What is a Minor in College?

Some students may find themselves wondering, “What is a minor in college?” Minors are additional subject areas that are secondary to students’ primary subject areas in their majors. Minors do not require the extensive study that majors require. Students can use minors to enhance their majors or to explore additional subjects that interest them.

Minors can provide specialties to majors, which can be useful to graduate students because graduate studies usually focus on narrower topics than do undergraduate studies. Minors can also complement majors; for example, a minor in business would complement a major in accounting. Graduate students can use minors to demonstrate multiple skills and interests and to make themselves more marketable to grad school admissions committees. Most minors require about half of the classes necessary for majors, so minors require an average of five classes within the academic department of each minor.

Having a minor in college can benefit students, but not having a minor will not hurt students. Instead of getting minors, students could take additional courses in a related subject or could even double-major. Not all schools offer the option of minors. If students would like to have minors, students should investigate the minor options at their universities.

Do You Think a Minor in College is Right for You?

First, find the best major to fit your needs. Then, investigate the minors available to you. Research what minors will best complement your desired major, and see if those minors are of interest to you. If passion is your reason for pursuing a minor in college, go with the minor that interests you the most. If you still can’t decide, look for something that could integrate your academics with real-life application.