Majors, Minors & Degree Requirements
Tracking Your Degree Progress
Degree Requirements
The requirements to earn a Barnard degree can be found in the college catalogue.
Students should consult their online degree audit in Student Planning, as well as their academic advisor(s) to be sure they are on track to satisfy these requirements.
What to do if your online degree audit is incorrect:
- For questions about major requirements: contact major/department adviser or chair. If changes are needed, please have the department chair fill out this form.
- For questions about general education requirements: contact degreeaudit@barnard.edu
- To request changes to your degree audit, please fill out this form.
Please note that the online degree audit is a tool used by students and advisers; it is not an official document. Deans and department chairs are the final authorities on whether a student has satisfied all requirements for the degree.
General Education Requirements
Students entering Barnard in fall 2016 and after follow the Foundations general education curriculum. To view current courses that fulfill each category, click here. To view courses in past terms that fulfill each category, click here.
Students entering Barnard prior to fall 2016 follow the Nine Ways of Knowing general education curriculum. To view current courses that fulfill each category, click here.
Majors and Minors
Declaring or Changing a Major
All Barnard students must declare a major by March 1 of their sophomore year. At that time, students are assigned a major adviser within their major department. To declare a single or double major submit the Major Declaration form to the Registrar's Office.
To declare a double major that has a single integrating project (not a complete double major), submit the Double Major with Single Integrating Project form. Both department chairs must agree to the course/s to be used for the senior project.
To change a major and/or an adviser, submit the Change of Major/Adviser form.
Special and Combined Majors
To apply for a special or combined major, discuss the requirements with your Class Dean. Then submit the Special Major form or the Combined Major form to the Dean of Studies Office.
To request changes to already-approved special or combined majors, submit the Petition for Changes to a Combined or Special Major form.
Minors (optional)
A minor is not required. If you decide to pursue a minor, submit this form to the Registrar’s Office once all of the courses are "in progress" or completed, or, no later than March 1 of your senior year.
Once completed, minors will appear on Barnard transcripts but not on diplomas.
Departments offering minors can be found here. If a minor is not on this list, it is not an option.
Minor Requirements:
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At least five courses (three must be Barnard or Columbia courses) totaling at least 15 credits. Each course must be 3 credits or more.
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Requirements depend on the minor chosen; courses are selected in consultation with the department chair. See department website for further info.
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Courses for the major and minor may not overlap. (The minor department chair can request an exception to this policy for a maximum of two overlapping courses if the minor requires more than 18 credits, the major requires more than 40 credits, and the overlapping courses are required for both.)
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All applicable courses must be letter-graded A+ to C-. Any previous P's in courses required for the minor will be converted when the minor is put on the transcript.
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Courses for the minor may also be used for general education requirements.
Awarding of Degrees
Barnard grants degrees in October, February and May. Exact dates can be viewed on the academic calendar.
Every candidate, regardless of graduation date, is invited to participate in the May Commencement ceremonies at both Barnard and Columbia. For complete Commencement information, please visit the official Barnard Commencement website.
Degree Application
In order to be considered for a degree, Barnard students must file a graduation application with the registrar’s office by December 1st of their senior year.
Students who do not apply to graduate by the deadline will not be reviewed for graduation and may not receive their degree at the desired time.
Diplomas
Barnard diplomas are signed by both the Barnard College President and the Columbia University President and carry the official seals of both institutions. The diploma lists the degree earned (Bachelor of Arts) and any Latin honors received (summa cum laude, magna cum laude, or cum laude). Majors, minors, and departmental graduation honors appear on the Barnard transcript but not on the diploma.
Diplomas are sent approximately 8 weeks after the degree is awarded.
Diploma Replacement
A lost or damaged diploma will be replaced for a $30 fee (payable by check to Barnard College) when you submit a notarized request containing the information below. If possible, please enclose the damaged diploma along with your application.
In your request, please indicate your name as it appeared on the original diploma, as well as your date of graduation, any graduation (Latin) honors you received, and explain what happened to the original diploma. Also include an address and phone number to which we can send the replacement diploma (no P.O. boxes); diplomas are sent via Federal Express and require someone to sign for the delivery.
Replacement diplomas are ordered with the order for our next graduating class (February, October or May) and usually takes 4 - 6 weeks to return from the printer.
Note: A replacement diploma is not the same as an original. A replacement diploma is printed with the original graduation date, but with the current Presidents’ signatures. It also includes a notation that this is a replacement of the original document.