Areas of Study
Lindenwood University's definition of areas of study is below.
- Major: A major represents the primary field of specialization selected by a degree-seeking undergraduate student. A major requires a minimum of 30 credit hours in a subject area for completion. Required coursework can be offered by a single department or multiple departments. Majors include introductory coursework that may be part of the General Education program, as well as upper level coursework. All undergraduate students must complete a major in order to obtain a bachelor's degree from Lindenwood University.
- Minor: A minor represents a subset of a major. A minor requires a minimum of 15 credit hours in a subject area for completion. Required coursework can be offered by a single department or multiple departments. Minors include introductory coursework that may be part of the General Education program, as well as upper level coursework. Coursework for a minor may also include coursework for a major in another field. Undergraduate students are not required to complete a minor in order to obtain a bachelor's degree from Lindenwood University.
- Certificate: A certificate represents a structured set of courses designed to provide students with specific skills suited to different potential careers. A certificate requires a minimum of 12 credit hours for completion and may include labs, internships, and/or clinicals. Only degree-seeking Lindenwood undergraduate students are eligible to earn an undergraduate certificate.
- Track: A track is a predetermined course of study as outlined by a student’s program major or minor.
- Emphasis: An emphasis is an additional set of courses or a course of study that is focused on one area of a major or minor.