What is a Minor in College?

Choosing a major is an important step toward reaching your career goals. However, there are many opportunities to broaden your studies and make yourself even more marketable while earning your degree.

By adding a minor to your degree program, you can make yourself as well-rounded as possible for the job market while also studying something you love.

What Are Majors and Minors?

When you're earning a college degree, your major is your primary field of study. It's what you'll study most, and it's the subject you'll see on your diploma when you graduate. A minor is a secondary discipline that can complement your major or add variety to your coursework.

Majors for bachelor's degrees require around 60 credits for graduation, while a minor is usually in the realm of 15-18 credits. However, each program is different.

Think of a minor as an add-on pack that boosts your education, said Dr. Christopher Lee, an associate dean at Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU) with a PhD in English and Comparative Literature from Columbia University. “The minor gives you good coverage of the additional area, usually 15 credits, in a way that doesn’t take up a huge chunk of your degree,” Lee said.

If you are confident in your choice of major, earning a minor is a sensible way to add a range of courses in another field and earn academic credit for it. But whether or not you add a minor to your degree program really depends on your goals.

What is the Point of Having a Minor?

You might choose a minor to add versatility to your resumé or to explore a subject you'd like to know more about. Choosing a minor can even help you realize what you really want to do, according to Lee.

A great benefit of earning a minor is that it gives you more ownership of your education. You gain new skill sets that create opportunities for you that you may not have discovered when focused on your major courses alone.

Holly Carroll '23 started her education in 1997, majoring in middle school education with dual concentrations in American and military history. After a hiatus from her studies, she completed her bachelor's degree in history at SNHU, adding minors in English language and literature and American studies.

Her minors complemented her history degree because the fields are writing-intensive. With that major/minor combination, Carroll can show employers that her writing skills are solid while also fueling her personal interest in writing creatively.

SNHU graduate Jordan Oldham '22 majored in English and creative writing and opted to earn minors in sports management and organizational leadership to help her serve her community.

“Sports management and organizational leadership to complement my Bachelor of Arts degree in Creative Writing and English gives me an extra layer of expertise so that I can better assist my clientele while working on building a long-term career serving my clients and community," she said.

Having that extra expertise helps her feel more confident not just when pursuing promotions with her employer, but in other areas of her life as well. “I am more confident when I’m up against any competition when seeking opportunities elsewhere in life, too,” she said.

How to Choose a Minor

Consider which subjects look the most interesting and let that lead you to customize your own path and point you in the right direction for your learning.

To narrow down your options, start by talking to your academic advisor. They know your school’s offerings better than anybody. They have seen your transcripts and can make recommendations based on available transfer credits and your interests.

Matt DiPirro, an associate dean focused on liberal arts who has worked at SNHU for over a decade, also recommends talking to important people in your life for help making this decision. He said to think about pairing a minor that is outside your regular field of study.

So, What Should I Minor In?

Ultimately, no one can choose your college minor but you, and there are a number of ways you could go with your decision. Depending on your university, you may have the option to minor in a wide variety of program areas.

“Jobs-focused pairings like a project management minor for a liberal arts student, or a psychology minor for a marketing student would be interesting pairings that make you more marketable to employers,” DiPirro said.

Lee suggests combining minors and majors that are complementary, with skills that overlap. “A minor in American Studies is a really interesting pair for a major in American History or American Literature,” he said.

Regardless of your major, Lee said minoring in a subject like English or communications can help you demonstrate soft skills to hiring managers. If you major in a STEM field, for example, a job you get after you graduate will likely still require you to write and communicate well.

Explore 60+ minors offered at SNHU.

Is a College Minor Worth It?

Earning a minor offers the opportunity to customize your education and build your credentials to help you stand out in a crowded job market, according to DiPirro.

By adding a minor to your academic program, he said you signal to employers that you have diversified skills, a drive to succeed, and an ability to take on work outside your current job description. “For its lean size, a minor can do a lot for you,” he said.

And, DiPirro noted you may even have credits toward a minor already. If so, adding on a few extra classes to complete the minor can round out your learning and your resumé at the same time.

Minors can serve two purposes, both equally useful and important. One benefits you professionally and the other benefits you personally. “Employers continue to say that they want graduates with a broad skill and knowledge base who can work with other people, make good decisions and grow with the company,” DiPirro said.

When it comes to your education, don’t be afraid to take a chance. You are in the driver’s seat and get to chart your own path. That’s what a minor is ultimately all about.

“I am proud to have chosen the minors that I did,” Carroll said. “In doing so, I forged wonderful connections with SNHU professors and students that have outlasted the 8-week duration of any class."

A former higher education administrator, Dr. Marie Morganelli is a career educator and writer. She has taught and tutored composition, literature, and writing at all levels from middle school through graduate school. With two graduate degrees in English language and literature, her focus — whether teaching or writing — is in helping to raise the voices of others through the power of storytelling. Connect with her on LinkedIn.