Centenary University offers a wide range of majors, especially for a small university. Even so, you may have interests that don’t fit neatly into a discipline — you may be drawn to a number of areas, or even want to explore subjects we don’t yet have.
We love to see students actively engage with defining their own learning. Our Bachelor of Arts in Individualized Studies (BAIS) allows students considerable flexibility in choosing their courses to create their perfect B.A. program.
The BAIS program is a ‘real’ major! Your academic advisors would be Humanities faculty members, and your home department would be the Centenary University School of Education & Humanities.
An essential aspect of a Centenary education is that students take upper-level courses in their area of interest—these courses have a particular emphasis on synthesis, creativity, and intellectual independence. To guarantee that BAIS students have this experience, students choose two areas of concentration, in which they take at least four courses, at least two of which are upper-level.
In addition to the two concentrations, students complete general education requirements and typically have plenty of room for a minor if they desire one.
Students interested in creating their own major should also explore dual degree, double major, and triple major options that Centenary University offers to see if these would suit their academic needs. Following an established path may be easier for you.
That said, any student can elect a BAIS major. First-year students interested in the program often enter Centenary as “Undecided,” and they then declare BAIS after at least one semester of study.
Designing a major can be an intense yet rewarding experience that allows students to customize their studies to fit their unique career goals. The Individualized Studies major process often has moments of uncertainty that require creative problem-solving from self-motivated, patient, and proactive students.