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How difficult is it to minor in a subject that is not at all related to your major?

I am a senior looking to be a nutritionist/dietician but I still want to pursue musical theater as a minor.

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Laura’s Answer

While it will add a bit of extra work to your plate, it typically isn't too difficult to minor in a different subject from your major. The biggest challenge will be that your classes won't count towards both your major and minor, so you'll likely need to take an extra class for a few semesters. However, a minor generally only requires around 20 credits, which is typically from 5-6 extra classes throughout your college career. If the minor is a subject that you're really passionate about, the extra work might even help bring more variety and excitement to your day! I personally did something similar and studied 2 very different subjects and I enjoyed having the variety and ability to learn about two fields. It's also a great way to build your time management skills and meet people you may not from just your major.
Thank you comment icon I will use this advice as I prepare for my career. Franklyna
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Jennifer’s Answer

Minoring in a subject that is not related to your major is a great idea. It may be more difficult because the course work is not related (and possibly more expensive to pay for extra courses), but it makes your background more diverse and interesting. If it is something you are passionate about, I would encourage it. I personally majored in Business Administration and minored in Philosophy. I work in the business field, but I still enjoy intellectual conversations about Philosophy when I meet people who study (or studied) philosophy.
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Jennifer’s Answer

From my own experience, it was very simple to pursue a minor that was unrelated to my major. I majored in Psychology but I very much enjoy reading and literature so I minored in English Literature. It was just a matter of filling the requirements to "x" hours in the minor, as required by the college.
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Jeff’s Answer

Hello Sydney. As stated from others it isn't really a question of difficulty, but instead time and workload. Personally, I am a returning college student and have 120 credit hours transferred from my previous university. I have a major that was based on previous work in a degree that I wasn't necessarily still passionate about so I decided to use the 30 credit hour residency requirement at my new university to achieve 2 minors in subjects that I am interested in. I had a couple classes that counted toward them but the rest I'll take as a part time student over the next years. If you are looking at adding minors early on, it will have little impact on the length of your studies, but if you're like me and adding them late, you might need to take an extra class or two before graduating. A new subject that you are interested in is always easier to learn when you apply yourself. This will be worth it, since you are taking something that you are interested in, while not starting all over with a new major. Think of it as a little back road to your educational journey.

Jeff recommends the following next steps:

Talk to career advisors or other students in that major or minor to discuss pros and cons.
Start with an intro class in that minor to find out if it is for you.
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Michael’s Answer

Hi Sydney! It shouldn't be difficult at all. I think it really depends on the university you are attending but in my experience, you just have to take a number of classes (credits) in the field you want your minor on and pass the classes. I would suggest to check with your school/university on what are the requirements to minor in musical theater and go from there.
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Tim’s Answer

Hey Sydney! Great question. I think it's a great idea to have a minor that is somewhat different than your major. First, it may give you a "break" from the number of classes - which do get more difficult - in your major. Second, it will challenge your thinking in a topic outside of your major, which is pretty much what life and adulthood brings you! I have a history degree and am a communications professional, and I wish I knew finance better! Plus, it's yet another thing that you can put on a resume that shows you are a thinker, dedicated to learning, and have a broad view of the world. Good luck!
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Marisa’s Answer, CareerVillage.org Team

Hi Sydney!

It shouldn't be too challenging! Depending on the university you attend, the credits you'll need to complete your major may vary. So your schedule might be more tightly packed with a minor that doesn't have overlapping requirements.

When I was in college, I was able to complete 2 minors that were entirely different from my major courses. My major was Sociology, which may have less overall credits required to complete than Nutrition.

It all depends on the credit requirements, but my recommendation is to pursue the musical theater minor! College is the best time to explore all of your interests even if they don't relate directly to your career path. And if you end up having trouble maintaining a busier schedule, you can always decide not to complete the minor, but at least you will have gotten to take some classes in musical theater!

Best of luck Sydney!
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