“I’m majoring in landscape architecture with a minor in media and cinema studies.”
“I’m working on receiving a bachelor’s degree in environmental science and management with a certificate in computational science and engineering.”
It’s a sure bet you’ve heard it before — or at least something similar. You meet someone new, ask them, “What’s your major?” and move on. There’s a good chance that’s exactly how you will meet or have met a face in the crowd at orientation.
And yet, there are quite a few unique answers. After all, what does it even mean to be minoring in something? Much less to get a certificate in that subject? Not to mention the ever-elusive double major.
Well, these questions will be answered so that you may find the unique educational trajectory for your college goals, or at the very least, understand what all those CS + X majors are talking about.
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Minors
A minor is a smaller, less intensive version of a traditional bachelor’s degree. In the college degree hierarchy, minors are at the very bottom below bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees.
It generally requires fewer classes, and a minor is intended to complement a traditional bachelor’s degree. A common example is a minor degree in secondary education, which, when accompanied by a bachelor’s degree in a specific subject — English, biology or even history — allows students to obtain a teaching license from the Illinois State Board of Education.
Minors are generally pursued to gain additional skill and expertise in a specific field.
Certificates
The baby brother of minors, certificates typically require fewer courses than a minor and can cover a wide range of options.
The College of Liberal Arts & Sciences offers certificates for subjects like animal behavior and global health. Unique certificates are also available in the College of Agricultural, Consumer & Environmental Sciences, like adulting. The certificate offers to teach you “…personal health and nutrition needs, to learning how to care for your pet, or how to grill the best burger.”
Certificates also cost considerably less than a degree or minor, generally ranging between $4,500 and $6,500 for non-current students, according to the College of ACES. The University has numerous certificates through traditional classes and online courses, available to undergraduates and graduates.
With low cost and commitment compared to a degree, certificates are a way to learn additional skills and knowledge that can help to distinguish yourself from others in your field without the intensity of a typical degree.
Double majors
Double majors are even more like their namesake than minor degrees. These are degrees that are taken in conjunction with one another.
Double majors are generally designed to deepen a student’s expertise by building a knowledge base that is particularly well-suited to a specific field. For example, a student pursuing a career in robotics might double major in mechanical engineering and computer science
They are also generally more intensive than a minor or a certificate, since double majoring is fundamentally the same as getting two degrees. However, the intensity is the entire point of a double major. It provides an in-depth education in a student’s field by helping them become a specialized expert.
Ultimately, whichever route you pick should serve to help your academic goals while at the University. No one article can cover the complexities of each option — much less how many programs are available — so be sure to consult with your adviser.
