What to Know About Double Minoring

A minor can offer students an opportunity to expand on their studies in an unrelated field.

But what should students know about double minoring, and is a double minor better than a double major?

US News recently looked at the pros and cons of double minoring and offered insights for students to consider.

CONSIDER A DOUBLE MINOR FOR LESS COMMITMENT

If you’re intent on spending less time in your secondary studies, a double minor may make more sense than a double major. At Brandeis University, for example, an environmental studies major requires 12 related courses while the minor requires only six.

“Students would have more course responsibilities and more specific courses they would need to take in order to successfully double major than they would if they were to double minor,” Jeffrey Shoulson, dean of the School of Arts and Sciences at Brandeis, says. “Because of that, it’s not as much of an in-depth exploration of the field if you do it as a minor, as opposed to a major.”

PROS AND CONS OF DOUBLE MINOR

A double minor can pair well with your current major program and allow you to explore topics outside of your major. That secondary knowledge and effort can help when it comes to finding a job.

Whether “you are out there on the job market or you are doing other things, it will be clear from your transcript and from your academic record that you have this area of secondary specialization,” Shoulson says.

Students should be cautious, however, about the time commitment a double minor requires.

“One of the real strengths of a liberal arts undergraduate program is the opportunity that students have to experiment, to take classes outside of their main areas of focus and to learn a bit more about an area that they might not otherwise have known very much about,” Shoulson says. “And I’m always a little bit wary of students narrowing their options too quickly and too completely before they get out of college.”

Sources: US News, Brandeis University

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