What do minors do for you

Though multimedia journalism may be declared as a full major at many universities, it is also a top-notch minor for college students in a wide array of majors. As the world shifts to new technologies, journalism must adapt as well, as it is a crucial pillar of society, peace and accountability.

For that reason, studies focused on urban growth, cultural dynamics and sustainable development will increase in demand over the coming years. Though many universities offer urban studies and planning as a major, a minor also benefits a student who plans to work in the nonprofit, healthcare, education, social work, environmental studies or public administration areas. It pairs well with economics, too.

As an interdisciplinary subject, a minor in environmental science prepares future leaders by equipping them with knowledge of the environment, climate systems, biology, social sciences, and more. This will prepare them to make the right decisions for our planet in the near future. For students entering university from schools where LGBTQ accomplishments, history and rights were glossed over, ignored or even rejected, queer studies prepares them with crucial insight to have in life.

According to Oregon State University , a minor in queer studies also paves the way for future careers in public health, public policy, grassroots activism and organizing, performing arts and academic work at the postgraduate levels.

By , the African workforce will be the largest in the world, a full 1. A minor in Africana studies will provide a professional head start and enriching experience for any college student. Aside from business insight into the many emerging markets of Africa, students can take home an understanding of history, culture, inequality and current events from an Africa-informed perspective.

Minoring in business studies provides a solid foundation and strong complementary benefits to limitless non-business majors. Computer science majors may benefit from a business studies minor if founding a startup in the future, for example.

Aside from the business perspective, business studies equips students with skills in communication, analytical thinking, collaboration and more — soft skills prized on any future career path. This is because some schools see minors as a good addition to your major and it shows that you are well versed in the field you are going into.

Taking multiple upper-division courses and extra workload while in undergraduate school can show these schools or potential employers that you are a hard worker dedicated to your field of study. It also shows them that you take the initiative and are very determined, which looks very good on your application. When a potential employer sees you went the distance to learn an extra related field of study, it may become an excellent talking point during an interview with them. It shows you went above and beyond the norm for what was needed for your degree and can give you brownie points with them.

A minor, if it is relevant to your field of study and where you are looking to work, can be a very good thing to discuss with your employer.

You can take the time during the interview to explain the minor you took, why you decided to take it, what you gained from taking it, and why the experience from the minor coursework will help you with the job you are applying for. Which is more important, declaring your major or your minor? What are the differences between the two? A major is the area of study in your field of choice that you spend ninety percent of your college career studying.

Your major takes up most of your credit hours, minus the credits for courses you are required to take as core classes. Picking a major tends to be more important compared to picking your minor. You want to pick a major that will coincide with the career you are interested in pursuing after college is over. You also want to pick something that will be useful, and you can make a living off of.

While majors can take up to 30 credit hours or more, minors are usually fulfilled within a couple of classes; sometimes, even your required courses can fulfill the minor. You do not need to declare a minor when going to college, just a major. Minors are separate areas of study from your major, but you need to pick one that will complement your major. You also need to make sure the minor you choose is useful for your studies.

When taking a minor, some of your credits towards your major can cover some of your minor credits as well. However, you need to make sure that your minor is something that will help you and not be useless to learn about. Some allow you to declare two or more, while others prefer just one. The only problem with declaring more than one minor is that you need to make sure the minors you choose to complement your major. You also should choose between one to two minors, usually no more than that.

It is frowned upon when you have more than three minors, and sometimes even three minors are too many. This is especially true if you decide to try and go into graduate school. They may think that you are choosing too many minors and it may show you as being undecided about what you really want to do with your life. This may result in a denial of entrance into their graduate school. You need to make sure whatever minor s you choose will help you with your major field of study and your future career.

You do not want to choose random minors that do not affect your major. Most minors should be easily completed while taking your major courses. Ask your academic advisor for advice as well; this can help you find the right minor for your college career.

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Skip to content You just started college, and you have so many different interests you want to pursue. Basic Rules of Minors Minors and majors need to complement each other. You should generally do the following when it comes to picking a minor: Does it fit your end goal? Did you plan ahead? What about non-minor options?

How can a minor help? For example: History major with a classical civilization minor. This will help you if you decide to move on to studying ancient cultures at a graduate college. Computer science major with a mathematics minor. This can help you since a lot of the work you do in computer science is math related, so getting a minor in it would be a bonus. Nursing major with a biological science minor.

This will help you better understand the human body and aligns with your future nursing career. Did You Plan Ahead?

College can take up a lot of time and money So when you are planning your future, you need to calculate how much time taking on a minor or two will take you. Are you going to graduate on time Taking on a minor may impact your graduation date, depending on how far along you are in your courses when you decide on a minor to take. What classes should you take in order Some classes need to be taken as prerequisites before you can take them. As with so many career issues you'll face during the college years, there is no straightforward correct answer.

Insofar as prospective employers are concerned, it all depends. But one thing is certain: Choosing the right minor always benefits you somehow -- sometimes just in a small way, but quite possibly in a more significant fashion. A Minor's Major Benefits Most employers will tell you that your college major is more important than your minor, and many employers will stress that hands-on experience gained during college is the most critical hiring variable of all.

But that doesn't mean you should ignore the potential edge a well-selected minor can give you. Extendicare is a large healthcare organization that hires clinical specialists such as nurses and therapists. According to Monti, some of these employees go on to become managers in the organization -- not only in their own specialties but facility-wide. A minor in computer science, or a foreign language for that matter, might enable the student to work on special projects and hybrid teams, and in some cases gain access to opportunities that might not have developed had it not been for an added depth of specialization.