The significance of having a minor in college?

Question

I am currently a student at Temple University. Prior to transferring to Temple I attended 2 other schools and transferred a total of 35 credits into Temple. I'm 22 and am currently about to start my junior year. I heard that you only need 4 classes of a subject to minor in it. I already have 3 history classes done (1 transferred in, and another 2 at Temple) and am taking another one this semester.

One of my friends told me that she is going to be minoring in something simply because she already had enough credits to do it. Is it worth it for me to minor in this? Would it be "declaring a minor?" I'm sure it probably looks good on a resume and makes you sound more well rounded, but what are the other benefits, and how do I go about the process? Just a visit to an adviser or what?

Let me know, guys! School is starting in a few days and I want to know what I'm doing in the beginning of the semester.

Answer 1

It must vary from school to school, because here, a minor generally requires 12-18 credits, and there are specific class requirements to choose from. Check your school's Undergraduate Catalog.

As you said, a minor is just a little something extra, and can often be done "accidentally" through classes you're already taking for other reasons.

I have the option of declaring my minor online, but you don't receive credit for the minor until you graduate, so there's no hurry; you just have to make sure you declare it when you apply for graduation.

A minor can sometimes be helpful to employers, if it is related to your major or makes you more hireable. For instance, a teacher with a Spanish minor could teach in an area with lots of bilingual students. A Communications major with a minor in Technical Writing would be very desirable in the health field. A musician may choose to minor in Latin.

Check into the minor requirements, and if you can get one easily, always go for it. Hope this helps!

Karen