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How much harder is it to add on a minor in college with your major?

I've been admitted to Louisiana State University as a political Science major, but I want to add an environmental science minor. My main concern is time management while also pursuing the different fields I'm interested in.

career college spring25 environmental-science political-science majors-and-minors
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Chad’s Answer

Kudos, Cecelia, for the ambition! Acknowledging that time-management will be critical to success with multiple focus areas is a great first step. Generally, you'd likely benefit from elective courses that qualify as pre-requisites for both fields, if there are any. But if you haven't already, you'd probably get the best advice speaking to a career counselor at LSU who can give you specific direction on how to make this a reality at the university.
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Jennifer N’s Answer

Hi Cecelia -

Great question! If time management is your main concern, I would suggest talking to a counselor at your college that can help you understand the credit requirements for the minor you are interested in and whether any overlap with your major. You can then determine how many additional credits you would need to take over the remaining time you have. You can also ask the counselor if there is anyone else at the college with the same major/minor combo you are interested in so you can ask them about the overall time commitment and how they managed it. If you have a job or extracurricular activities, you'll want to take those into account in your decision, but the first step is to really understand the additional effort, which is going to be based on where you are going to college. Best of luck!
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Han Boon’s Answer

Not from the US, but I was also in the same boat as you when I was attending university in my home country. Coincidentally, I am also a political science major, with a minor in sociology.

It is always important to understand your personal interests and knowing how much work to take on without burning yourself out. Having this in mind, I decided on having my minor being related to the social sciences because I was both interested in other aspects of the field, as well as understanding that there would be an overlap in terms of skills and/or content.

Ultimately landing on sociology was an eclipse of both my personal interest along with how both fields of study can complement each other. And I can safely say that the remaining years of university was enriching as I was able to apply what I learnt across my major and minor, and the contents of the courses really supplemented my overall learning.
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Anna’s Answer

It’s great that you’re thinking about how to balance your interests early on. Adding a minor can definitely be manageable, especially if you plan ahead and stay organized. Many minors are designed to complement a major without adding too much extra time, but it will depend on how the course requirements overlap. I’d recommend meeting with your academic advisor early to map out a plan—they can help you see where classes might double-count for both your major and minor or suggest when to take certain courses to avoid overload.

Time management will be important, but pursuing different fields you’re passionate about can actually keep you motivated and make your college experience more rewarding. As long as you stay proactive about planning your schedule and give yourself flexibility when things get busy, adding a minor can be a great way to explore your interests without overwhelming yourself.
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Hyma’s Answer

It's great that you're considering adding a minor while focusing on your major. Choosing a minor in a related field can make managing your time easier because some subjects complement each other well. For example, pairing math with physics or business with economics can help you stay organized and improve your job prospects.

Before deciding, consider the extra effort required and check the specific requirements of the college you plan to attend, as they may have particular criteria for certain courses.

Adding a minor is definitely doable, especially if you have a strong interest in the subject. Personal interest can make learning more enjoyable and less challenging. It's also smart to pick a subject where you can develop valuable skills. Best of luck!
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Jeffrey’s Answer

Determining a major / minor is always such a pressure-filled step. I remember doing it a number of years ago! Like the other commenters mentioned, I would ask a counselor but also speak to other students / friends about time management and older students. I decided to become an economics minor. I The minor provided me with skills that I still use today. If you think there could be a good chance that you would use your env science minor -- or it would be helpful at some point as part of a profession -- I would very much discuss it with a counselor.

Good luck and enjoy your college years. They go by fast!
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