The Pros and Cons of Pursuing Multiple Majors

By Christine Ascher on April 4, 2017

Choosing one major in college can be difficult enough; deciding whether or not you should expand your area of study to major in more than one field is an even tougher decision. Ultimately, though there are advantages and disadvantages that will come with pursuing multiple majors, and you are the only person who can make the best decision for yourself.

In order to determine if the benefits will outweigh the costs, you’ll need to think through a variety of factors carefully. Some that you might want to consider include the following.

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Pros

There will be more opportunities available to you post-graduation

Regardless of what your majors are, having more than one area of study will undoubtedly expand the opportunities available to you once you graduate. For instance, while a major in business may allow you to work for some large American companies, having a second major in Spanish will mean that you can apply for jobs at Spanish businesses as well, or enterprises that conduct a lot of business with Spain.

However, if you’re already on a set path and know exactly what you want to do career-wise, then it may not be necessary to add in that extra major to expand your options.

It will help you stand out from others when applying for jobs or grad school

In an increasingly competitive job market, and when applying for increasingly selective graduate programs, a second major just might be the characteristic that helps you stand out from all of the other applicants. Pursuing multiple majors means you will develop a wider range of skills than someone pursuing only one area of study and will bring a unique perspective and abilities to the job or graduate program. It also shows that you’re not afraid of hard work, as you willingly took on a more difficult class load.

You’ll have more options for recommendation letters

Having more than one major means having more options when it comes to requesting recommendation letters for graduate school or references for jobs. Especially when schools ask specifically for letters from major professors, you’ll have twice as many people to choose from. You’ll be able to choose your favorite professors, and will probably receive a better letter or reference as a result.

You’ll be able to pursue more than one of your top interests

If you have a lot of interests and are having trouble choosing just one to focus on, pursuing multiple majors will allow you to continue studying the areas that you love. This is most beneficial if you are interested in two areas that can be linked together somehow — for instance, studying English and political science is a good combination if you want to go to law school. However, don’t be afraid to major in two disparate fields if they both interest you — chances are, if you look hard enough you’ll be able to find a career path that uses skills from both areas. 

Cons

It will be more work

Undoubtedly, adding a second major means having more work. Whereas with only one major you might have had time to take some fun electives, like yoga or piano, when you have multiple majors almost all of your classes will be dedicated to one of them. This also means that your grades will matter more, as you’re not taking any easy electives that won’t affect your long-term chances of obtaining your dream job. All of your grades will be of equal importance, as they will be for your major classes. You can, therefore, expect to work at least a little bit, and often a lot, harder than if you were only pursuing a single major.

You might have to take summer classes, or it could take you more than four years to graduate

Depending on your general education requirements and when you declare your second major, you might end up having to take some extra classes over the summer or spend an extra semester in college. Make a plan for how and when you’ll fit in all of your classes before you declare another major to determine if this will be the case and think seriously about whether you’re willing to make that sacrifice.

You might not be able to take fun electives or use them to explore your other interests

If you’re pursuing multiple majors, it’s likely that all of your classes throughout your four years of college will consist of major classes and your general education requirements. This means giving up any extra areas of interest that you wanted to pursue through electives, and not taking as many classes for fun.

You won’t be able to give as much attention to each major

Pursuing multiple majors might mean spreading yourself thin with regards to each one, as you won’t be able to focus all of your energy on just one area. You might not have time to join as many extracurricular activities due to a heavier work load, meaning you might have to choose which areas to focus on for the activities that you do take part in.

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