Pre-College Credits

Entering students should arrange to have Advanced Placement scores forwarded directly to the Office of the Registrar at Haverford College. The registrar will award one course credit for an AP score of 5 and one-half course credit for a score of 4. No credit is awarded for scores under 4. The maximum AP credit awarded to any student may not exceed four course credits.

Credits earned in summer school, in the Advanced Placement program, in “A” Levels, in the International Baccalaureate Program, the French Baccalaureate Program, the German Abitur, and the Swiss Maturité, or in college courses taken either before matriculation at Haverford or during the summers as a Haverford student will be recorded in such a way that the total for any one student does not exceed four course credits. Students should note that general education requirements are not satisfied by any such work, with the exception of summer credits earned during the student’s years at the College.

Independent Majors and Double Majors

Students with a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.50 may propose the design of an independent major. Such majors must have the approval of the Committee on Student Standing and Programs (CSSP); interested students are encouraged to consult the CSSP web pages for additional information regarding the independent major option. Furthermore, a member of the Haverford or Bryn Mawr College faculty must serve as the student’s advisor and also must agree to supervise the student’s senior project or thesis. Students interested in pursuing an independent major at Bryn Mawr College must still apply through Haverford’s Committee on Student Standing and Programs and not directly to Bryn Mawr College.

Students with a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.50 may double major by completing the entire requirements of both majors, including thesis requirements. In order to double major, the student must obtain permission from the appropriate dean and the chairpersons of both departments. When deemed appropriate by the two departments, a single thesis may satisfy the thesis requirements of both majors. However, a single thesis submitted for a double major may not be used to reduce either the amount or quality of work typically required by each major program. The single thesis option may be undertaken only with the written agreement of both departments.

Minors

Disciplinary and Interdisciplinary minors, consisting of six to seven courses, are currently offered in various fields at Haverford as listed elsewhere in this catalog, and are described in detail under the headings for individual departments and programs.

A minor is not required for the Bachelor of Arts degree or the Bachelor of Science degree.

Areas of Concentration

Areas of concentration exist at Haverford in order to afford students a formal opportunity to pursue an area of study distinct from, but relevant to, their choice of major. The areas of concentration that are currently available are listed elsewhere in this catalog, and are described in detail under the headings for individual departments and programs.

To fulfill an area of concentration, a student must normally complete six course credits selected with the aid of a concentration coordinator who may consult with an advisory group for that concentration. Of the six course credits, no fewer than two and no more than three will also form part of the student’s major.

Students are strongly encouraged to elect an area of concentration at the same time they declare a major: that is, during the fourth semester of attendance. As with the major, earlier elections are not permitted.

A concentration is not required for the Bachelor of Arts degree or the Bachelor of Science degree.

Independent Minors and Concentrations

As with majors, students may propose to design independent areas of concentration (related to the major) or minors. These programs require the approval of the Committee on Student Standing and Programs (CSSP); interested students are encouraged to consult the CSSP web pages for additional information regarding independent areas of concentration and minors.