The two most common questions college students get asked are about their name and major, but rarely do students get asked about their minor. For most college students, picking a minor to accompany their major is an afterthought.
However, according to The New York Times, “Minors, along with double majors, are increasingly popular as students try to master multiple subjects on the way to flexible careers or future education.”
Having a minor expands students’ knowledge of their field and can even help separate them from other job candidates down the road.
While not all majors require a minor at The University of Alabama, those that do require that a student’s chosen minor be outside the department of his or her major. The University requires this to avoid an overlapping of classes required by a student’s major.
Wendy McMillian, director of academic advising for the College of Arts and Sciences, said when helping students decide on choosing a minor, the key factor is to find one that complements his or her major.
“In the College of Arts and Sciences, the way we approach minors is to help you develop additional skills for your career or graduate school plans after your undergraduate degree,” McMillian said. “How a student chooses a minor is typically determined on an individual basis with conversations between the advisor and student based on the student’s interests, goals and strengths.”
While choosing a minor is important and can benefit one’s major, some professors also advise double majoring.
Dianne Bragg, a professor in the department of journalism, agrees adding a double major is beneficial.
“I strongly urge students to look at Degreeworks and see how many hours it would take to turn that minor into a double major,” Bragg said. “Many times, it doesn’t take but 2-3 more classes to earn a double major, which is great for a resume, and gives you more opportunities in your career.”
Scott Leary, a sophomore with a double major in Spanish and biology, recognized the additional benefits the double major provided.
“I’m a pre-med student, so I wanted to take more upper level biology courses to prepare me for the classes I’ll be taking in medical school,” Leary said. “As a freshman, I wasn’t certain that I’d be able to finish both majors in four years, but I managed get ahead in my Spanish major and planned out a schedule that allowed me to add on an additional major.”
While Leary feels double majoring is slightly more difficult than just having a minor, he says it will pay off when he reaches medical school.
For other UA students, the decision to double major may not come as easily as others. Katelyn Reichardt, a junior with a double major in dance and nutrition, says adding the nutrition major meant her course load would be crippling each semester.
“There are many more courses that I have to take, which has caused me to take a lot of summer classes,” Reichardt said. “But, dancing isn’t really a money maker, and I can’t dance my whole life, so I needed a back-up plan.”
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Town Hall lecture to address education
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