Majors, minors, concentrations and specializations: This “college jargon” can be confusing to some who are wondering what value comes from taking on a subject rather than their original major. Yet, by deciphering what a minor, concentration, or specialization can do for a college student could enhance their job opportunities and education overall.
It doesn’t matter if a student’s degree pursuit requires a minor or specialization because there are beneficial outcomes either way. Even if the major or degree pursuit doesn’t exactly require the use of a minor, it can be beneficial to the student by providing themselves with a well-rounded education. It’s also helpful because the student will be able to learn more about a subject that they are passionate about.
The reason that most people don’t know about the benefits of minors is because minors are often played off as “useless.” Some college students believe that they are waste of time because they don’t benefit them in the long-run and are only used to help amount to the credits they need to graduate.
“Having a major is already more than enough,” said Josiah Taylor, a student at The King’s College. “If I’m going to concentrate on a field then I want to channel my full energy into it. Mixing it with something else would make me feel like I’m only putting in half the effort.”
While this is an opinion of some students, it also can be challenged with the fact that minors can help you get the most of what you are paying for your education.
The education system is already costly; by picking up minor, college students can make the most of their money by taking advantage of everything their schools have to offer. While in school, doing as much as possible and putting in a bit more effort can be rewarding if it is something the student enjoys learning.
“I major in Applied Exercise Science and I minor in Art. The two don’t go together at all, but I enjoy both subjects. Art is something that I am very passionate about and I’m glad that I’m able to balance both my major and minor to obtain an education that I truly believe in,” Junior Marisa Callebero said.
A minor could also lead to building a foundation for a second degree or potentially lead to double majoring. Some majors are closely related when it comes to the classes that need to be fulfilled — meaning that classes tend to overlap. This makes it easy to double major without actually knowing.
Some college students aren’t aware that they could take a few more classes and be able to major in another subject with just a bit of research. The APU website offers a full list of majors and minors — including which classes to take to fulfill the requirements of graduating with that degree.
Looking into a minor provides students with the opportunity to explore a subject and hone a skill that would add to a student’s resume and make them look better equipped to a potential employers. Having skill sets in other areas of expertise can boost a person’s chances in the job employment because of their well-roundedness.
The reason that most people declare a college minor can be for personal fulfillment. They often are passionate about a subject and want to learn more about its specific skills.
Kelci Lynn Lucier, a freelance education writer, noted the power of a minor.
“Having a minor may be personally important to you if you minor in a subject that you are passionate about; you may, for example, want to go to medical school (hence your major in biology) but also love the violin (hence your minor in music),” Lucier said.
On the flip-side, being passionate about a subject isn’t the only reason to pick a minor. A well-chosen minor can show diversity in a person’s educational background and add a skill set that can boost the power and influence of their major. This can be to a person’s advantage if they keep this in mind when choosing or thinking of choosing a minor.
Be it your passion or a way to excel in a field, a minor can be helpful in more ways than one.