Major/Minor
Geography
Geography majors/minors draw on natural and social sciences to understand Earth’s environments and how humans respond to and transform them. You'll touch on sustainable land use, migration, globalization, climate change, urbanization, and environmental justice. You can also choose Geographic Information Systems (GIS) as an emphasis, gaining map-making skills.
Major/Minor
Health and Physical Education
Health and Physical Education (HPE) majors prepare to work with people of all ages and in many movement-related settings. Those who complete a major in HPE with state teaching licensure are typically preparing for work in K-12 educational settings, such as in Physical Education (Phy Ed., P.E.), and coaching. Majors also pursue graduate study in kinesiology-related disciplines. See sample courses and careers here.
Major/Minor
Religion
Religion majors/minors explore life's biggest questions through classroom experiences that foster dialogue between faiths with compassion and respect. You will study theology, major religions, and their relationship with ethics, politics, art, music, literature, and more. Sample courses and career pathways—including pastors and other clergy—here.
Major/Minor
Art Studio
Studio Art majors/minors create a studio practice (painting, drawing, photography, pottery, digital art, and more), exploring art in ways that are conceptually rigorous, inventive, and open to contemporary questions inside and outside the arts. Sample courses and more here.
Major/Minor
Psychological Science
Psychological Science is foundational to tackling society’s big questions and challenges, from prejudice to multi-sensory perception and memory. As a Psychological Science major, you will be immersed in experiential learning courses that put science and research into practice. You will learn to test and interrogate psychological research questions, lead experiments, collect and analyze data, and present their findings.
Major/Minor
Political Science
Political Science majors/minors engage in critical and analytical exploration of governance, social movements, and policy. Graduates attend law and graduate schools, and work in advocacy, politics, and for local, state, and federal governments. Check out sample classes and career paths here.
Major/Minor
Pre-Actuarial Science
Future actuaries major in Mathematics, Statistics, and/or Economics for careers managing risk in finance, insurance, retirement planning, and economics. You pursue actuarial science at Gustavus with a faculty advisor from the Mathematics, Computer Science, and Statistics Department who assists you in selecting courses and professional experiences. Sample courses and career paths here.
Major/Minor
Pre-Pharmacy
Pre-pharmacy students major in Chemistry, Biology, or Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. You'll receive a strong science foundation for graduate school, plus the freedom to explore through elective courses. It's academic rigor, a supportive community, and the advantages of an immersive on-campus experience. Plus, the Office of Health Professions provides comprehensive support, from navigating prerequisites to pharmacy school applications.
Major/Minor
Pre-Physical Therapy
Students studying pre-physical therapy major in Exercise Physiology and/or Biology on their way to leading rehabilitation treatment programs for sports and other injuries. You'll get a strong academic foundation in the core classes needed for PT and orthopedic PT school, plus the freedom to explore through electives. You'll also be supported by the Office of Health Professions, from prerequisite courses through grad school application.
Major/Minor
Pre-Occupational Therapy
You'll major in Exercise Physiology and/or Psychological Science for a future as an occupational therapist. You'll get a strong academic foundation in the classes needed for grad school, plus the freedom to explore a range of electives. It's an ideal blend of academic rigor, supportive community, and immersive campus experience. And the Office of Health Professions provides comprehensive support, from prerequisite course requirements to graduate school applications.
Major/Minor
Communication Studies
Communication Studies majors/minors learn to be effective communicators, listeners, dialoguers, and creators, exploring how society, politics, and culture influence media. Communication is a top skill employers seek—see sample courses and career paths (such as journalism and public relations).
Major/Minor
Pre-Optometry
You'll major in Biology and Chemistry, gaining a strong academic foundation in the core classes needed for graduate school, plus the freedom to explore through electives. You'll have academic rigor, a supportive community, and an immersive on-campus student experience. Plus, the Office of Health Professions supports future optometrists, from first steps to grad-school applications.