How to Select Your Major and/or Minor
Contributed by Speak Up for Kids Student Intern Team — This article was developed through the combined efforts of multiple student interns, each bringing unique skills and perspectives to support life skills education for foster youth.
Overview
Choosing your Major & Minor can be a difficult choice that requires thought. Below we’ll take a look at some things to keep in mind that might help guide you towards the Major and/or Minor that’s right for you.
Interests, Strengths, and Passions:
Academic Interests and Strengths can help guide you towards a Major based on what captures your attention and what skills you want to build on, whereas Passions can help you determine your goals in life:
Academic Interests:
Academic interests are a way for you to determine a path through higher education that aligns with topics you enjoy. Do you enjoy reading and writing? Consider an English major. If you enjoy digging into how the mind works and how people interact with each other, consider taking up a Psychology or Sociology degree.
Pro Tip: Consider classes you’ve taken in the past that sparked your interest or that you found particularly enjoyable, those could be connected to a Major that’s right for you!
Academic Strengths:
Academic strengths refer to the subjects that you’re proficient in or have a talent for. Does math come naturally for you? Consider taking a Major in Mathematics, Statistics, or Computer Science. Do you stride through your science classes with ease? Consider selecting a Major in Biology, Physics, or Chemistry.
Keep in mind: Choosing a Major based on your strengths isn't just for having an easier time in college, but rather as a way for you to build on your established skills and abilities and use them to become successful in the field you’re considering going into.
Passions:
Determining your passions is one of the most important steps in choosing a Major. Reflect on the values and beliefs that are important to you and use them as a compass to help point you towards what you want to achieve in life.
One of the best ways to select a Major is to consider which one will help you achieve your goals. Do you want to work with families and communities? Maybe a Major in Social Work is right for you. Do you want to develop a deeper understanding of the natural world and use that to help humanity prosper? Perhaps a Major in Environmental Studies is your best bet.
Additional Factors
There are other factors you should consider when determining a Major or Minor:
Academic Advisors:
Academic and college advisors are a great resource for determining a Major or Minor.
They can help guide you through potential career paths as well as the requirements for a Major or Minor.
Advisors can take into account your Interests, Strengths, and Passions to help you narrow down the list of potential Majors and Minors.
Swapping:
Don’t be afraid to change your Major or Minor if it’s not the right fit for you. More than 80% of students change their Major at least once during their undergraduate years, so don’t be afraid!
If you find that you have a lack of interest in your areas of study or want to pursue a different career path, consider swapping your Major or Minor to one that better aligns with your goals.
Choosing a Minor
Choosing a Minor isn’t for everyone, but they do offer a slew of academic, personal, and professional benefits:
Gaining Expertise:
Taking on a Minor shows your ability to be successful not only in your main area of study, but in a secondary area as well. Consider choosing a Minor that will help you specialize in a new area of study.
Minors can enable you to develop new skills that might not have been a part of your Major.
Synergy and Enjoyment:
It’s very common for students to select a Minor that aligns with their current Major. For example, if you have an English Major, consider taking on a Minor in Creative Writing as it could build on your already established knowledge and skills.
Life Hack: When you graduate, recruiters will gravitate towards applicants with intricate skill sets. Having a Minor shows them you have what it takes to be successful in multiple areas as well as an abundance of skills to draw on.
People also choose Minors just for fun regardless of their Major. Creative Writing and Philosophy are two common ones. Choosing a Minor in this way allows you to dive into topics that interest you but might not be covered in your Major.
Final Thoughts
When pursuing higher education, choosing a Major and/or a Minor can seem dauntless, but it’s not as difficult as you might expect. There’s several important skills and factors to consider:
Determine what your academic Interests are, or what subjects sound exciting to you. Examine your academic Strengths, or what subjects you excel in. Consider your Passions, or how you might want to use a degree after college.
Take advantage of resources such as Academic Advisors, who can help provide you with guidance on which Majors and Minors could be the right ones for you.
Be comfortable with the concept that many students Swap their Majors and Minors as their interests shift.
When choosing a Minor, consider which ones might help you gain expertise in a secondary area of study, complement your Major, or just sound fun!
