Independent Major

College of Engineering

Program Website

Program Description

Offered by the College of Engineering and the Associate Dean of Undergraduate Programs; Contact: Engineering Advising, 180 Rhodes Hall, (607) 255-7414.

The Independent Major (IM) offers students in Cornell Engineering an opportunity to pursue a novel and interdisciplinary course of study when their educational objectives cannot be satisfied by one of the existing majors offered by Cornell Engineering. An Independent Major (IM) comprises a Primary Area (32-credit minimum) and a Secondary Area (16-credit minimum), which together form a coherent curriculum. The Primary Area must be any subject area offered by the engineering schools or departments, except Computer Science. The Secondary Area should preferably be from outside engineering in a logically connected subject area or theme comprised of courses taught throughout Cornell (a Secondary Area in another engineering field may be considered). All courses in the Primary Area and the Secondary Area must be taken for letter grade (no S/U allowed) and students are only allowed one course below a C- across the two areas.

The IM curriculum is individualized and is developed in consultation with two Faculty Advisors (one in the Primary Area and one in the Secondary Area). The combination selected must clearly form, in scope and content, an engineering education and should include engineering design and synthesis, as well as engineering sciences. In addition to 48 credits in the combined Primary and Secondary areas, all requirements of the Engineering Common Curriculum must be met (which will follow the Primary Area curriculum rules for Math, Science, and ENGRD). Students are highly encouraged to propose a course of study that is unique. Applications to combine coursework from an existing engineering major and coursework for an existing minor will not be approved. Applications will also not be approved for a Secondary Area in pre-health.

Because no single standardized curriculum exists, the independent major is not accredited by ABET. Independent major students who intend to seek legal licensing as a Professional Engineer should be aware that this nonaccredited degree program will require additional education, work, and/or experience to qualify for eligibility to take the Fundamentals of Engineering examination and may affect acceptance into some engineering graduate programs.