Interdisciplinary or independent studies concentrations are increasingly popular and are universally accepted by American academics. Students are able to change their major study concentration at any time so long as they possess the course prerequisites for entering another field. They may also select more than one major, although this may require extra terms to complete. Study Content Majors and many minors require more than merely the accumulation of lecture credits. Most programs also require independent research or creative projects, and there is a trend toward requiring comprehensive examinations in the major field prior to advancing the student to candidacy for graduation.
Some programs also require field experiences or clinical practica.
To learn about the specific content of a particular field of study, refer to Information Sources for Fields of Study and then check a specific institution's requirements via Postsecondary Institution Directories . The U.S. Course and Credit System Academic work at U.S. institutions of higher education is organized in concentrated modules of subject matter called courses . Each U.S. academic course occupies a scheduled amount of instructional time each term, in addition to laboratory, field exercise, homework, and research or creative requirements associated with the course. In some cases, courses may be called lecture courses , laboratory courses , studio or performance courses , fieldwork courses , practica or clinical courses , seminars , or independent research . These terms simply denote the type of academic experience provided by the course.