Double Major? Two Minors? Know Which Subjects To Focus On

College life can feel overwhelming if you look at all the choices that you have to make within just a few short years. When it comes to deciding your major, that’s a big choice but fortunately one that your school will provide you with a few semesters to decide. You might start school off knowing what you’d like to focus on. Or, it might take a couple semesters to figure out. Either way, sometimes it’s not about knowing what to study so much as it’s knowing how much to study! No, we’re not talking about how many hours you should put in hitting the books; we mean how many different subjects and areas you should focus on.

If you choose to double major, you might think that you’re in for a whole extra set of required course and a much heavier workload. That might be true, but check out the requirements for each major before making that decision. Not all majors are the same. Some will require overall smaller numbers of credits, meaning fewers classes and less work. Some, however, are sufficient in providing plenty of studying and material for a full four years. Keep in mind that your school will have some general education classes that you’ll have to fulfill as well. Those general education classes will in themselves provide enough work and class time to make up a separate major, except you can’t major in gen. ed classes!

Pairing two broad fields of study to create a double major really might not be the best choice; you should at least be cautious and careful if you choose to do so. If you find you’re working so hard that it’s too much to bear, it’s a situation best not finding yourself in in the first place. Speak with an academic advisor before you take on this task and review the course requirements as well. If one field really catches your eye but you just don’t think you can handle a second major, there’s another solution: add it on as a minor! Many subjects and fields that you can major in at college can also be studied as minors.

Adding a minor is a great way to better round out your education and is overall less burdensome than adding a second major. A minor will let you more than dabble in a second field, as you’ll take enough classes in that field to really learn about it. Plus, having a degree with more than one area of study can in no way hurt you. Some students really choose to mix things up here. If you’re majoring in a science field, add on a minor in literature or something entirely different. It will show that you’re diverse and able to think critically in different fields. Plus, adding on a minor can just be plain more fun. If your major is a rather dense subject, choosing a minor that’s entirely different can help assort your workload and studying.

The possibilities are all up to you. If you do choose two similar majors, you’ll learn even more in your field of choice. And if you opt for diversity, trust us, it’ll always raise eyebrows when you say you’ve majored in biology and children’s literature, for example! (The raised eyebrows will be a sign of positive surprise!) If you do stick with only one major, you might even regret not adding on a second field of study, whether as another major or a minor. You’ll be spending at least a few years in college, so get the most out of it that you can!