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Individualized Majoronline or on-campus

Are you highly motivated?

Watch the video about designing your own major, 1 minute longWith our Individualized Major, you’ll mold classes from our existing programs along with internship options into a one-of-a-kind degree that fulfills your own personal vision.

Some Individualized Majors our students have designed include:

  • Consciousness-Based Community Development
  • Agro-ecology & Sustainability
  • Creativity for Social Change

You can also blend majors together to graduate sooner by focusing specifically on your area of interest. You’ll be guided through the creation process of your major by an academic advisor who will help you every step of the way.


How it works

After you enroll at MIU you create a written proposal summarizing your proposed major and its set of courses. Courses in the Individualized Major are flexible as you progress, allowing your degree to grow with your vision. Students with a large number of transfer credits can be fast-tracked into the Individualized Major soon after arrival on campus.

Get started by contacting Adriene

Adriene Crimson, admissions counselorAdriene Crimson is this program’s admissions counselor for US students. Adriene will provide you with all the details of becoming a student, including connecting you with the program director or faculty.

Contact Adriene >

International applicants may connect with us through our international inquiry form.


Next entries:
Apr ’25 (online)
Aug ’25 (campus & online)
Apply to MIU >
Next entries:
Apr ’25 (online)
Aug ’25 (campus & online)
Apply to MIU >

See how it all connects

Art faculty mentoring studentAt the end of your program, you’ll prepare a senior thesis tying together what you’ve learned. Through our unique system of Consciousness-Based education, you’ll connect at the deepest level everything you’ve learned and see how it fits into your own life.

Our close-knit campus and online community will support your personal and academic growth, providing a positive, encouraging environment where you can become your best self.

Transcendental Meditation

students meditating in a classroom

All MIU students practice the Transcendental Meditation® technique daily. This effortless, evidence-based technique has been found to enhance practical intelligence and creativity, promote clear, insightful thinking, and greatly reduce stress. Learn more ➤

Degree requirements

A minimum of 128 credits (semester hours) is required for students to graduate with a bachelor’s degree. This may include up to 90 transfer credits.

Undergraduate degree students can apply transfer credits to cover electives, some general education requirements, and up to half the course work in the major, for a maximum of 90 total credits. General transfer credits are accepted for courses completed with a grade of “C” or higher.

Only two courses are required of all undergraduate students

    This course is your entryway into MIU and Consciousness-BasedSM education. We dive into an ancient yet radically new framework for understanding the universe and our place in it. This model holds that consciousness, not matter, is fundamental. With this in mind, we look at some of life’s big questions: How can we develop our fullest potential as human beings? How do art and stories help us understand that potential? How can our own growth help create a more just and peaceful society? What do the world’s great wisdom traditions have in common? How can we improve education and healthcare? The new paradigm we explore in this course infuses all your classes at MIU. In this course, you'll learn the Transcendental Meditation® technique to awaken the full potential of consciousness in your life. Comments from students
    • “I truly had a significant experience every single day in class.”
    • “I’m hesitant to even call it a class; it felt more like a philosophical playground. Not only do I feel like the course has primed me well for the rest of my time at MIU, I feel that the information covered in class will be extremely relevant for the rest of my life.”
    • “It was easily digestible, deeply engaging (edge of my seat in pure focus many days), and incredibly enjoyable.”
    Writing is a crucial skill not only for college but for life. Students are required to complete at least one writing course; a second writing course may be required depending on an entering student's skill level.

Featured faculty

katie snyder

Katie Snyder

katie snyder

Katie Snyder is Director of the Individualized Major (IM), advising on-campus students and helping them develop their IM Plan. A faculty member in the College of Business Administration, she teaches FOR 200 Interdisciplinary Study and Dharma. Katie also serves MIU as Director of Assessment and Title IX Coordinator. She holds an MA in Leadership & Workplace Conflict Resolution and an MS in Environmental Engineering. Katie has ten years of professional engineering experience working for the world’s largest engineering firms as a licensed engineer (water/wastewater) and is a proponent of the Institute for Sustainable Infrastructure Envision program. She has dedicated her career to help inspire others to dream, create and ‘make the world a better place’ through the development of real-world solutions based on the understanding of science, ourselves, and our infrastructure needs.

Cathy Gorini

Catherine Gorini

Cathy Gorini

Catherine Gorini is Dean of Faculty, Professor of Mathematics and Individualized Major advisor and mentor for math and science focused students. She received an Award for Outstanding College Teaching from the Mathematical Association of America in 2001. Her research interests include Maharishi’s Vedic Mathematics; using the Transcendental Meditation® technique in the teaching of mathematics; geometry and symmetry; undergraduate mathematics education; using Geometer’s Sketchpad to study Euclidean geometry or analytic geometry; using JavaSketchpad to create interactive geometry web pages. Cathy received her MA and PhD from the University of Virginia and did her undergraduate work in mathematics at Cornell University.

Featured Alum

aditi-16-14
aditi-16-14

“Instead of molding myself into a major, I wanted to create a major that expresses who I am. I’m able to pick courses that are immediately applicable, so I can start using what I learned immediately. I really appreciate that.”

— Aditi Gentsch
Individualized Major

Cost & Aid, 2025-26

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