Cornell offers 122 minors to undergraduates, including 10 minors in the College of Human Ecology. Cornell students have the opportunity to pursue minors in any department in any college that offers them and in any subject area (as long as your department and your major permits it). If you have thoughts about pursuing a minor, here are some questions that can help you with your decision:
Why are you interested in pursuing this minor?
1. How will this minor help your career goals?
Some students may be tempted to add a minor to their degree in the hopes of distinguishing themselves from other students. However, this minor will only be useful to you as long as your interests and intentions are clear. Students should not pursue a minor if they only believe it will improve their chances for graduate school or job opportunities. Students should pursue them if they believe the minor aligns with their personal goals and their interests. Completed minors will appear on the student’s official transcript. However, do not feel pressured to pursue a minor because you feel it may make you more competitive. You may be asked to describe your reasons for pursuing a minor other than to make you “stand out.”
2. Does this minor enhance or expand beyond your major? Does this minor demonstrate other interests you may have?
A minor can often help you expand on your interests in a different department from your major, or even complement your major with something in a similar field. Minors can help you focus on a particular subject area of interest or even allow you the space to try something completely different.
3. What do you hope to gain from pursuing this minor?
Pursuing a minor may allow you to gain more expertise in an area related to your major to prepare for an advanced degree or work in a professional field. For example, a student could be pursuing the Global Health Minor as a way to gain more experience from the Experiential Learning Opportunity before applying for a Master’s in Public Health. Or a student could minor in Health Policy to be better prepared for a career in Healthcare Administration or the pharmaceutical industry. Or, a student may pursue a computer science minor to expand their skills to enter a technology field. Minors can help a student develop skills in a diverse array of areas as long as it aligns with their interests and goals.
Do you have time to pursue a minor?
- Does it fit into your four year schedule?
This is a pivotal question to ask as most minors range from 15-20 credits, which is around 6 more courses to fit into your schedule. If your four-year plan for your major does not allow you to finish a minor before graduation, it may not be worth it. Remember, even if you are interested in the subject, you can still take a few courses to explore some classes and what they have to offer. It is totally allowed (and sometimes even makes more sense!) to take a couple of classes of interest in a minor field without actually completing the minor. Additionally, if you are planning on pursuing a minor in the similar field as you major, some classes may overlap. However, make sure that you are pursuing this minor out of pure interest, and not convenience, as you may be asked in the future to describe your reason for pursuing this minor–so your passion should shine through!
General Advice:
- Take a few classes in the minor to see if the subject matter actually aligns with your interests.
- If you do decide to take on a minor, make sure to have a long-term plan (probably starting in your sophomore year), which will allow you to integrate the courses for a minor into your academic plan while still leaving time for other semester experiences you may want to take on (i.e. undergraduate research,internships).
- Meet with your advisor to discuss your interests or stop by the Career Exploration Center to talk with a Career Assistant to learn more about the minors offered in the College of Human Ecology!