In the College of Arts and Sciences .
Course Offerings
The Robert S. Harrison College Scholar Program represents the pinnacle of the liberal arts experience at Cornell. The program is focused on a small group of stellar students whose interests transcend disciplinary boundaries. These students have demonstrated exceptional promise and maturity to plan and carry out a well-designed individualized program of study and research.
Students design their own interdisciplinary major, organized around a question or issue of interest, and pursue a course of study that cannot be found in an established major. College Scholars explore subjects with a broader integration of related disciplines than most students would attempt. Students work with faculty advisors to help guide their course selections and research interests.
Website: as.cornell.edu/college_scholar
Requirements for the major:
College Scholars are required to complete 120 credits of course work (100 in the college), the College’s First-Year Writing Seminar requirement, the university physical education requirement, and the college’s residency requirement. Students are strongly encouraged to take COLLS 3001 - College Scholar Seminar , an interdisciplinary research methods course. Although the program does not provide the structure of a traditional department, College Scholars are expected to select courses that will not only prepare them well for the specialized honors thesis or senior project they propose to complete during their senior year, but will also expose them to the disciplines and methods essential to a liberal arts education.
As a capstone to their studies, all Scholars undertake an independent senior project, usually culminating in an honors thesis. It is a unique opportunity within the College of Arts & Sciences for engagement and learning, in the classroom and beyond. Students who opt for the one-semester senior project are not eligible for honors. To be eligible to enroll in the year-long honors thesis course, College Scholars need to have completed a minimum of two College Scholar seminars (one in science or math, and one in the humanities or social sciences) and maintained a GPA of 3.5 or above.
Applications to the College Scholar Program are due early in the first semester of the sophomore year. Application materials and deadlines are available on the program’s website. Questions about the Program may also be sent to as_csp@cornell.edu.