Requirements for minors vary by college, and some institutions don't require them at all. Generally, these less-intense academic concentrations take anywhere from 18 to 40 semester hours to complete. When chosen wisely, a minor can be a great complement to a student's major and increase the potential for success in their chosen career field, says Andrea Kay, career consultant and author of "Life's a Bitch and Then You Change Careers."
"You should really put on your creative thinking cap and think carefully when choosing a minor," Kay says. "Think about what would be helpful for you to specialize in and have a wider understanding of that might help you either answer the market's needs or be able to find a job."
Need some inspiration? Here are five minors that can enhance almost any degree:
International Studies
Whether it's importing oil from the Middle East or bringing in manufactured goods from China, U.S. businesses frequently interact with foreign companies. Being knowledgeable about global dynamics and inter-country relations can be attractive to employers that regularly deal with international clients or partners.
"The business world is an area where international competition is steadily increasing, and a minor in international studies could be helpful," Kay says.
Business
A business minor can provide in-depth knowledge of areas like management, finance, and marketing. It's particularly appropriate for future entrepreneurs, but just about anyone -- even fields like nursing -- can benefit from studying business, says Daryl Kerr, assistant dean of undergraduate student programs at the University of North Carolina-Charlotte's Belk School of Business.
Kerr says, "A lot of nurses either plan to work at a small agency or a doctor's office. It would be beneficial to know something about a small business and how it works. Or it could help if they wanted to become a nursing administrator at a hospital." In addition, Kerr says, business students become well-versed in "universal work skills" like decision-making and organizing -- talents that anyone can use, regardless of career path.
Environmental Studies
There's been a lot of talk lately about "green-collar jobs," or careers in environmentally-friendly industries such as renewable energy. In fact, a recent study by the American Solar Energy Society found that renewable-energy jobs could total 40 million by the year 2030. An environmental studies minor, which can encompass studies of ecology, environmental history, and even landscape architecture, could provide an advantage in these new industries, says Mark Stoll, an associate professor of history and coordinator of the environmental studies program at Texas Tech University.
Biology, geography, and even pre-law majors can also benefit. "There seems to be a wide variety of majors [participating in the program]," Stoll says. "I had one student who went on to work for the Environmental Protection Agency. The environment impinges on a lot of different things."
Education
While it usually won't earn you a teaching certificate, a minor in education or education studies can help you gauge your interest in becoming a teacher. "It gives [students] an opportunity to find out more about the teaching profession, to take some courses with the faculty in the education program, and to really experience whether this is going to be a good fit for them," says Cherry A. Banks, interim director of the education program at the University of Washington-Bothell (UWB). Students who minor in education at UWB often take courses that can count toward a teaching certificate, Banks says.
Education minors can also prove useful in careers outside the classroom, especially those in industries that interact with schools. "In computer software systems, there are technology issues that are important for schools and programs being developed for schools," Banks says. "In those types of situations, it would be helpful to have an education minor as a background."
Foreign Language
Being fluent in a second language is a skill that gives you a competitive edge in almost any field, says Cassandra Mabe, an associate professor of French at Loyola University in New Orleans. "Say you're applying for a job, and there are 10 applicants, and you end up being one of the top three," Mabe says. "With everything else being equal, if you have [fluency] in another language, I think in many cases that gives you an advantage." Companies that regularly work with international clients are particularly interested in employees that have more than one tongue under their belt. But which language to choose? Any will do, Mabe says, but Spanish and Arabic are among the most practical in today's business world.
The possibilities for college minors are endless, Kay says, but students can narrow them down by thinking about how these fields of study will help them increase their employability once they graduate. "Most people in college don't really understand, in my experience, how they're going to fit into the world once they get out," Kay says.
"What would be helpful for you to know, to specialize in, to have a wider understanding of that might help you be able to find a job? If you understand that, you can make yourself more valuable."
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