Major/Minor vs Masters

Discussion in 'IT and Computer-Related Degrees' started by Txgator, Dec 29, 2014.

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  1. Txgator

    Txgator New Member

    I am currently pursuing my AAS in General Studies. I plan on transferring to a 4 year college this fall. My question is should I go for a Major and Minor or concentrate on getting my BAAS and then onto a Masters program and not worry about the minor? The minor was going to be in something I have an interest in, not something that compliments my major.
     
  2. jumbodog

    jumbodog New Member

    Do the minor, why not? Most minors are six to seven classes and in the long run, especially if you plan on getting a masters they will not impact your work life at all. If anything, having a minor is a totally different area shows your diversity and that you are a "well-rounded person." The only reason I can think to stick to a single major is if you absolutely know that's your passion and you have no interest in anything else.
     
  3. Kizmet

    Kizmet Moderator

    I'm going to present a different view and then wind up in a similar place as jd. In my own opinion a minor has virtually no value in the workplace. No one is going to get hired because of their minor, especially if it's unrelated to their major. There are exceptions of course (for example a Business major Spanish minor might be seen as relevant in some business jobs). I think that a hiring manager would pay attention to your gpa before they even considered your minor. On the other hand, if you actually have an interest in a subject and can pursue it academically AND get a minor out of it in the process then I'd say "Why not!" I see no harm even if I see no advantage. I'd also add that I don't see any of this as related to earning a Masters.
     
  4. SteveFoerster

    SteveFoerster Resident Gadfly Staff Member

    What about doing the Associate's degree in whatever you'd want the minor to be, then the Bachelor's in the discipline you think helps you reach your professional goals? That would probably be about the same number of courses in each, but you'd be able to say rightfully that you have degrees in both disciplines.
     
  5. cookderosa

    cookderosa Resident Chef

    Since grad school is in your future, concentrate on being sure you've met all of the pre-reqs in your undergraduate degree. For instance, since my degree is in social science, if I wanted to earn an MBA, I'd have to collect a lot of credits in courses I didn't study - just to be eligible to apply- to a business program. So, make sure you're covered there.

    Also, remember that completing the degree in ANYTHING trumps half or 3/4 of a degree. So, if adding a minor: moves back your graduation date, adds student loan debt, delays entry into the workforce, turns a 120 undergrad degree into a 145 credit one, risks lowering your GPA (or makes it harder to raise yours), then these are all reasons NOT to pile on more school work.

    I love Kizmet's example of a major in business with a minor in Spanish (for example) which looks killer on a resume. I'd say that is an exceptional example of when you might get a job BECAUSE of having a certain minor. If your minor is in something like psychology, forget it, that's not nearly as impressive in the real world as it feels to an incoming freshman.
     
  6. dfreybur

    dfreybur New Member

    Repeating what Jennifer posted - Anything that completes any degree beats any other consideration.

    When I was working on my Bachelors targeting math/CS I took an Anthropology course to check off a box in General Education. I loved the topic. Anthropologists make a pittance for living far away from home so there wasn't any question of trying to work in the field. But every time I had a chance to take another Anthropology course as a part of the GE program I did. I came close to getting an Anthropology minor. If I had not discovered Excelsior's remote degree program I would have spent more time taking classes and I probably would have qualified for an Anthropology minor.

    As long as the courses can be used to satisfy GE requirements and don't interfere with how soon you get your degree, go for it!

    Another consideration - A college education is not ABOUT qualifying for a good career. Qualifying for a good career is supposed to be a side effect of a college education. This is something about education that gets ignored a lot. "Better yourself through education" is a statement about personal enrichment in knowledge not in lucre. Go for that minor. Keep your eye on the ball - Betterment through education so your minor is a part of that. Also keep your eye on the ball within the ball that is qualifying for a better career through education so your major is a part of that.

    If all society wanted from college is careers the only colleges we would have is career colleges that do not require general education programs. Degrees are about more than just the skills in field. With all the focus on student loans and debt to projected income ratios, this is a point that gets forgotten. Go for that minor for reasons other than money. For money reasons if you qualify for your degree but miss the minor by some number of courses, do hobby reading on the topic later.
     

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