What compromises an individualized major?

In consultation with faculty mentors, most WSP students develop an individualized major. They do so as part of a carefully scaffolded educational planning process which we call the “educational design.” Students envision and create their educational designs while taking two courses in the program: WSP 201 & WSP 301. Visit the “Book of Majors” below to view the course requirements for more than 100 recent individualized majors in the Whittier Scholars Program. These majors exhibit the academic rigor and merit of Whittier Scholars individualized majors, and they also provide a glimpse of the exciting diversity of fields Whittier Scholars pursue, as well as the creativity and ambition students demonstrate.

Book of Majors

One of the key learning outcomes that all Whittier Scholars students achieve is the ability to clearly articulate WHY they take each course, WHY they select each internship or study abroad venue, etc. In other words, Whittier Scholars know the value of their college education because they are so deeply involved in planning their paths.

Enjoy!

• Please note that many of these majors include courses taken while studying abroad, or transferred in from other institutions. Such courses are not included in this overview, so be aware that some majors appear incomplete.

2021 Spring Symposia

Each year, graduating seniors in the Whittier Scholars Program (WSP) present their year-long independent projects in an evening symposia series that is open to the public. These annual symposia feature an incredible array of student work, from neurobiological research, to business proposals, to film festivals and stand-up comedy evenings.

Click here to watch recordings of this year’s presentations on our WSP Youtube channel.

Whittier Scholars Program

At-A-Glance

Description

The Whittier Scholars Program offers students the opportunity to pursue a self-designed education at Whittier College. The Program embodies Whittier College’s mission and values through an individualized set of requirements tailored to each student. Students in the Whittier Scholars Program (Scholars) integrate all aspects of their college experience into individualized “Educational Designs,” which are customized educational pathways designed to actualize personal aptitudes and ambitions. These pathways may include any of the majors or minors offered at Whittier or self-designed majors or minors. In a series of small seminars, students synthesize learning experiences across a spectrum of fields, discern their academic focus, and work together with others to connect their co-curricular engagements with their aspirations and burgeoning skills.

An iterative design process affords students opportunities to imagine, plan, practice, and reflect on their learning, their goals, and their educational choices. Students create their Educational Designs with close mentorship from members of the Whittier Scholars Council and other faculty. Educational Designs incorporate 4-6 courses (8-13 credits) in the Whittier Scholars Program, a carefully curated selection of courses from all divisions of the College, at least one off-campus learning experience, a mentored capstone project, and a digital portfolio that reflects each student’s goals and growing proficiencies.

Program Goal 

The Whittier Scholars curriculum is designed to foster effective expression in multiple modes and media, cultivate community engagement and a habit of self-reflection, and instantiate practical and scholarly skills appropriate to students’ academic and professional goals.

Program Objectives

1. PURPOSE: Whittier Scholars develop, refine, and pursue their own educational goals.   
2. INTEGRATION: Whittier Scholars synthesize their achievements and reflect on their learning process in a portfolio of work in multiple modes adapted to various audiences.   
3. BREADTH: Whittier Scholars attain foundational knowledge in a variety of methodologies or theoretical perspectives. 
4. DEPTH: Whittier Scholars demonstrate the development of proficiencies relevant to their self-designed education through the completion of original work.   
5. PRAXIS: Whittier Scholars integrate academic competencies with co-curricular and off-campus learning experiences involving research, study abroad, internships, or service learning. 

Course Descriptions

WSP 101 – Individual, Identity, Community 3 credits

This gateway course for the Scholars Program asks students to explore enduring questions such as; the relationship between the individual and the community; the role of education and the life of the mind; and the ways in which values and affect influence the formation of our questions. The course is designed to help students discern their own goals for their education and to yield fundamental research, communication, and problem-solving skills. Director’s permission required. 

WSP 201 – Designing Your Education 1 credit

This course requires students to think about their educational choices in the context of their own values, interests, aspirations, and aptitudes. Students define specific educational goals as well as pathways to achieve them. In-class examples, discussion, and reflection guide students as they develop their Educational Design Portfolio, which maps educational goals onto courses and experiences to be acquired during their academic journey. The course prepares students for the Educational Design Defense, which typically takes place during or immediately following WSP 201. Pre-req or co-req: WSP101. 

WSP 299 — Internship Reflection 1-3 credits

This course, which must be taken simultaneously with an off-campus internship, provides the opportunity for students to reflect on their internship experiences, deliberately and consistently connecting their experiences to their academic learning objectives, and comparing experiences with those of their classmates. The goal of the course is to enhance the extent to which internships provide a learning opportunity for students. Director’s permission required. Permission required if a student has already taken WSP399. Pre-req: WSP101.

WSP 301 — Project and Portfolio Design 1 credit

In this course, students practice research skills and create an action plan for their Whittier Scholars senior project, which may include a capstone project in a major. Through peer interaction and with the mentorship of a faculty sponsor, students define the shape and scope of their project, and prepare a bibliography, timeline, and proposal for the project. Additionally, students revise their Educational Design Portfolio to integrate evidence of progress toward their educational goals. This course prepares students for the Senior Project/Portfolio Report meeting, which typically takes place during or immediately following WSP301. Pre-req: approved Educational Design.

