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Does it really matter what you minor in or just what you major in??

I am a high school senior looking to go to college for elementary education but not sure what to minor in. #majors

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Darcel’s Answer

The best major that give you career options and is the foundation for a teaching career is liberal studies. Since the liberal studies degree gives you a variety of course to take you necessarily won't want or need a minor. After completing you liberal studies bachelor of arts degree. You may need to complete courses in pre-credential elementary.
Let's look at the four year public colleges/universities in your area that offers liberal studies degrees and teaching credential programs. University of Florida has a College: Education
Program: Bachelor of Arts in Education and Master of Education
Credits for Degree: 120 (B.A.E.) | 36 (M.Ed.)
Contact: Email | 1-106 Norman Hall | 352.273.4376
More Info What are the requirements for elementary education in Florida?
Although there are more detailed specifications listed on its department of education site, Florida requires a major in elementary education or 30 semester hours in Elementary Education related-coursework to work as an Elementary School teacher, and a major or 30 semester hours in the desired subject area for Secondary Education. What colleges offer educational preparation programs?
Public and private universities and colleges throughout the state offer Initial Teacher Preparation (ITP) Programs. Many of the Florida colleges and universities have state-approved Educator Preparation Institutes (EPIs) through which they deliver alternative certification programs for baccalaureate degree holders.

Darcel recommends the following next steps:

Strive for A's and B's in all your college/high school courses
Consider going to a local community to complete the pre-requisite for the the University of Florida bachelor of education program.
I know it difficult now to volunteer or work with elementary school age children, however talk to elementary teachers to see what you have in common
College minors are optional especially you want to be an elementary school teacher because there will be additional course and time spent up to additional year complete you degree.
Be prepared to take the state standardized testing to obtain your teaching credential. It's a very comprehensive exam.
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Natalia’s Answer

Hi Sheridan! It really doesn't matter what you decide to minor in. I really feel like this is an opportunity to be as free as you want to be in school. You may not be in a major path that is 100% the most exciting, but, you can use a minor as an opportunity to pursue your passion or anything that has interested you or you wanted to learn more about. Maybe you want to learn a language, or you like film, art, photography, climate change etc. These are just a few minors that are offered at countless of universities. I, for example, am taking a minor in Spanish for business because I want to master the language and learn business vocabulary. This does fit with my major, but even if I was not a business major, I would have taken this minor because I love the language. Take advantage of these opportunities if you can. There is also the delicate balance of making sure the minor fits into your core requirements for school and your major requirements. If you have a good college advisor, this should not be a problem, but I would not take a minor and pay too much extra money or add extra stress on your life if that is what it takes. Regardless, I highly encourage you to pursue this, and who knows, maybe you will find something amazing!
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Kiirsten’s Answer

Good Afternoon Sheridan!

That's great that you're starting to formulate your major and your interests as you're still in high school! Darcel's answer was wonderful, but I'd like to add that if you're interested in pursuing Elementary Education, minoring in Psychology might be a good match. I did not major in Elementary Education, but some of my friends did and they paired psychology with it. I don't know if it matters which minor you have when it comes to a majority of majors (for example I majored in Hospitality Management but minored in Humanities--a semi-random combination). Definitely do your research about potential universities that you want to attend, they usually have contact numbers-- you can either partner with your school guidance counselor to get you on the right path, or call the schools directly for answers to potential questions you may have.

Have fun!
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Firoz’s Answer

For first job it can matter and it may not matter.

Standing on its own it will matter.
I.e. Computer Engineer will be better for working at a computer company such as Dell or HP specifically in the design or development departments.

Another example: Communications and then a minor in broadcasting may be better if you want to be on television.

The not part is many people are not doing what they majored in.

Sales or account management may not be heavily impacted by a specific degree.

Consulting companies sometimes is more interested in how smart you are than a specific degree.

Amazingly doctors don’t always have chemistry or biology degrees in college.
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Sean’s Answer

Your major can definitely matter if there's an industry you wish to get involved in that's particularly specific or technical, like accounting. But many majors such as HR or Psychology have a broad spectrum of career options that come with them as they are largely interpersonal skills based and can easily transition into different areas or fields. Having a wide range of hard skills to backup interpersonal skills is always a good set of armour to have. Human Resources is a good major to pursue a degree in as you gain a large exposure to some hard skills including different softwares and take general business courses but also become even more well rounded in those interpersonal skills and things like conflict management that can lend itself very useful to a career in education.
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Alison’s Answer

Hi Sheridan,
Majoring in education is a GREAT thing to do if you see teaching in your future. Yes, there are a lot of transferable skills that you can learn from other industries, but in my 15+ years of working in various education settings with many different groups of teachers, the best teachers I’ve met have always studied their craft. Having a major in education will be a definite asset on your resume as you begin looking for teaching work after college. That being said, whatever minor is listed on your resume is not going to get as much attention. So, you do have more options with your minor. You can choose something to supplement your major (education and psychology do work really well together, for example), to enhance your major (a lot of places are looking for teachers who are bilingual now, for instance), or to follow your interests (things like “so you majored in Elementary Education but minored in biochemistry?” can make great talking points during interviews). When I got my BA in English Secondary Education, I didn’t even declare a minor, but that didn’t stop me from landing a job about 2 weeks after graduation.
My best advice is to think about the teacher you want to be, and let that guide your choice. And remember, you don’t have to decide right away, either. You can take some time to explore your options once you start college.
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Simeon’s Answer

In my experience, a minor does not do a lot for you unless it is in a different field than your major. If it's different, you'll at least have some capacity to apply for jobs and fields related to the minor as a way of diversifying your job industries. It can be nice to have more options in case you end up changing your mind about the major you graduate with.
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Gina’s Answer

A minor area of study is probably not vital to you r career choice, but it can help you decide certain specific areas you want to go into. It gives you the opportunity to try out different concentrations- which will help you figure out what you do and don't like about certain occupations. Plus it can just make you more well-rounded overall-- gain better knowledge of other facets in life.
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