You are undoubtedly familiar with such expressions as “plan B” or “something to fall back on.” Is that the idea behind a minor? Yes and no. A minor is more than likely to be in a subject or field that’s related to your major.
A person majoring in English, for example, might choose either philosophy or history or religion for a minor. The choice of the minor would depend on a given person’s interest in his or her approach to his or her major field.
So an English major may choose philosophy if his/her interest lay in that kind of approach to the study of literature. A minor in history would also clearly be relevant, since literature is related to it. It has a history of its own, and different types of works are written in different periods accordingly.
A minor in religious studies could also be appropriate if the student were interested in works of literature that address themselves to issues in religion.
A minor, therefore, is clearly a good idea, and not just because it’s something to fall back on. For a major in physics, a minor in the history of science could be a good idea, since physics itself has a history. But a minor in math would do as well. For a student in pre-mad biology would be a good choice – if biology were his/her major, then chemistry would be a good choice for a minor.
Those interested in the social sciences also have logic to back up their various minors. A psych major, for example, could benefit from a minor in sociology. Or vice versa. Think related fields here. A business major could minor in political science. A pre-law student could do the same.
If the pre-law student majored in political science (and political science is a favorite major for pre-law students), then a minor in business might be a good choice.
The tradition of having a minor as well as a major in a course of studies leading to a bachelor’s degree is, therefore, grounded in logic. Much of the educational system is likewise grounded in logic, even if at times this idea seems to defy logic.
In any case, choosing a minor along with your major is undoubtedly a good idea, even if it may not be a strict requirement. It stands to reason that if you are interested in a certain field, you are likely to be interested in a field that’s related to it in some way or shape or form. But there is an additional reason for having a minor. If you change your mind about your major, you may go on to graduate school and specialize in your minor instead. Going to graduate school is not a necessity for many a profession, but it may be required for some. If, for example, you want to become a college professor, that field would be virtually closed to you without a Ph.D.
Many people majoring in business are also interested in going to graduate school in order to go for their MBA, or Master of Business Education. If you are interested in creative writing or in teaching creative writing courses, you are bound to be required a graduate degree in the field, knows as the MFA, or Master of Fine Arts.
Having a minor in addition to your major is, in the long run, a good idea.