WSP 399 — Practicuum 1 credit

This course, which must be taken upon completion of a non-internship off-campus experience, provides space to process and reflect on the experience. Through peer interaction, students will conceptually integrate their individual off-campus experience into their Educational Design Portfolio, and plan their next steps for off-campus learning during or beyond college. Must be taken in the term following the completion of the non-internship off-campus experience. Permission required if a student has already taken WSP299. Pre-req: WSP101.

WSP 401 – Senior Project Workshop 1 credit

In this workshop, students review their peers’ senior projects as works-in-progress while they complete their own senior project. Pre-req: WSP301. 

WSP 495 – Interdisciplinary Independent Study 1-4 credit

Students for whom no course is offered that will serve as a senior seminar may take this independent study course with either the project sponsor or another faculty member, as decided in the Progress Report meeting. Pre-req: WSP301. 

WSP 499 – Senior Symposium 1 credit

Generally taken during graduating semester. Practice for, attendance at, and presentation of the senior symposium and final Educational Design Portfolio. Pre-req or co-req: WSP 401.

Whittier Scholars Program Curriculum

The Whittier Scholars Program offers students the opportunity to pursue a self-designed education at Whittier College. The Program embodies Whittier College’s mission and values through an individualized set of requirements tailored to each student. Students in the Whittier Scholars Program (Scholars) integrate all aspects of their college experience into individualized “Educational Designs,” which are customized educational pathways designed to actualize personal aptitudes and ambitions. These pathways may include any of the majors or minors offered at Whittier or self-designed majors or minors. In a series of small seminars, students synthesize learning experiences across a spectrum of fields, discern their academic focus, and work together with others to connect their co-curricular engagements with their aspirations and burgeoning skills.

An iterative design process affords students opportunities to imagine, plan, practice, and reflect on their learning, their goals, and their educational choices. Students create their Educational Designs with close mentorship from members of the Whittier Scholars Council and other faculty. Educational Designs incorporate 4-6 courses (8-13 credits) in the Whittier Scholars Program, a carefully curated selection of courses from all divisions of the College, at least one off-campus learning experience, a mentored capstone project, and a digital portfolio that reflects each student’s goals and growing proficiencies.

Program Purpose and Values

The Whittier Scholars Program helps students

• Discern their academic focus and purpose by learning about how academic preparation relates to life goals
• Define and communicate their academic choices to themselves and others 
• Facilitate cross-cohort connections between alumni, students, and prospective students. 
• The Program’s focus on discernment, communication, and connecting academics to life goals increases equity of student success as it demystifies the processes and expectations of college life.

In addition

• Whittier Scholars courses scaffold integrative learning skills throughout the full undergraduate experience of our students, and provide evidence of the development of those skills in student portfolios.
• Whittier Scholars students may design their own majors and/or minors, or they may pursue any major offered at the College, or they may double major and/or minor
• Self-designed majors and/or minors must be developmental and interdisciplinary (connecting courses from at least two different departments).
• All Whittier Scholars Educational Designs must identify at least one methodological course that provides coherence to the design and grounds a long-term research-based creative, scholarly, or applied project.
• All Whittier Scholars student-designed pathways will integrate each of the following: off-campus experience, long term research-based project, course-based learning experiences, and may include co-curricular learning, and group projects.
• Students may include co-curricular experiences among students’ educational choices when they support curricular learning.

Program Goal 

The Whittier Scholars curriculum is designed to foster effective expression in multiple modes and media, cultivate community engagement and a habit of self-reflection, and instantiate practical and scholarly skills appropriate to students’ academic and professional goals.

Program Objectives

1. PURPOSE: Whittier Scholars develop, refine, and pursue their own educational goals.   
2. INTEGRATION: Whittier Scholars synthesize their achievements and reflect on their learning process in a portfolio of work in multiple modes adapted to various audiences.   
3. BREADTH: Whittier Scholars attain foundational knowledge in a variety of methodologies or theoretical perspectives. 
4. DEPTH: Whittier Scholars demonstrate the development of proficiencies relevant to their self-designed education through the completion of original work.   
5. PRAXIS: Whittier Scholars integrate academic competencies with co-curricular and off-campus learning experiences involving research, study abroad, internships, or service learning. 

Is the Whittier Scholars Program for you?

This is a very brief overview of how the program works. For answers to additional specific questions, visit our FAQ page. To learn more, or to talk about your individual plans, meet with a program faculty member by scheduling a videochat.

Senior Symposium

All Whittier Scholars seniors give a public presentation of their capstone projects. These annual symposia feature an incredible array of student work, from neurobiological research, to business proposals, to film festivals and stand-up comedy evenings.

In Spring 2020, Josh Morales gave his senior symposium virtually. Watch “Analyzing the Significance of Cell Surface Molecules at Wiring the Nervous System,” April 28, 2020.