A major (also known as a major concentration or concentration) is a term for the specific group of courses that give you a basic knowledge of a field of study, which is in addition to your core curriculum. A major is a term most commonly applied to a program of study leading to a bachelor's degree. The College or School in which you are studying will define a framework for this specialized portion of your studies, including a certain number of required courses and a certain number of "elective" courses relevant to the major. So if you are majoring in holistic health you may still be able to take courses in health psychology. The institution will also define your general education or foundation education requirements. Some majors effectively define your full course of study while others allow you considerable latitude, both within your field of study and in their other courses.
For some majors in naturopathic and holistic medicine you may need to take specific courses (pre-requisites) during your first year before you can even be considered eligible for upper level courses.
Associate's degrees can also have majors, for instance the Associate of Applied Science (AAS) in Massage Therapy. Certificate programs do not have majors as such. Rather, they carry a designation (for instance a Master Herbalist certificate) which is much more specific than a degree title. Often, students in a community college or career college program take a common set of core foundational courses in the first year (or term, in the case of shorter programs) which then enables them to pursue a specialized area of study. But generally, the field of study at the community and career college level is focused to the point where students do not take "elective" courses as they do for bachelor's degrees. Hence the designation of the certificate effectively stands in for the "major."
Illinois Wesleyan University Founded in 1850, Illinois Wesleyan University (IWU) is a highly selective liberal arts university with an enrollment of 2,100. IWU has long been known for its outstanding faculty, distinctive liberal ...
