If you’re passionate about more than one subject and already majoring in the area of your chosen career, you’re probably wondering if a minor needs to relate to your major? The answer is no, your minor can be in any subject and doesn’t need to have anything to do with your major. There are times when minoring in a subject related to your major can be beneficial and perhaps help get you a job after college, but choosing an unrelated major and minor can help in a job interview just as often, according to the Huffington Post.
Choosing the Right Minor
A mathematics major who minors in economics shows prospective employers that he or she has a strong understanding of economic mathematics, business statistics and the social science of economics. On the other hand, a law student who minors in Spanish can show employers that he or she is fluent in a foreign language and can communicate with Spanish-speaking clients.
Minors don’t even need to have anything to do with your career or job application. You can minor in a subject that you love just to learn more about it and receive credit for completing the minor. It also shows employers that you’re a well-rounded person with intellectual interests outside of your work.
Is a Minor Really Necessary?
There are some questions you should ask yourself before declaring a minor, because if you change your mind later, you will have spent time and money on a course load that didn’t lead anywhere and took attention away from your major. A minor doesn’t necessarily help you get a job, and only certain college graduates will benefit professionally from having a minor. The course load of a major can be quite challenging on its own, and when you make the commitment to complete a minor, you officially make your time in college longer and more expensive.
If your minor isn’t going to help you in your career and could hurt your performance in other classes, you may want to reconsider declaring it. On the other hand, if you’re completely sure about the subject in which you’re majoring and want nothing more than to pursue this line of work for your entire career, a minor in another subject you love will just be another reason for you to get out of bed in the morning.
Additional Time and Money Costs
A lot of people also say that minoring in a second area of interest is a good backup plan in case you end up disliking the career path of your major. For example, if you major in accounting, minor in fine arts and end up hating accounting, you can go back to school and finish your fine arts degree relatively quickly.
You will end up spending the same amount of time and money on your education as if you had completed a double major or simply gone to college twice and received two bachelor’s degrees. In this case, it would have been better to take the time to figure out what you really want to do and focus all your attention on that subject.
Related Resource: Types of Financial Aid
As the economy changes, getting a degree becomes more and more important. If you love learning and have more than one area of interest, hopefully you have a better understanding of the question, “Does your minor need to relate to your major?”
