Majors and Minors | Admissions (2023)

FAQs

Do minors have to compliment majors? ›

If you're passionate about more than one subject and already majoring in the area of your chosen career, you're probably wondering if a minor needs to relate to your major? The answer is no, your minor can be in any subject and doesn't need to have anything to do with your major.

The three most common bachelor's degrees offered by the universities in the US are: Bachelor of Arts (BA degree) Bachelor of Science (BS degree)

Overall, a minor can help you develop your skills and knowledge in an area that interests you without adding many — if any — extra classes to your workload. While you'll need to declare a major in order to graduate, you are not required to declare or earn a minor.

Some employers care about minors, while others don't. The value of minors during job applications depends on the industry and the opinion of hiring managers. Employers who care about minors prefer applicants whose minors are related to their majors and/or the job positions they are applying for.

A minor can help you stand out. With the many ways to stand out when applying for jobs, graduate school or professional school, having a minor could be one of them. Taking on the challenge of several extra upper-division courses shows that you are determined, take initiative and can handle the additional workload.

Is double majoring hard? ›

A double major is harder than a single major but not by much. Double majors require more planning and studying two different fields in more detail. Many of your easy electives will be replaced with harder in-depth courses from your second field of study which makes double majors more difficult to pursue.

Double majors are used by students who want to broaden their knowledge of a certain career field or backup plan. Minors allow you to specialize in your degree and gain an extra level of knowledge. Double majors generally take longer to complete, but both of them help you expand your horizons.

There is no question that the first semester of the freshman year of college is the most critical. Many studies show that freshman year is the time when students most likely drop out of college – if not permanently, then temporarily.

While double majoring, students can have a minor. In fact, some students have double majors and double minors, too. It's also possible to have three minors, although sticking to one to two minors is optimum. Some colleges and universities do not allow their students to have more than one minor.

If you choose a minor, option, specialization, double major, or joint honours, it will appear on your diploma when you graduate. For example, you might graduate with a Bachelor of Arts degree with a major in English, a minor in biology, and a creative writing specialization.

It could lead to more job opportunities and higher earnings.

A study published by Cambridge University Press found that students who double major in business and a STEM field typically earn more than those with just one major. You'll get a more well-rounded education and a unique skill set you can use in your career.

Even though students will take more college courses for a major, experts say they shouldn't overlook the importance of determining a minor. “Minors are incredibly important because it's another way to demonstrate to employers that you have an interest in something,” Millay says.

Students who decide to get minors in college often are a step ahead when they graduate as they have gained valuable experiences in an area outside of their major. Because these students study a minor, they will likely be qualified for a variety of careers, providing them with more opportunities post-graduation.

A minor is a secondary area of specialization beyond a college major. Undergraduates typically complete 16-30 credits to earn a minor. College students do not have to declare a minor to graduate. Undergraduates may use minors to complement their major or explore a different discipline.

What is the hardest bachelor's degree to get? ›

Architecture major is currently the hardest college major in the US. A study conducted by Indiana University (National Study of Student Engagement) has shown some of the reasons why major in architecture is so difficult.

What is the fastest and easiest degree to get? Often students focus on Business Administration, Psychology, or Education degrees for the fastest degrees; however, General Studies, English, and Communications may be considered some of the easiest, along with Psychology.

A minor is similar to a major in that it's an intensive course of study into one field, but it is less rigorous and in-depth than a major. While students may be expected to take 8 elective courses in their major field, they may take only 3 or 4 in their minor field.

Is a minor worth an extra semester? ›

Adding a 20-credit minor on top of requirements for their major could add an extra semester to their degree. Is a minor worth the extra time and tuition money? It depends on the student — but more likely than not it won't be.

Minors must be completed simultaneously with a major degree program. A minor may not be completed by itself, independent of a major program. This means you cannot earn a minor after you have already earned your bachelor's degree(s). You need at least one active major in order to pursue a minor.

By triple majoring, you'll get the chance to dive into several fields at once and even impress potential employers. Here are the biggest advantages of pursuing three majors in college.

Value of a Minor

Double-minoring allows you to explore two areas that interest you personally or that you think you may want to specialize in during graduate school. Since most graduate school students pick a specialty, a double-minor will help you on your way to choosing that specialty.

If you want to have 4 majors, you would need to enroll at least 25 credits per semester. This may not be allowed at your university. Something that can be beneficial is if your majors coincide in subjects, this means that you would take a single class for your two majors.

