A Major gives an Apprentice a sustained course of study within a chosen field of Wizardry. Its fixed requirements develop a particular area of competence alongside the broader foundation provided by the Core curriculum and electives.

A Minor is optional. It offers a defined secondary field for pupils who wish to give part of their elective study a more concentrated direction.

Credits and Requirements

The Apprenticeship requires a minimum of 168 credits, comprising:

• 30 Core credits.

• 80 Major credits, including the required Practicum.

• 58 elective credits, within which an optional Minor may be completed.

A Minor consists of 30 credits from its prescribed course list. The requirements for a Major or Minor are fixed lists of courses. Pupils should consult the current requirements shown in Academic History and on the Major and Minor Selection page when planning their studies.

Completion requires passing the specified courses and satisfying the relevant academic conditions. A large credit total alone does not establish that a particular Major or Minor has been completed.

Selecting a Field of Study

Major and Minor selection becomes available from Level 2. Apprentices must choose their Major by the end of Level 2 so that later study can be planned around its requirements. Pupils who wish to complete a Minor may also select it from Level 2.

Read the program description and required course list before making a choice. The Departments of Study provide an introduction to the fields represented at the School, and the selection guide explains the School Site procedure.

Academic questions about a requirement, an alternative, or the suitability of a course should be directed to the Master of Studies. Official advancement and enrollment records are overseen by the Master of Pupils.

Recording Completion

Academic History provides a record of completed courses and progress through the fixed requirements for the pupil's Major and Minor. Check that record as work is completed so that missing or incorrect entries can be raised promptly.

When a Major or Minor has been completed, report the achievement to your Prefect and the Master of Studies for review. With the Master of Studies' approval, the Prefect may award 25 Merits for a completed Minor or 50 Merits for a completed Major. These awards recognize the achievement and contribute to the pupil's Lodge.

The academic review should establish that the prescribed work has been completed. Questions about how the result appears in the official record should be brought to the Master of Pupils.

Formal Pathways After Graduation

Standard Apprenticeship tuition covers one formal Major and one Journeyman Letter. After earning that Letter, the pupil may continue into the Journeyman Program under the existing tuition plan and continue eligible study and School participation.

Ophiuchus membership includes the opportunity to undertake additional eligible formal pathways and earn further Journeyman Letters. Existing pupils already formally working toward a second Major are permitted to complete that pathway under the grandfathering arrangement.

Further details appear in the Journeyman Program guidance and the School's current program information.

Prismatic Studies and “of Many Colors”

The structured Prismatic or Rainbow Major and Minor were discontinued on January 1, 2024.

Pupils who complete all 16 Majors through eligible formal pathways receive the honorary title “of Many Colors.” The recognition marks sustained achievement across the School's fields of study. Their names are also added to a plaque at the physical campus in Whitehall, New York.