Completing an Arts & Sciences bachelor’s degree requires students to fulfill University Requirements, Arts & Sciences Requirements, and Major Requirements. You can view the complete list of degree requirements on the Requirements for a Bachelor’s Degree catalogue page.
When planning their academic path, most students should focus on three key areas:
- First-Year Foundation (FYS and Reintro)
- Foundational Abilities
- Major requirements
Balancing these requirements across four years can feel overwhelming. To help students build a long-term academic plan, the Office of Academic Advising has created the Academic Planning Resource Guide, which is comprised of two parts.
Part I: General Academic Planning Resource Guide
Part I of the guide provides strategies for long-term academic planning, along with practical tips for using key planning tools such as Stellic, SIS Course Search, and Semester.ly.
Part II: Sample Academic Plans: AS Majors + Foundational Abilities
Part II of the guide includes sample four-year academic plans for every Arts & Sciences major. These plans combine major requirements with First-Year Foundations and Foundational Abilities to illustrate one possible path to degree completion. The plans were developed using the official Undergraduate Catalogue Sample Plans and by reviewing the course pathways of recent graduates.
These sample plans are intended to help students:
- Understand how major requirements and Foundational Abilities fit together.
- Identify which Foundational Abilities may be fulfilled through their major.
- Recognize which requirements will likely need to be completed outside the major.
- Begin developing a personalized four-year academic plan.
Keep in mind that these sample plans are not prescribed schedules. Course selections within each major always vary, and many students pursue double majors, minors, or other academic opportunities. Every Hopkins student’s academic journey is unique, and these plans are designed to serve as a starting point for conversations with an academic advisor.