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Individual Studies

Sometimes, finding the right path takes a little time. Individual Studies offers the flexibility to explore options and collaborate with an advisor to create a customized program.

Why Choose an Individualized Studies Program?

Columbia-Greene’s Individual Studies program caters to students who are explorers—or those who have multiple interests that do not fit into a neat box. Working closely with an academic advisor to craft a pathway, students will design a major that fits their academic goals.

Undecided students will enroll in a broad range of classes to find an appealing discipline that best fits their passions, thereby alleviating stress and saving money during the search for the right academic path. Remember: A third or more of students change their major at least once during college. Sometimes, students know exactly what they want to study, but cannot find a major that fits. Columbia-Greene’s skilled advisors help students select classes that prepare them for their next step—either transferring to a four-year college or university or immediately entering the workforce.

Individual Studies is a multi-purpose program with four different degree options that enables students to plan a sequence of courses according to their individual needs and interests. It is appropriate for students who want to change majors or are uncertain about their academic or career goals; who want to concentrate in a particular area of liberal arts; who want to design a customized transfer path, or who need to complete transitional requirements before entering the major of their choice.

Program Options

Credits: 61 | Time to Completion: 2 years

Curriculum Code: 0687 I Liberal Arts Credits: 45 I Program Credits: 16

Especially suited for undecided students, this program allows students to explore a range of disciplines before transferring to a four-year institution. Speak with an advisor for more details.

Course CodeCourseCredits
EN 101Composition 3
EN 102Composition and Literature 3
HU ELEHumanities Electives 6
HU ELE
SL ELE
Humanities Electives OR
Social Science Electives
15
MA ELEMathematics Elective 3
SC ELELab Science Elective 3
SL ELESocial Science Electives 12
Liberal Arts Credits:45
CE 101College Experience 1
GN ELEGeneral Electives 15
Program Credits:16
Minimum Credits:61
Credits: 61 | Time to Completion: 2 years

Curriculum Code: 0688 I Liberal Arts Credits: 21 I Program Credits: 40

Start by exploring a range of disciplines and then take a deeper dive into one of seven concentrations: arts and humanities, automotive technology, behavioral and social sciences, business, computer science, math, and science or nursing.

Course CodeCourseCredits
EN 101Composition 3
EN 102
EN 105
Composition and Literature OR
Technical Writing
HU ELEHumanities Elective 3
MA ELEMathematics Elective 3
SC ELEScience Elective 3
SL ELESocial Science Electives 6
Liberal Arts Credits:21
15-credit concentration
in one of the following:
AR/HU
AU
SL
BU
CS
MA/SC
NU
Arts and Humanities OR
Automotive* OR
Behavioral and Social Sciences OR
Business OR
Computer Science OR
Math and Science
Nursing*
15
CS ELE
CI ELE
BU ELE
Computer Science Elective OR
Computer Information Elective OR
Business Elective
3
CE 101College Experience 1
GN ELEGeneral Electives 18
HU ELEHumanities Elective 3
Program Credits:40
Minimum Credits:61

*Available only to students previously matriculated in the program

Credits: 61 | Time to Completion: 2 years

Curriculum Code: 0689 I Liberal Arts Credits: 30 I Program Credits: 31

This program prepares graduates to transfer and earn a bachelor’s degree. Choose a concentration from one of six areas: automotive technology, behavioral and social sciences, business, computer science, math, and science or nursing. Students will take classes focused on the STEM disciplines as well as humanities and social science.

Course CodeCourseCredits
EN 101Composition 3
EN 102Composition and Literature 3
HU ELEHumanities Electives 6
MA ELEMathematics Elective 3
SC ELELab Science Elective 3
SL ELESocial Science Electives 6
SL ELE
HU ELE
MA ELE
SC ELE
Social Science Elective OR
Humanities Elective OR
Mathematics Elective OR
Science Elective
6
Liberal Arts Credits:30
15-credit concentration
in one of the following:
AT/AU
SL
BU
CS
MA/SC
NU
Automotive* OR
Social Science** OR
Business** OR
Computer Science OR
Math and Science OR
Nursing*
15
CE 101College Experience 1
GN ELEGeneral Electives 15
Program Credits:31
Minimum Credits:61

*Available only to students previously matriculated in the program

**Students matriculated in these concentrations may complete their degree in a fully online format.

Credits: 61 | Time to Completion: 2 years

Automotive Technology Concentration (0683) I Business/Accounting Concentration (0684) I Computer Science Concentration (0685) I Construction Technology Concentration (0686) I Police Basic Training Concentration (0682) I Liberal Arts Credits: 12 I Program Credits: 49

Get hands-on experience that leads directly to a career in automotive technology, building construction technology, business/accounting, or computer science.

Course CodeCourseCredits
EN 101Composition 3
MA 103Business Mathematics 3
PY ELE
EC ELE
Psychology Elective(s) OR
Economics Elective(s)
6
Liberal Arts Credits:12
15-credit concentration in
one of the following:
AU
BU
CS
CC
LE
Automotive Technology OR
Business/Accounting OR
Computer Science OR
Construction Technology OR
Police Basic Training
15
CE 101College Experience 1
GN ELEGeneral Electives 33
Program Credits:49
Minimum Credits:61

*Available only to students previously matriculated in the program

Careers & Outcomes

There are dozens of opportunities that Individual Studies provides to help students explore their educational, career, and transfer options. For example, students can use Individual Studies to meet pre-requisites to enter a competitive Allied Health degree, explore how realistic it is to enter an engineering program or see if accounting is a viable option.

Case Studies

  • Individual Studies can be the academic vehicle which provides the path for a student who wants to major in Psychology while preparing for a career in Physical Therapy. The design would include courses in biology, chemistry, physics, anatomy and physiology, general education requirements and core psychology courses. This blend of classes provides a strong transfer base for a B.A. in Psychology while meeting the required pre-requisites to enter graduate school for Physical Therapy.
  • It has been reported that approximately 70% of college students will change their major at least once in their college career. For instance, some business majors, once they encounter the rigorous nature of accounting, finance and extensive math requirements, retreat to find alternative avenues into business careers. Studying communication and or psychology can allow entrance into a variety of sales, marketing, and human resources careers. Individual Studies allows the opportunity to design a degree path combining several disciplines to successfully achieve goals. The Organizational Communications Degree at the University at Albany is one possibility which blends the study of communication, business, and social science.
  • If an early childhood education major changes their direction, rather than lose transfer credits, changing over to Individual Studies helps remove the roadblocks for degree completion and transfer credit loss.
  • In contrast to students with well-designed transfer paths, is the undecided student, who hasn’t yet crystalized an academic plan. Individual Studies provides the freedom of course selection to explore and experiment with program and career ideas. This freedom, though important, without extensive guidance, career counseling and support services, can lead to a confusing cluster of courses with little or no connection. Choosing one career path is one of the most important, exciting, and confusing challenges in life. This path can be filled with missteps and wrong turns. Columbia-Greene offers the strong support services required to ensure student success.