Independent Major Major
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About the Major
Students who have intellectual and professional interests that reach beyond the boundaries of existing major and minor programs at Elon may propose an independent major. The independent major is interdisciplinary in nature and suitable for highly motivated students willing to assume exceptional responsibility for their own education.
German studies student seized on opportunity to pursue subject as independent major
Blake Healey had always been curious about studying German. He has relatives in Germany and thought college would be a great opportunity to finally learn the language. He also hoped it would give him the chance to study abroad and visit the country.
So as he sought out colleges, he focused on liberal arts schools in North Carolina that offered German classes and had a solid study abroad program. Knowing that he wanted to eventually pursue a law career, he also kept an eye on those colleges with law schools attached to them so he could get an introduction to the discipline.
All roads led him to Elon University.
“I remember looking around on different websites and being impressed with Elon’s World Languages and Cultures Department as well as their emphasis on studying abroad,” he said.
When he began his freshman year, Healey had no idea that the university offered students the opportunity to pursue an independent major. So he was surprised when, just weeks into his first German course, his professor, Kristin Lange, asked if he would be interested in pursuing a major in the subject. Lange had seen how quickly Healey had taken to the language and was impressed with the amount of work he was putting into learning the language and culture.
It’s expected to be interdisciplinary because that’s the rationale for doing an independent major — it’s not just one preexisting subject; there’s a lot of potential for customization.
Knowing that he wanted to take as many German courses as he could at Elon, his interest was piqued. He was already majoring in history, and a second major in German studies would be complementary — plus it would look good on his academic transcript.
To apply for an independent major, a student must put together a faculty committee to advise them during the application process and, if accepted, through their studies.
“The idea is that the faculty committee is supposed to represent the different academic fields that flow into your independent major,” said Healey, whose committee was made up of professors from German studies, history and philosophy. “It’s expected to be interdisciplinary because that’s the rationale for doing an independent major — it’s not just one preexisting subject; there’s a lot of potential for customization.”
Customization was part of the draw for Healey in deciding to have an independent major. Required to come up with a capstone project that serves as a senior thesis of sorts, he chose to combine his interests in history, German studies and the law. His research focused on “Faust” by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe and the role the law played in the 19th-century play. Healey studied how developments in German intellectual history and different schools of philosophy in Germany around the time that the play was written help explain how Goethe portrays the law.
Healey appreciated the opportunity to weave his interests into his capstone project.
“It was a big plus,” he said. “You can definitely integrate your other academic interests into the independent major. They give you a lot of freedom to do that, and since I knew I was interested in the legal profession and the law, it was a great opportunity to incorporate that into my academic work.”
Healey also appreciated the structure that allowed him to have a faculty mentor with whom he could discuss research topics.
“It was very useful to have that guidance, and it benefited me,” he said. “The project itself has made me a better student and has helped set me up for academic success in other fields.”
Healey also took advantage of Elon’s study abroad program by studying at Heidelberg University for a full academic year. “I definitely wanted to stay there as long as possible, not only to experience Germany but also to get a chance to learn as much German as possible,” he said, adding that between his coursework, staying with a host family and visiting relatives, he spoke German about 90 percent of the time and left the country very proficient in the language.
He cites his mentorships at Elon as being important to his success during undergrad. His professors were always willing to speak with him and provide him with extra materials that went beyond the lectures, and they kept in touch with him over Zoom when he was in Germany.
Healey graduated from Elon in 2024 and is heading to Georgetown Law in the fall. While at Elon, he seized opportunities to study the law, participating in mock trials the three years he was on campus and taking part in competitions at different universities.
“Mock trial was very useful when I was thinking about, ‘Is the law something I’m actually interested in? Is this something I can see myself doing?’” he said. “You have to put in some work at the beginning of the process when you’re preparing to argue the case, but the payoff is really great when you get to walk into the ‘courtroom’ and deliver your statements and examine witnesses.”
When applying to law schools, Healey was able to detail all the opportunities he took advantage of while at Elon. Through his history major, he published in a peer-reviewed journal; he worked at Elon’s Belk Library as an archives assistant; while studying abroad, he was a research assistant for a nonprofit German legal policy think tank; and for his performance in a National Championship Qualifier Mock Trial Tournament in 2022, he was given an Intercollegiate Outstanding Attorney Award.
He encourages those interested in pursuing an independent major to not be afraid to start the process before they have it all figured out. The application process supports students still developing ideas through one-on-one mentoring and collaboration with their faculty committee.
“If you put in the work and have good mentors, that will come,” he said.
Did You Know?
- Students must apply for an independent major; to be eligible, they must have at least a 3.0 GPA and at least two years remaining prior to graduation. Independent majors work closely with a group of three faculty members representing different areas of expertise. The application process is thorough and rigorous, so students must be especially self-motivated.
- Among the independent majors pursued by Elon students in the past are biophysics, German studies, international documentary studies, Jewish studies, linguistics, Native American studies, neuroscience, philanthropic documentary production, quantitative finance, social entrepreneurship, urban studies, and women’s, gender and sexualities studies.
- Like all Elon students, those pursuing independent majors are encouraged to build on their classroom knowledge by pursuing internships, service learning, study abroad and other experiential learning opportunities. Elon Honors and other Fellows recipients may also pursue an independent major. Most independent majors will engage in original research as part of their senior capstone.