There are two types of Interdepartmental Majors with slightly different declaration procedures. See the instructions below for each type.
Student-Proposed IDMs
To declare an IDM, you must develop a written plan for your program of study, give your IDM a descriptive title, and work with the directors of undergraduate studies in both departments to put together a cogent list of courses for the major that they will approve. You will specify which department is considered "primary." In considering your proposal, the Directors of Undergraduate Studies should collaborate to insure that your IDM is rigorous and coherent. After you complete the IDM application and have both directors of undergraduate studies and advisors sign the application, submit the signed form to Academic Dean Liguo Zhang for final approval, and processing. After your IDM has been officially declared, you will meet with your IDM advisors each semester to discuss courses for the upcoming semester and be made eligible to enroll.
For more information on the requirements for an Interdepartmental Major go here.
If you're planning to declare an IDM but won't have time to go through the process or have your proposal approved before the major declaration deadline, you must declare a regular major, even if you're planning to change it later. Choose one of the majors from your intended IDM, and follow the steps for declaring a major on the "How to Declare" tab.
FORM: IDM Application
If you are a sophomore declaring your major for the first time, you will also need to complete the standard declaration steps outlined below, after you've created and had your plan for your IDM approved:
- Begin on the Planning Tab, in DukeHub. This is where you’ll find your Degree Progress Report, Long Range Plan, What If report, and your Planner to select future courses. The Planner and What If report are planning tools in which you identify the courses you expect to take during your remaining time at Duke.
- Complete the Long Range Plan. You’ll answer four questions about your future plans, reflect on your choice of the interdepartmental major, and complete a brief survey about your pre-major advising experience.
- Run a Degree Progess Report. View it as a PDF. This will show you how your past and current courses are meeting Trinity requirements, and what general education requirements remain. Note your remaining requirements so in step 4, you can add classes to meet those requirements.
- Add courses to your Planner. Search for the courses you plan to take to complete your IDM and to satisfy all remaining general education requirements and place them in your Planner, so you’ll have 4-5 classes each semester for your remaining semesters. If you plan to study abroad in a Duke-in program, you can add the courses you expect to take. If you don’t know where you will be studying, or what will be offered, just enter courses for that semester as if you would be at Duke. Delete any courses you didn’t assign to a particular semester.
- Run a What If report. The student proposed IDM major requirements will not show as satisfied because they are not programmed into DukeHub. However, all Trinity general education requirements should show as satisfied and you should not have any courses that go beyond your graduation semester. If you do, go back into your Planner and delete them.
- Schedule an appointment with your college advisor to review your Long Range Plan (What If and Reflection). They will approve everything and then Dean Zhang will review your submitted IDM application and your major declaration materials, and process your application.
Departmental IDMs
These IDMs are programmed in DukeHub, therefore, you will add planned classes for the major AND general studies requirements, making sure both show as 'satisfied', just as you would any other major. Schedule an appointment with your college advisor to review your What If report and reflection. Your advisor will confirm the accuracy of the What If report and reflection. Your college advisor will then notify the AAC that your major is ready to be declared.
Program II
To learn more about Program II and to apply, please visit their site. If you're planning to declare a Program II major but won't have time to go through the process or have your proposal approved before the major declaration deadline, you must declare a regular major, even if you're planning to change it later. Choose whatever major is closest to your proposed Program II, and follow the steps for declaring a major on the "How to Declare" tab.