The rapid growth of several majors in the past three years has caused headaches – and even the risk of delayed graduation – for some University students.

Some students in biology, sociology and other growing programs said they have had difficulty getting the classes they want.

“Sometimes I don’t get the exact (elective) I want, so I pick three or four and take what I can get,” said Maggie Madean, a biology and pre-med major.

According to The Office of Institutional Research’s Web site, enrollment in biology jumped by 279 students between 2003 and 2006 – an increase of 19.3 percent.

Francine Palevitz, a Student Affairs professional for the biology program, said she has felt the effects from the increase in the number of biology majors.

“I have had students complain that they had to take a course because it was the only one available, and it wasn’t the one they wanted,” she said.

Political science and international affairs – which split into different majors in 2004 – had the highest growth in number of students in the past three years.

Although political science grew the most numerically (291 students), its percentage growth of 26.9 percent was dwarfed by other majors.

Romance languages grew by 63.5 percent and counseling 62.9 percent.

Department heads are feeling the crunch as they try to make sure there are enough seats in required courses.

The sociology department is offering three extra sections of its research methods class, a required course for the major, said William Finlay, head of the sociology department.

“My concern is that no one should have to spend an extra semester here because they could not get a required course,” said Finlay, whose department has seen an increase of 56 students.

The extra required courses are replacing elective courses – open to all students – inside the department, he said.

“This is something that we have to pay attention to, but I think we will be able to manage by ensuring that sufficient seats in elective courses are reserved for sociology majors,” Finlay said.

“It is the non-majors who may have more difficulty in getting into our classes.”

The sociology department also has had to deal with the loss of faculty members. Since 2003 the department has lost three professors and has yet to hire replacements, leading to a decrease of about 150 seats in their lower level classes.

The Franklin College of Arts & Sciences may provide funding to the department, but “the growth is something the departments have to manage on their own,” Finlay said.

Despite the increasingly crowded major, Finlay said he thinks sociology students are satisfied with their major.

“I haven’t received any complaints, and I think that’s simply because, to the best of my knowledge, no one has been stuck and had to stay on an extra semester.”