As a degree requirement, each student completes an approved program of concentrated study in a major field. The major is commonly taken in a single discipline, along with several courses in related subjects. Some majors are interdisciplinary. An individualized major may be designed, however, to meet particular educational needs. We also have dual degree programs (described below) that involve cooperative agreements with other accredited academic institutions, and degrees from both Maryville College and the cooperating institution are awarded.
A disciplinary major consists of a minimum of 30 semester hours in a single discipline including six hours devoted to a Senior Study. In the B.A. and the B.S., the major may not require more than 50 hours in a single discipline (i.e. a single three-letter course designation). The B.A. involves a maximum of 56 hours in all major and related subjects. However, the educator preparation track within some majors may exceed the 56-hour limit because of the addition of professional courses. The B.S. involves a maximum of 70 hours in major and related courses. For an individualized major, possible only with the B.A. and B.S. degrees, at least 18 hours in one subject, 12 hours in a related subject, and six hours in Senior Study are required; approval of the Committee on Individualized Instruction must also be obtained.
Students may select a major by the end of the first college year,but the selection may wait until the sophomore year in some fields. Postponement of the choice beyond the sophomore year, or a subsequent change of field, is likely to delay graduation beyond the normal four years. Students planning to pursue a major in a highly structured program, where the sequence of courses is an important consideration, are encouraged to confer with the appropriate academic division chair early in the first year of enrollment. Such fields include the foreign languages, natural sciences, mathematics, teacher education, physical education, and the cooperative programs in engineering and nursing.
Permission of the academic division chair must be secured in order to major in any field. Approval must be registered on the proper form filed by the advisor with the College Registrar. Continuation in the major is contingent upon satisfactory academic performance. Substitutions for required major courses are granted only in rare instances and require the written approval of the division chair. For all courses taken to satisfy major requirements for all degrees, a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.00 (2.75 for all educator preparation majors), must be earned with no more than four semester hours below the grade of “C-.”
Degrees Offered:
- Bachelor of Arts
- Bachelor of Music
- Bachelor of Science
- Cooperative, Dual Degree Majors
The fields from which majors for the Bachelor of Arts degree may be selected are:
*Educator Preparation Track available
The fields from which majors for the Bachelor of Music degree may be selected are:
*Educator Preparation Track available
The fields from which majors for the Bachelor of Science degree may be selected are:
Cooperative, Dual Degree Major Programs
- Engineering
- Health Care/Nursing
- Biopharmaceutical Sciences/Pharmacy
- Biological Sciences/Veterinary Medicine
The cooperative, dual-degree in Engineering normally involves three years at Maryville College before transfer to the cooperating institution. Maryville College maintains formal agreements with several universities.
The cooperative, dual-degree program in Health Care/Nursing involves two years at Maryville College and two years at nearby Tennessee Wesleyan University (TWU). After program completion the B.A. in Health Care is received from Maryville College and the B.S.N. is received from TWU.
The cooperative, dual-degree in Biopharmaceutical Sciences/Pharmacy normally involves three years at Maryville College and four years at the College of Pharmacy at the University of Tennessee Health Sciences Centers in Knoxville and Memphis or the East Tennessee State University Gatton College of Pharmacy in Johnson City. The B.A. in Biopharmaceutical Sciences is received from Maryville College after successful completion of the first year of pharmacy school.
The program of study leading to the Bachelor of Science degree in Biological Sciences with a Pre-Veterinary Sciences Track from Maryville College and to the Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from the University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine consists of three academic years at Maryville followed by four academic years at UTCVM.