College life is one of the most exciting phases of anybody’s journey. But the head-breaking part is just before your college days. It is when you have to choose your majors and minors. You may have a lot of options and you may have an aptitude for a lot of those options. This is a lot confusing because this, in a way, determines the path you will be leading in your life. You would want to make the right decision concerning your life and career path. You may not be able to decide very easily on what to choose and what not to. But what can be more confusing is your choice of the number of majors and minors you would want to choose. Let us know about ‘Multiple Majors And Minors’.
Multiple Majors And Minors:
If you are an undergraduate, you can have multiple majors and minors. At the graduate level, while you can have dual degrees, you cannot go for multiple majors and minors. Although, if one of your degrees is an undergraduate degree, you can go for multiple majors and minors. Undergraduates can have dual degrees as well. All of this is very confusing, especially if you are not familiar with the education system.
Right after you finish your education at school, majors, minors, and degrees are the first dilemma you would be facing. Well, keep reading to get a little more clarity on this matter and perhaps make an informed decision.
Understanding the Basics:
Before delving into the whole process of choosing majors and minors, one would initially have to understand the entire system that revolves around higher education in the United States of America.
College Majors- What are They?
Firstly, what is a major? A major subject is typically the subject that you would specialize in. It can range from Environmental Studies to International Relations. When you choose a major, it is to be noted that around one-third of your classes will be related to your major only. A major is very different from a degree. Your undergraduate degree is given to you at the end of completion of the required qualifications and a major is something you have specialized in. You can choose more than one major to specialize in, but that doesn’t mean you will be getting two degrees. You will still be getting one undergraduate degree with 2 majors. For example, you may have majors in both Environmental Studies and International Relations. You will still get a single bachelor’s degree with both your subjects listed as majors.
It is reported that a lot of students go with multiple majors for a variety of reasons. Although you will end up with only one degree, in the end, you will still have two majors, which means that you will be having two sets of knowledge and skills. This will increase your profitability in the industry and make your job finding easier.
Minors in College- What are They?
Minors are also subjects that you specialize in, but not as much as your major. They would be your secondary subject of specialization. You can choose a minor that complements your major or choose to explore a different subject. For example, you can major in economics and minor in statistics. In this case, your minor subject would be complementary to your major and would go hand-in-hand with it. But you can also choose to major in political science and choose to minor in statistics. This option would still be available to you as it is completely your discretion when it comes to choices about your majors and minors.
You can have more than one minor, but some colleges do not permit that. Also, in places of employment, it does not create much of a positive impact as it may reflect on your indecisiveness, which employers do not want in their potential employees. Your choice of a minor can be a subject that complements your minor, a subject that is all-rounded and would help with your life eventually, or better yet, one that helps you follow your passion.
Finally, What are a Degree and a Dual Degree?
Degrees are the certifications that are handed to you when you achieve the set of required qualifications. Degrees include bachelor’s degrees, master’s degrees, doctoral degrees, and associate degrees.
Dual degrees are just two different degrees that you can do at the same time. If you take up two minors, you will still get only one degree. That is because majors are subjects of specialization. But in the case of dual degrees, you can earn two degrees or two diplomas in totally different streams. This can be easily confused with double majors because they have a very fine line of distinction.
To make it simpler, here is an example.
Let’s say student A has opted for one degree (say, Bachelor of Science) with two majors and one minor: International Relations, Economics, and Marketing respectively. After his/her study, he/she would get one B.Sc degree with 2 majors and 1 minor.
In the case of student B, if he/she has opted for a dual degree, it means that he/she would end up with two degrees at the end of their study. Let’s say B has chosen a Bachelor of Science degree in Statistics and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology. Upon completion of his/her college, he/she would have a B.Sc in Statistics and a B.A. in Sociology. Dual degrees needn’t only be two bachelor’s degrees. They can have a mix of two bachelor’s degrees or one bachelor’s degree and one master’s degree and other such permutations.
Can you Have Multiple Majors and Minors?
You can have multiple majors and minors if your college gives you a chance to do so. Things to remember are that double majors cost more money for obvious reasons like extra classes, books, and tuition. It can also swallow up most of your time, which can otherwise be free. You can use that free time to pursue a hobby or get employed to manage your finances.
While you can have multiple majors and minors, what is more, important than the number of majors and minors is your choice of study. You would have to put a lot of thought and deliberate upon this carefully, for this could determine your life and career. You would have to choose the subjects of study that align with your professional goals. You would have to look at the scope of each study and know the type of industry that the skill sets can be put to use. Other than this, your academic and your personal goals have to be aligned as well. But more importantly, there are the conditions of time, financial constraints, and health. You would have to ensure that you wouldn’t get stressed with the number of studies that you may have to do.
There are various colleges and each of them has its own set of rules and regulations concerning majors and minors that a student can choose. So before you decide on your majors and minors, remember to get familiar with the college rules and then proceed with your choices of majors and minors.
Conclusion:
You can take as much time as you want to decide on your major and minor subjects, but always give it a lot of thought so that you don’t end up with regrets. If you need more clarity, talk to someone who majored or minored in the subjects that you have on your list. This would give you insight into the academics, time, stress, and future opportunities that you might have in that field. It is also a good idea to surf the internet and get to know about each major and minor before deciding on one. This might end up confusing you, but when you get more insight, you will be able to make better and more informed decisions.
Frequently Asked Questions:
- Are Dual Degrees Worth it?
They are worth the time and money you spend because you would have two sets of skills and more knowledge that make you more industry ready. You can be considered for jobs for both qualifications and higher earnings as well.
- How do I Choose a Good Combination of Major and Minor?
Choose a major first and then look for a minor that would complement your major. For instance, you could major in Event Planning and have a minor in Culinary. There are a lot of options for you to choose from. If you want your minor to be something not related to your major, that is possible too.
- What are Some Combinations of Majors and Minors?
You can choose to major in Philosophy and minor in mathematics. Another way of looking at your combination is that you choose a field of study for your major and follow your passion for your minor. For instance, you can major in Astronomy and minor in Photography. There are a variety of permutations that could work well for you and it is solely your decision to take them up.
