Do schools even allow triple+ majors anymore?

[bujumbles]

Im just rather curious because all the schools I've looked barely allow double majors; are their any schools in california that allow triple majors?

 

[Poop-Loops]

I have a friend who was doing physics + math + comp sci before settling on just comp sci (already secured a job with Google, so he doesn't care anymore).

Another physics major I met said he's also doing math and EE.

 

[bujumbles]

I have a friend who was doing physics + math + comp sci before settling on just comp sci (already secured a job with Google, so he doesn't care anymore).

Another physics major I met said he's also doing math and EE.

what school are they going to, literally all the schools I've looked into are very adimit about no one having more then a double major

 

[KennyCivE]

I know someone doing a triple major, but all in liberal arts.

 

[BioCore]

As far as I know the school that I go to does not allow triple majors unless if you have permission from the registrar office.

 

[ytoruno]

im doing a triple(math, physics, Computer Eng), and i had to get administrative clearance first rather than just declare a major.

 

[Cincinnatus]

What constitutes a major varies widely between schools. Getting multiple majors can become wildly easier depending on your school's policy toward double counting classes in multiple majors.

For example, at Brandeis University practically everyone has 2-3 majors, some people have more. This is because almost any class you can make an argument for being related to another major will double count with that major. The number of classes that constitutes a major is also very low in many cases, though these vary quite a bit. It is possible to double count every single class and get two majors out of one set of classes.

 

[bujumbles]

so basically you don't declare a triple msjor you have to get special permission from administration?.. is that the general consensus?

 

[Poop-Loops]

what school are they going to, literally all the schools I've looked into are very adimit about no one having more then a double major

University of Washington.

I don't think you'll get accepted if you just write "I WANT TO TRIPLE MAJOR KTHNXBYE" on your application, but if you've already declared a major... and tack on one more... and then another, and prove you can do it, then you should be fine.

 

[jtbell]

I don't think it's possible to say that there is a consensus, because different schools have different policies, and require different numbers of courses for a particular major. Also, a student who comes in with a lot of AP credit for introductory courses can take more intermediate and upper-level courses towards different majors.

Where I teach, we don't have any particular policy towards multiple majors, as far as I know. As long as you take all the courses that are required for each major, you can do it. Some people stay an extra semester or two to finish. Some are athletes who who want to stay anyway to take advantage of their fifth year of eligibility to play, and can get scholarship money to do it.

I had a student a few years ago, a basketball player, who triple-majored in (I think) chemistry, physics and math.

 

[BioCore]

@jtbell
Sure seems like that student will have an impressive resume when applying to a job or grad school.

@Bujumbles,

like jt said, it all really depends on your school. The only reason my school doesn't allow a triple major would be because one major requires 8 credits. We have to take a total of 20 credits over 4 years in order to finish. Meaning two majors will cover 16 credits leaving you with only 4 credits. The second reason is that usually a school might prohibit the number of first year courses a person can take which can then also cause someone not to be able to take more than two majors - this is also the reason at my school.

 

[mgiddy911]

It will depend on school and major. Some majors just do not take as many classes. My school offers a major in International studies which is basically incentive to people to study abroad as a vast majority of classes taken abroad can count towards that major. So it would be easier** to do maybe Physics, Math and Intl. Studies. (easier does not imply easy)

 

[uworunner]

triple majors

Yes, it varies greatly from school to school. I made the search back in 2002/2003 to find good schools for a Chem/Math/Physics triple in the Midwest. Some are very subjective in allowing double counting and others not so much. Sitting in my last semester I was lucky enough to be able to read through the rules the summer before I started college and create a plan to get through with minimal hiccups. A lot depends on the registration officials at the institution you are looking into, if you show the drive to succeed they will help you as many students don't. That being said I also tacked on Econ and Finance for a second Bachelors using mainly summer courses and independent studies classes to keep on track. Next year I have the hybrid of a MBA and MEng in Energy Systems to look forward to.