What is a minor and do I need one?

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You may have heard people discuss their major and minor in reference to their college degree plan, but not necessarily understand what those words mean. A major is the main field of study that you will be focusing on in your studies. Most of your upper level classes within your bachelor’s degree will be related to your major– your specifically chosen field of study. This same concept applies to a minor except to a smaller degree- hence the name minor. A minor is a field of focus within your bachelor’s which you study in addition to your major and will take fewer classes to complete than your major will. I seriously considered tacking on a sociology minor to my B.S. in psychology until I realized that it wasn’t going to help me obtain a job in the field I am interested in pursuing. So, to answer the question in the title of this blog post, you do not necessarily need a minor to graduate with your bachelor’s degree. It really just depends on what you are wanting from your degree.

A minor can be anything from a field that you are interested in studying simply for personal gain to something that you need to help you in obtaining your future job! Had I thought about it during my undergraduate studies, I would have gotten a minor in business to go with my psychology degree. The only reason I would personally consider this option is because my big goal in life is to obtain a PhD in psychology and start my own private practice in my hometown where we desperately need mental health professionals. A business degree, in this case, would help me to be more business savvy when it comes time to start that private practice! Since I did not do it as a minor during my undergraduate studies I am very seriously considering going back to get a second bachelor’s in business for just this reason! Had I been smart, I could have done it all at once and it would have cost a whole lot less!

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 This just goes to show you how important it is to map out your journey through school as much as possible before you start; that way you can make the most out of your college experience. This is not an area of your life you want to look back on with regrets- especially monetary regrets! We all want to keep as much money in our pockets as possible. A couple of reasons that a minor might be the right choice for you are: the extra area of study will help you land your dream job or the area of study is an area of interest to you and you want to be able to learn about it while you are still in college, while also working on your major which will land you that sweet future career you’ve always dreamed of. Now, with all of that being said, I also want you to know you can usually do a dual/double major as well. This is a great way to get a leg up on your resume and look awesome to future employers, and it is also a great way to learn a little more in-depth into two areas of study rather than just one.

Whatever you choose, just know that the most important thing you can do is to stop and think about what you want from your future and to plan it all out really well. Don’t jump into college without doing some thorough research on the subject (which, obviously, you’re already getting a jump on! Great job!). Make sure that you don’t end up wasting your money by ending up with a minor/major that you chose without thorough consideration! Your future is in your own hands!

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Please leave me a comment below with any questions or suggestions for topics I haven’t covered. Take care, everyone!