A Self-Determined Major (SDM) integrates more than two disciplines to achieve a clearly developed and coherent course of study not available through the existing majors and minors at Skidmore. 

Mission Statement

The Self-Determined Major transcends the boundaries of Skidmore's majors and minors and reflects the integration of more than two disciplines toward the attainment of a clearly developed and coherent course of study.

Recent Self-Determined Majors include arts administration, film studies, Italian studies, Chinese, poetry, media studies and communications, computational neuroscience, the physics and sound of recording, and public health.

Director of SDM Program: Catherine White Berheide, Sociology, x. 5415

SDM Committee:

• Ryan Homsey, Director of Academic Advising, x. 5728
• Scott Mulligan, International Affairs, x. 5253
• Sheldon Solomon, Psychology, x. 5312
• Melora Wolff, English, x. 5197
• Beth Miller, Academic Administrative Assistant, x. 5202

A student interested in a Self-Determined Major must propose a course of study to the Self-Determined Major (SDM) Committee.

Students proposing a Self-Determined Major should identify two faculty advisors in different disciplines related to their SDM and thoroughly discuss their proposal with those advisors. The formal proposal must be typed and carefully written, edited, and proofread. The detailed information on writing the SDM proposal is available here.