Academic Life

A Personal Education

Although Miami is a public university with more than 100 majors, we provide a personal education often found only among small, private schools. Our focus on undergraduates extends the academic experience beyond program requirements to include extracurricular learning opportunities that just aren't available at many universities.

Under the guidance of senior faculty, students of all majors can gain professional insight and practical experience through undergraduate research and study abroad, as well as internships acquired through faculty referrals. Beyond these options, special enrichment opportunities are available for academically superior students through Miami's prestigious Honors and Scholars Program.

The Miami Plan

In addition to extracurricular study and specialized courses in their majors, all Miami students complete the Miami Plan for Liberal Education. More than job training for a specific career, the Miami Plan includes courses that help you develop mental agility and problem-solving ability to think for yourself and adapt to a changing world. A well-rounded education can help you explore a wide range of subjects and perhaps discover new interests and career possibilities.

I.	Foundation
	This requirement is met by taking 36 semester hours of Foundation courses. These courses, typically taken within the first two years, include the following areas: English Composition Fine arts, Humanities, Social Science Cultures Natural Science Mathematics, Formal Reasoning, Technology
II.	Focus
	The focus requirement is met by a minimum of nine hours in a Thematic Sequence outside your department of major and a minimum of three hours in a Senior Capstone Experience. Taken in your final year of study, the capstone serves to meld your broad, liberal learning with the specialized knowledge of your major. It could take the form of a workshop, research seminar, individual or group project, or creative work in a studio, laboratory, or field study.

The two parts of the Miami Plan include about 30 percent of your courses; the remaining 70 percent, the Field, are courses for your major, divisional requirements, and electives.