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Northwestern University

Double Majors Across Schools

Sometimes, students choose to complete a major in Weinberg College as well as a major in another school.

If you would like to complete majors in two Northwestern schools, please note the ways this will impact your requirements and ultimate degree.

You will likely need to interschool transfer

Some schools will not permit you to complete their majors if you are not enrolled in their school. (The Bienen School of Music is an exception; any undergraduate student may pursue a second major in the Bienen School with successful completion of the application and audition process.) While interschool transfer is generally not difficult, it may involve careful consideration of your ability to complete requirements. Be sure to consult with an adviser in the other school, your Weinberg Adviser, and Health Professions Advising, which specializes in interschool advising.

You will likely only complete the degree requirements for one school (although you will complete the major requirements in both)

If, for instance, you want to complete the Theatre major in the School of Communication and a major in Sociology in Weinberg, you will first need to interschool transfer into the School of Communication. Then, you will complete all the graduation requirements for the School of Communication, including their distribution requirements and the major, as well as the Sociology major requirements. You will not, however, need to complete the Weinberg general education requirements (our first-year seminars, distribution requirements, and foreign language proficiency and writing proficiency requirements).

Because you will not complete the degree requirements of the College, your degree will come from your new school

This may mean you earn a Bachelor of Science degree, rather than a Bachelor of Arts. You will, however, have the following entry included on your transcript if you file a petition to graduate for both majors: "Also completed departmental program requirements for a major in ________."

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