Sophomore year is a time of decision making, in selecting your major and applying for study abroad. You also need to be conscious about your major while selecting courses, since for some majors there are specific courses that should be taken during the sophomore year. Here are some guidelines.
1. Major Declaration
The major declaration period begins at the conclusion of Add-Drop in September and ends on the Friday before Spring Break. If you are applying for study abroad, your major has to be declared prior to initiating the study abroad application. The procedure of major declaration can be found at: http://bsfs.georgetown.edu/academics/majors/declaration/
Don't wait: If you already know your major, you should not wait to declare, as you can start establishing relationships with the curricular dean (the dean in charge of each major)* and the faculty mentor (if you choose to have one)**. Even if you are indecisive, don't worry about going ahead; you will not be prevented from changing your major in the future as long as there is a good academic justification and you can still graduate on time.
More information on the majors can be found at: http://bsfs.georgetown.edu/academics/majors/
You can also start thinking if you would like to pursue one of the certificates. http://bsfs.georgetown.edu/academics/certificates/ Advising for certificates is done by individual certificate programs.
*Starting with major declaration, your advising dean changes from your first-year (or transfer) dean to the curricular dean.
** Having a faculty mentor is optional; a student who chooses to have a mentor is expected to construct a meaningful relationship with the faculty member. Each major's website contains a list of faculty members who serve as mentors. The Faculty Mentor Program Agreement Form can be found at: http://bsfs.georgetown.edu/academics/majors/advising/
2. Study Abroad Application
Some of the study abroad application deadlines are during the fall semester. Identify the program and the semester for which you wish to apply and make sure you know the deadline! http://overseasstudies.georgetown.edu/
3. Major-Related Courses during Sophomore Year
The following are general recommendations. You need to contact the curricular dean for choice of courses that would match your specific study goals and study abroad plan. You can now see how important it is to declare early and start working with your curricular dean.
CULTURE AND POLITICS: If you plan to study abroad in the fall of your junior year, you should consider taking Theorizing Culture and Politics (CULP 045) in the spring of your sophomore year. All students interested in CULP must attend a CULP Information Session (see Globe for times) before meeting one-on-one with Dean Gregory.
INTERNATIONAL ECONOMICS: It is ideal to take Intermediate Micro in the fall, followed by Econ Stats or Intermediate Macro in the spring especially if you may study abroad during junior year. Calculus I is a prerequisite for these courses. If you don't have Calculus I or its equivalent yet, you have to take Calculus I in the fall followed by Intermediate Micro in the spring (unless you pass the Calculus I waiver exam on 8/29/2011).
INTERNATIONAL HISTORY: Students must select an area of study around which they construct their major coursework. Students interested in the major should meet with Dean Pirrotti prior to declaring to discuss their areas of interest. All IHIS students take HIST 305 Global Perspectives (fall only). IHIS students who study abroad during junior year must take HIST 305 either as sophomores or as seniors.
INTERNATIONAL POLITICAL ECONOMY: It is ideal to take Intermediate Micro in the fall, followed by Econ Stats in the spring especially if you may study abroad during junior year. Calculus I is a prerequisite for these courses. If you don't have Calculus I or its equivalent yet, you have to take Calculus I in the fall followed by Intermediate Micro in the spring (unless you pass the Calculus I waiver exam on 8/29/2011).
INTERNATIONAL POLITICS: You should have taken GOVT 006 by the end of the fall, and GOVT 121 by the end of the spring. You may take one of the major courses in the spring. And you should strongly consider taking IPOL 320 Quantitative Methods for International Politics, especially if you plan to study abroad in the fall of junior year. All students interested in IPOL must attend a IPOL Information Session (see Globe for times) before meeting one-on-one with Dean Kasper.
REGIONAL & COMPARATIVE STUDIES: All RCST majors must choose a specific theme to explore within their region(s) of the world. This theme becomes the basis for course selection in the major. Student pursuing Regional Studies must explain how the theme applies to countries of interest within the selected region. Comparative majors must justify the selection of regions against their selected theme.
SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, & INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS: STIA majors should take STIA 305 Science & Tech in the Global Arena during the sophomore or junior years.
The Add-Drop period is 8/29/2011 (starting times according to last names) to 9/9/2011. http://registrar.georgetown.edu/
4. Career Planning
The Career Center has a useful career planning checklist for sophomores. http://careerweb.georgetown.edu/prepare/careerpreptimelines/13219.html
We look forward to seeing you back!
Mitch Kaneda, Associate Dean and Director of the Undergraduate Program (IECO and IPEC majors) Kendra Billingslea, Assistant Dean Maura Gregory, Assistant Dean (CULP major) Bryan Kasper, Assistant Dean (IPOL major) Mini Murphy, Associate Dean (STIA major) Anthony Pirrotti, Assistant Dean (IHIS major) Emily Zenick, Assistant Dean (RCST major)
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