"Plan B." "Create-Your-Own-Major." "Operation: Avoiding Requirements." While University students have bandied about these phrases to describe a highly regarded but underexposed alternative to Program I, those in the know think these phrases are poor descriptions. Program II, which allows students to avoid declaring a typical "major" by proposing an entirely new curriculum, is the simple name for a complex four-year agenda.
Dean Mary Nijhout, associate dean of Trinity college and director of Program II since 1991 said, "There's nothing students can't do in Program II." And, the proof is in the pudding.
The individual program titles are as intricate as they are numerous. Titles include Jewish Civilization and Sacred Texts, Racial Policy and Social Change, and Twentieth Century American Culture and Society.
These intricate programs are often the result of a simple problem: No major exists that fits students' academic needs.
Among those who felt uncomfortable with their options was Trinity senior Mark Rotblat. "I came [to Duke] wanting to do biology with a concentration in genetics," he said. "After the first semester, I realized how many biology students were pre-med. I had never wanted to go to Medical School, and Program II opened my eyes to other possibilities." Inspired by his freshman seminar, Genetics and Society, Rotblat integrated biology, public policy, and sociology to create an interdisciplinary program, Genetics, Public Policy, and Ethics.
"What it is, is not a major--it's a curriculum, which leads to a degree," Nijhout said, adding that she thinks Program II is "somewhat more dynamic than Program I."
Although Rotblat found himself confused as to his options before discovering Program II, others turned to the major because they were disillusioned about the normal structure of course offerings.
Trinity sophomore David Plylar says the Program II prevented him from transferring. "I was actually planning on transferring out and applying to a conservatory, but I really liked the liberal arts environment," he said.
As a pianist, Plylar created Music Composition, a program combining music, philosophy, and art courses. Integrating these various fields of study was conceptually easy for Plylar. "If you're going to do something in the arts, you have to have some concept of what is going on in the visual arts as well as the dramatic arts and literature," he said.
Richard Stubbing, professor of public policy and current committee chair said, "Program II forces a student to be proactive, which is much more fun than being reactive, which is what 99 percent of students do."
Since 1970, 326 students have graduated from the University under the auspices of the Program II committee. As of Spring 1998, 23 students were actively enrolled in the program. Once applications are approved, students follow through with a designed curricula, based on academic requirements specific to Program II.
The Program II committee, comprising Nijhout, a student representative and three faculty members, meets twice a semester to discuss applications. With an average of 20 to 30 applications to peruse each year, "a minority [of applications] would be accepted as submitted, another good number would be accepted provisionally, and even if we reject proposals, we often encourage a resubmission," Nijhout said.
The committee members can easily gauge, for the most part, whether an application meets Program II standards. "Strong applications are clearly strong, and weak applications are usually easily identified," said former committee chair Steven Baldwin, chair of the chemistry department.
After receiving approval for a program, the student will eventually graduate with a bachelor of arts or science degree.
Many Program II majors said they occasionally have to deal with personal concerns about the ramifications of forgoing a standard major. "Sometimes I get tired of explaining my slightly esoteric focus," said Trinity senior Jacob Harold, "and I wish I had an easy one-word description of my education," he said.
Other worries have arisen, although those in Program II are quick to point out the positives. Trinity senior Sam Chernawsky has enjoyed his experience but said, "The main drawback is that since there is no organized major or program, there is no core group of students and professors, which means there is less support when leaving Duke," he said.
Professor of Zoology Bruce Nicklas, who acted as the Program II committee chair in the late 1980s, believes that the program's positives stand out. "I'm a real enthusiast for Program II," he said. "It really puts the onus on the students and they learn a lot."
Students have the opportunity to learn through various means of exploration. Although trips abroad and independent study are available to those in the more traditional track as well, Program II students say these experiences complement their own curricula.
Trinity senior Tara Kumar, who is studying The Socialization of American Children, went to Capetown, South Africa in the fall of her junior year to study the historical curriculum of South Africa before and after apartheid.
"Studying in South Africa gave me a good comparative framework for my work in the United States looking at our situation," she said.
Although Program II allows students to take advantage of opportunities abroad and delve into their interests like those in Program I, the fundamental differences are evident. "Program II students are constantly comparing what they expect to get out of a course with regard to their program, and what they are getting out of it," Nijhout said.
Despite the initial hesitation many students have in getting started with Program II, the consensus among those completing their studies is generally a positive one. As Kumar sums up, "If you're motivated to develop your own program, I would say go for it."
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