What minor should I choose? How many minors should I select? These are questions that bug college students. Picking the wrong academic program or selecting more than you can handle can cause missed opportunities, time waste, and affect overall academic performance. On the other hand, choosing the appropriate one will aid your career journey and allow you to gain additional knowledge in a different field of interest. In this article we shall read about How Many Minors can be there in a College?
For these reasons and more, experts advise students to put some serious thought into picking their Minors as there is nothing minor about making such decisions. In this article, we will be discussing how many Minors students may have, the benefits of selecting Minors, and more.
The number of minors you pick depends on the college in question. Some institutions do not allow their students to have more than one minor. Others allow students to opt for as many as they want.
Can I Have More Than One Minor In College?
Although not all colleges require their students to declare Minors, some colleges stipulate having a Minor as a requirement for earning a BSc in a Major. These institutions may limit the number of Minors students can choose or leave students to decide how many they can handle.
Either way, students need to consider carefully before opting for a minor.
What is a Minor?
Before deciding how many Minors you can pick or which one is best, you should know what a Minor is.
A Minor is similar to a Major but smaller. While a Major is a student’s primary discipline, a Minor is a student’s secondary discipline. Conventionally, it consists of 5 – 6 classes which can amount to an extra 18 – 20 credits.
In most universities, college students have the monopoly in determining what Minors they would be declaring alongside their major. Hence, they can select Minors that may or may not coincide with their major. For instance, a student in Mathematics Major taking classes in history or a foreign language is an example of a Minor distinct from the Major. On the other hand, a student in education minoring in history is an example of a Minor relatable to the Major.
Although having a Minor is not always a compulsory graduation requirement in all colleges, students should complete at least one in college. Because Minors are one of the best ways to fully maximize the university experience, giving students ample opportunity to gain knowledge in an area or field of interest.
Benefits of a Minor
Although selecting a Minor increases a student’s academic workload, it has countless benefits, including:
Extra knowledge
A Major involves classes and coursework in line with your primary field of study. However, taking a Minor allows diversifying and gaining an understanding of subjects outside your primary discipline.
Stand out
The extra knowledge and skills gained from taking a Minor in college can help the student stand out as a highly-qualified candidate with the necessary skills and expertise needed for the job in question.
Gain multitasking skills
Many may not realize it, but taking a Minor alongside a Major in the university indicates that you can handle workloads, multitask well, and meet deadlines without collapsing under the weight of everything – a quality that most employers are looking for in an ideal employee.
Fun
Taking a Minor can be fun, especially when you take it with friends or when it is related to a discipline of interest. There is also the added benefit of meeting people, making new friends, and widening your social and professional circle.
A career path
Taking a Minor in college gives you the leverage of having more than just one career path, especially if it is distinct from your Major.
What to Consider Before Choosing a Minor?
As we earlier stated, choosing a Minor is not a minor decision. Pick the wrong one, and you will waste precious time and opportunities. Select the right one, and you have the chance to explore different disciplines and pivot your career.
Before picking a Minor, there are vital factors you need to consider if you want to choose the right one. These factors include:
Your career goals
Your Minor must align with your future career goals. For instance, for an accounting Major student who intends to go into the business sector, a Minor in a foreign language will not help achieve this goal. It would be best for such a student to minor in a field related to their Major.
Your finances
Also, consider your financial standing before taking a Minor because Minors mean extra credit, and extra credit equals additional fees.
Time
Taking a minor can extend your stay in college, especially if you select one late. To avoid such scenarios, you can declare your Minor in the second year or whenever your college gives the go-ahead to start choosing Minors.
Summarily speaking, your decision to take a Minor should spring from your research on the advantages you will gain from it, not simply because friends are doing it.
Conclusion
Taking a minor is necessary for college students looking to diversify into new fields or expand their knowledge in their Major. With the right amount of planning and research, a student can discover if there is a need for a Minor and which one is appropriate to aid the achievement of the set future goal. As a form of assistance for students who need to choose Minors but are confused, some colleges have academic advisors to guide students in selecting the right one.
Frequently Asked Question
- Can a new student choose a Minor?
Although this varies from college to college, most institutions reserve Minors for second-year students and upwards.
- Should I have more than one Minor?
Whether you have more than one depends on your future goal. But experts advise against it as having multiple Minors in different fields may depict a student as flaky and unfocused.
