Program Overview

B.A. Special Major

The Bachelor of Arts: Special Major is an interdisciplinary program offered by San Francisco State University for students who have unique and well-defined academic goals which cannot be satisfactorily attained through one of the undergraduate major programs at SF State or with a major and minor combination.

Program Description

The interdisciplinary Special Major program must be planned in advance to focus on an integrative and coherent theme identified by the student. To be approved for a Special Major, students must prepare a written statement that thoroughly describes the major, identifies the academic theme of the major, and provides justification as to why selected departments and courses for the major are necessary to complete the identified field of study.

Requirements and Eligibility

Eligibility Criteria

Students who answer yes to all of the following statements may be eligible:

• Are you a current SF State Student?
• Do you have a minimum of 45 and a maximum of 90 semester units of university study with a cumulative grade point average of 3.0?
• Do you have unique academic goals which cannot be satisfactorily attained through one of SF State's undergraduate major programs or through a combination of a major and minor at SF State?
• Can you identify a focused theme for the major you plan to create?

Program Requirements

• The major must be planned through the Special Major Statement and then receive approval by the Special Major Advisor, Department Chairs (or designees), and the Associate Dean of Undergraduate Studies.
• Must be a minimum of 45 approved units of which at least 36 units must be upper division.
• At least 30 units of work in the Special Major Program must be completed after final approval has been obtained.
• Coursework to support the identified theme must meet the following criteria:
  • Courses must be selected from at least three different departments within two or more colleges at SF State.
  • A minimum of 9 units and no more than 21 units must be completed in each department.
  • As long as requirements are met for three departments from two colleges with units ranging from 9 to 21 units, the student can supplement their Special Major with relevant elective courses. If courses selected from a single department total fewer than 9 units, the courses are considered electives.

Declaring a Special Major

Steps to Declare a Special Major

1. Meet with the Assistant Director to develop your Special Major proposal. Note: typically, this may take a full semester (or more) to draft and revise. Please plan accordingly.
2. Approve your Special Major Statement and proposed courses with the Special Major Advisor, Department Chairs (or designee), and the Associate Dean of Undergraduate Studies.
3. Upon approval of the Special Major proposal, a change of major will be confirmed to declare the Special Major.

Special Major Advisor

Students pursuing a Special Major will work with the Assistant Director from the Undergraduate Advising Center (UAC) to define, develop, and declare their major.

Program Structure

• Special Majors are hosted through the Undergraduate Advising Center.
• Students will meet with the Assistant Director to discuss the Special Major further and outline their course plan. The Assistant Director will serve as the Special Major Advisor throughout the Special Major program.

Next Steps for Interested Students

1. Review information above under Requirements and FAQs.
2. Start drafting your idea. Think about your theme for the Special Major and how it could be represented by courses from 3 main departments.
3. Use the Bulletin to list majors and courses. Note departments and potential courses you feel connect to your Special Major theme.
4. Draft a brief description summarizing your Special Major theme (one to two sentences).
5. Outline your timeline. When will you complete your Special Major Proposal, and when will you finish courses for the major if approved?
6. Consult with the Assistant Director.
7. Revise. Expect to go through several drafts and an in-depth revision process to arrive at your final approved Special Major. This may take as long as a full semester, and you may need a few meetings with the Assistant Director to finalize everything.