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Is it important or necessary to minor in something?

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Robin’s Answer

Having a minor in college isn't necessary, but it could be helpful depending on the field of interest. As a manager who also hires people on my team, I rarely look at the minor on a resume. My focus is on the candidate's skillset and strengths in the area they have the most experience. If you only have a major, but have (internships or other work experience) in an area that could have been a minor, that could look good on a resume if you're pursuing your first job in that other area.

Bottom line is that if you want to minor in an area of interest and you already have quite a few credits that will help you meet that requirement, go ahead a pursue it. But, don't feel pressured to choose a minor and extra class load if you 1) don't have the time, energy, or funds to do so, and 2) don't really have another area of interest you'd like to pursue. I haven't heard of anyone not getting a job because they didn't have a minor in college. My husband and I have three grown children who all have undergraduate degrees. None of them chose minors; this didn't negatively affect them getting hired. Involvement in campus professional chapters or associations, classes outside of your major, community work, networking, serious hobbies or competitions all show prospective employers you're well rounded.
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Angela D.’s Answer

Hi there...great question! The short answer is "no", it's not necessary to minor. However, if you have the time, motivation, and are able to possibly add a summer or semester to your college game plan financially...then a minor might really work for you. As mentioned in previous posts, a parallel minor may have overlapping courses that make it easier to attain. Conversely, a minor that is of particular interest to you would be fulfilling and show that you have a range of strengths. Minoring in Spanish is something to consider if you will be working in certain fields or regions. One avenue that you can also pursue is a double major, especially in overlapping or parallel areas. For instance, my son double majored in biology and genetics in order to pursue his M.D. He only had to take an extra course one summer and graduated one semester later than expected to achieve this. Wishing you the best in your endeavors, Dr. B

Angela D. recommends the following next steps:

Explore a double major as well.
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Guy’s Answer

In one way a minor degree is not important because many employers don't ask what your minor was in school during interviews; what matters is whether what you learned in school and what experience you have is applicable to the job you are doing /applying for. All learning is valuable and worthwhile if it helps you in life; if it makes you better.
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Yusef’s Answer

I believe it to be important and in many cases necessary depending on your major. If your major is Technology specific. For example, if you are majoring in Computer Science and minor in some part of business can be very helpful such as Business Management or E-Commerce.
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Britni’s Answer

In my opinion, I do not think that it is necessary to minor in something unless you have a passion for it. If it is something that you're aiming for to better yourself then I'd say go for it!
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Syed’s Answer

Hi Olivia,

A minor is totally up to you and not necessary for success per say. Here’s a couple motivations for getting a minor:

1. Pure fun and personal enrichment - this was my reasoning behind doing a minor in a religious study

2. Signaling effect on your resume - Business major + Computer Science minor = great combo that opens doors at top tech companies

3. Studying an adjacent field to your major without commiting fully to it - e.g. a minor in math for a physics major

4. A way to structure your non-major graduation requirements - e.g. minoring in Spanish to knock out your language requirements
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Victoria’s Answer

College is (technically) a place for you to explore your passions and prepare for the job market. A minor is a great way to potentially do both.

You can choose a minor to:
1. Explore a passion or interest you have that you don't want to make a career out of.
2. Sharpen your skills in an area you are not strong in.
3. Open up another area of the job market (i.e. Majoring in Jounalism and minoring in Finance)
4. Work on a skill that might make you an asset in your industry (minoring in a language might be helpful.)
5. Learn something new!

There are many reasons why you might want to choose a minor, but my advice would be to picture where you want to be in 10 years, and think about what skills you might need to get there. A minor might help you on your journey.
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Clint’s Answer

I do not think a minor is necessary unless it is truly in a skill that sets you apart. A foreign language would be good. Coding would probably be another. Otherwise, for example, a business major with a minor in marketing is generally meaningless.
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Sharhonda’s Answer

It matters in the sense that it exposes you to variations of what you may be studying or introduce you to something different altogether. I've also found that employers don't necessarily qualify or disqualify you on your choice of minor or in some cases not even on your major. If you feel you have time to invest in a minor do so.
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Chelsea’s Answer

I think most employers are going to be more focused on your major vs. your minor, but I do think a minor is a good way to show that you have an interest or aptitude for something that may be either a more specialized area related to your major or sometimes I've seen people minor in things that are completely different from their major, which could be a good talking point in an interview. I think a minor shows that you have a strong interest in something and/or are well rounded, but I don't feel that most employers would look at a minor as a requirement.
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John’s Answer

I wouldn't say it's important to Minor in something, but it is important to take a variety of courses. A minor might look good on a graduate school application, but most employers won't care if you completed all of the requirements for a minor or not.

I suggest taking a variety of courses for a few reasons:
1: You may find something you're truly passionate about! I started as a business student, but ended up with a PhD in Psychology because I randomly took a couple Psychology and fell in love with studying human behavior.
2: You learn to look at things from a different perspective. Getting exposure to how different fields tackle their types of problems will help you think through and solve problems more effectively for the rest of your life!
3: You meet a lot of cool people. Some of my longest-lasting friendships have come from people I've met in some of the most obscure classes I ever took in college... staying only in your Major or Minor exposes you to the same types of people... boring.

My advice: don't lock yourself into a bunch of courses just to fulfill a Minor requirement... take the courses you are interested in and feel like you'll get the most out of. Keep in mind that your career is just a small part of your life overall, so go out and learn things that will enhance your life, not just your career!
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Riley’s Answer

Not necessarily. Most college majors are already designed by the school to give you an all-inclusive set of courses to properly prepare you for your chosen career. However, taking a minor would come in handy to sort of set you apart from others in your field when applying to jobs. For example, if you were to do something like major in management with a minor in marketing you would be more likely to be hired for a bigger range of jobs because you are now qualified to take on more positions.

Side note, my sister majored in marketing and minored in Spanish, and this gave her a great head start because in our country the ability to speak two languages (especially Spanish) is a great asset to bring to whatever company you end up working for.
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