Anyone in a specialization will have the option to finish it or switch to the minor when the time comes, said Doug Estry, associate provost for undergraduate education and dean of undergraduate studies.

“We try very hard not to inconvenience students,” he said.

According to a university memo dated May 13, 2013, specializations were developed during a time when minors were not offered for MSU undergraduates. Most majors were mono-disciplinary, while specializations were meant to be an interdisciplinary option.

“The difference between a minor and a specialization is very little,” Estry said. “But, the term minor is most commonly understood.”

He added that most specializations will convert easily, while some might have to add credits. Minors require at least 15 credits.

Information from the Office of the Registrar shows that eight of the university’s 57 specializations will need to add credits to meet the minor criteria. Only 10 of the 17 degree-granting colleges have specializations.

Of the eight specializations, three are in the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, or CANR; two are in the College of Communication Arts and Sciences; one is in the College of Arts and Letters; one is in the Eli Broad College of Business, and one is in the College of Music.

Overall, specializations within the College of Communication Arts and Sciences, for example, look at topics as varied as environmental journalism, among others.

College faculty and administrators will have a role in changes to any programs.

There are 40 minors offered at MSU by nine colleges, according to the registrar.

It would be just as easy for students to complete two minors as it is for them to do a minor and a specialization, Estry said.

“In the long run, the transition will be a benefit to students,” said Kelly Millenbah, associate dean for academic and student affairs in CANR. “The term specialization is unique to MSU and does not translate well to external MSU constituents, such as employers or graduate school admissions counselors … This should greatly reduce confusion.”

Changes to the CANR programs will be determined by the faculty who teach them and the department that administers them, she added. Each unit in the college will review the specializations to determine if they want to maintain them as minors or discontinue them.

The programs in the college that don’t require 15 credits and thus will need to add credits or face deletion are: agriculture and natural resources biotechnology, international agriculture and sustainable agriculture and food systems.