It is possible for a student to create a custom or individualized major at Saint Mary's University of Minnesota.

An individually designed major study program must be significantly different from a catalog major offering. It must have a focal point or unifying factor different from present departmental majors. It may not be a subfield of a current major offering. It may not be a current major offering with one or two courses added or subtracted.

An individualized major must represent significant time applied to courses united by the special focus of the program. The approved individualized major must include at least 39 credits and it is recommended no more than 51 credits of designated major study. Approximately half of the required courses should be upper division. Approval must be obtained from the chair of each academic department from which three or more courses and/or upper division courses will be taken. Also, the major must be approved by the associate vice president for academic affairs.

As with departmental majors, individualized majors should be declared before the junior year. This major option should not be considered or designed after a student has earned 95 credits. Once approved, an individualized major program cannot be changed without the approval of the associate vice president for academic affairs and the appropriate department chair(s). No courses listed in the original individualized major and subsequently taken by the student may be changed or deleted from the major.

Students should note that the approval of an individually designed major study program does not exempt the student from any university graduation requirement other than the requirement to complete a catalog major. It is the responsibility of the student to make sure that all other graduation requirements are met.