Even if you complete a double major in two incredibly challenging fields, a potential employer or graduate school admissions committee won't be wowed if your grades are below par. In other words, a double major is only as impressive as your grades. 3. The extra time you spend studying may be better spent elsewhere.

Assuming that you will complete both of those majors under the same degree, the double major won't make a huge difference. Yes, they would see the major GPAs, but the 3.7 you have in Public Policy will already be factored into the overall GPA, which is the key number they use.

Selecting Multiple Minors

Many colleges do not require that you officially declare a minor, and some schools let you complete a minor after taking just a few classes. Depending on the requirements of your program and the electives that you take, you might finish off two minors without knowing it.

But Jacoba Urist of The Atlantic says that there is truth and untruth to the myth of college admissions getting harder each year. "As it turns out, getting into college actually isn't any harder than it was a decade ago," she wrote. "It's just that the odds of admission to your particular college may have decreased."

Students starting their first year on every college campus suffer the anxiety, depression and loneliness affiliated with missed opportunities, social isolation and academic stress. And many of them feel alone and isolated, often believing they're the only one in a dire situation.

What job pays the most without a degree? ›

Failing a class in college is common. At The Ohio State University, around 10% of undergraduates retake a failed class every year. That means more than 1 in 10 undergrads fail a class (since not every student repeats a failed class).

According to students studying psychology, there is quite a lot of reading that you need to do. Psychology is one of the more difficult degrees and many of your assignments will require you to cite your sources and will require you to back up a lot of the arguments that you have.

Choosing Your Major Degree & Minor Degree

Your major is the field of study that you will be working within over the course of your time in college, so it should be something that you are genuinely passionate about. Your minor can complement your major or be a completely different field of study. It's totally up to you.

According to a blog by Peterson's, having a minor in college can "round-out your degree, complement your chosen major and career aspirations, and expand your knowledge and education [in] a particular passion."

Minor degree refers to a supplemental second discipline of study and concentration that often complements the major. Some students use a minor degree to pursue personal interests, while other students may pursue a minor to gain specific specialization and make themselves more attractive to employers.

Remember that minors are optional. A minor can be a nice addition to a medical school application, but it is unlikely to make or break an acceptance. Before committing to a minor, decide whether you have time in your schedule to complete the involved coursework.

A minor can help you stand out. With the many ways to stand out when applying for jobs, graduate school or professional school, having a minor could be one of them. Taking on the challenge of several extra upper-division courses shows that you are determined, take initiative and can handle the additional workload.

While double majoring, students can have a minor. In fact, some students have double majors and double minors, too. It's also possible to have three minors, although sticking to one to two minors is optimum. Some colleges and universities do not allow their students to have more than one minor.

Is a minor worth an extra semester? ›

Adding a 20-credit minor on top of requirements for their major could add an extra semester to their degree. Is a minor worth the extra time and tuition money? It depends on the student — but more likely than not it won't be.

Double majors are used by students who want to broaden their knowledge of a certain career field or backup plan. Minors allow you to specialize in your degree and gain an extra level of knowledge. Double majors generally take longer to complete, but both of them help you expand your horizons.

It could lead to more job opportunities and higher earnings.

A study published by Cambridge University Press found that students who double major in business and a STEM field typically earn more than those with just one major. You'll get a more well-rounded education and a unique skill set you can use in your career.

Graduate students can use minors to demonstrate multiple skills and interests and to make themselves more marketable to grad school admissions committees. Most minors require about half of the classes necessary for majors, so minors require an average of five classes within the academic department of each minor.

A double major is harder than a single major but not by much. Double majors require more planning and studying two different fields in more detail. Many of your easy electives will be replaced with harder in-depth courses from your second field of study which makes double majors more difficult to pursue.

Value of a Minor

Double-minoring allows you to explore two areas that interest you personally or that you think you may want to specialize in during graduate school. Since most graduate school students pick a specialty, a double-minor will help you on your way to choosing that specialty.

How many majors or minors can I declare? If you choose, you may declare up to three areas of study. This could be two majors and a minor, or one major and two minors. See an advisor to determine which combination of majors and minors works best for you.

Applicants majoring in the physical sciences make up 8.83% of all candidates and enjoy a higher-than-average acceptance rate of 47.8%. So, if you're interested in the physical sciences, this may be the easiest pre-med major for you.

Biology. Biology is one of the most common majors for those who want to pursue a medical career, especially aspiring physicians and surgeons. According to the BLS, 48.7 percent of all physicians and surgeons employed in 2015 chose biology as their undergraduate major [1].