between the student and the faculty advisors. With
scholarly mentorship, students design an academic
research project from its inception, through a coherent
set of courses and the different stages of research to
the writing and rewriting of a high quality thesis.
Students interested in proposing an individualized
major should expect that designing it will take
considerable effort and time as well as imagination.
Minors
Although College students are not
required to complete a minor, students may choose to
complete one or more minors. In this way, students can
pursue secondary areas of
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