A major is a concentration of courses – usually adding up to between 36 and 48 credits – in a particular content area like Psychology, Marketing, English or Engineering.
For instance, on top of the 60 credits of general education requirements (basic courses on a broad range of subjects) and electives (courses of a student’s choice or interest) that you might earn at a two-year college, you would be required to take about 40 credits of coursework in your major area of study, as well as some electives, to reach the total of approximately 120 credits required for a four-year degree.