Academic Programs
The Academic Programs A to Z Chart lists Rider University's majors, minors and certificates alphabetically, along with the college or school that grants each degree, major, minor and certificate. The following definitions explain the difference between majors, minors, tracks, concentrations, and emphases:
| Major | An organized group of courses ranging from introductory through advanced levels. Typically most if not all courses are in a single primary area of study, although some majors include study in multiple disciplines. Undergraduate majors require between 18 and 90 credits, depending upon the liberal arts or professional focus. Graduate majors require between 30 and 45 credits. Entrance into some majors may require prerequisites, portfolios, auditions, or other forms of assessment. Upon completion of all requirements, the major is listed on the official transcript. |
| Minor | An organized group of courses, typically involving introductory through intermediate levels. While most minors are in a single discipline, Rider University offers several interdisciplinary minors, such as Law and Justice, and Sustainability Studies. Minors are offered at only the undergraduate level, and require between 15-33 credits. Some departments have restrictions on the connection between major and minor options. Entrance into some minors may require prerequisites, portfolios, auditions, or other forms of assessment. Upon completion of all requirements, the minor is listed on the official transcript. |
| Track | A choice of specialty within a degree, tracks comprise an organized group of courses serving a particular focus within a major. In undergraduate and graduate majors that represent multiple disciplines, tracks indicate a particular disciplinary focus. In a single discipline major with tracks, each track represents a singular focus, often representing a liberal arts or professional path. In some cases, a track represents a sub-specialization within the major field. Entrance into some tracks, particularly those that represent a particular disciplinary focus, may require prerequisites, portfolios, auditions, or other forms of assessment. Tracks require between 21 and 52 credits. Upon completion of all requirements, the track is listed on the official transcript along with the major field of study. |
| Concentration | Concentrations, such as for the Finance Major or Supply Chain Analytics, represent a specialty or focus within an undergraduate or graduate major field of study. Typically, a concentration unites courses around content or a particular theme. Concentration requirements are a portion of a major, not the entire major itself. In some cases, concentrations refer to an interdisciplinary combination. Entrance into some concentrations may require prerequisites, portfolios, auditions, or other forms of assessment. Undergraduate concentrations require between 9 and 36 credits; graduate concentrations range from 9 to 18 credits. Upon completion of all requirements, the concentration is listed on the official transcript along with the major field of study. |
| Emphasis | Typically an organized group of courses in a single discipline, the emphasis represents a subset of credits within an undergraduate or graduate major. The emphasis provides a coherent focus of study within a discipline, which may or may not be in the major field. Typically an emphasis represents less than one third of the total major credits, mostly ranging from 15 to 19 credits. Entrance into some areas of emphasis may require prerequisites, portfolios, auditions, or other forms of assessment. Upon completion of all requirements, the emphasis is listed on the official transcript along with the major field of study. |