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Common Minors

Should I minor? Psychology students frequently express interest in declaring one or more minors, which are generally 5-unit programs of study. Minors can be a helpful way to pick up a complementary skill set or explore a side interest without the commitment of second major. However, sometimes you might be satisfied by simply taking 1-2 free elective courses, rather than committing to a full minor program. In the end, it’s most important to learn the skills and content that is most relevant to your goals, so think carefully about whether or not a full minor is necessary.

How do I declare a minor? Download and complete the very short Application for Minor or Course of Study from Records and Registration. Complete the form and get an approval signature from the department that offers the minor. (For example, go to the Political Science department if you want to minor in POL). Lastly, drop the completed and signed form off at Records and Registration in Green Hall 112. If you decide to drop a minor, simply complete and submit the same form again to remove the minor; no signatures are required in this case.

What are some common minors declared by PSY majors? Our students have minored in virtually every program on campus, but here are a few popular options that might spark ideas:

  • Biology or Chemistry: Overlaps with the Biopsychology specialization and a typical pre-med course of study, and having a minor in a School of Science field can help with registration in these high-demand courses.
  • Communication Disorders: Provides the prerequisite courses that are essential for graduate study in Speech/Language Pathology or Audiology.
  • Criminology: Provides a complementary perspective on the criminal justice system that is beneficial for students interested in Law School or graduate study in Forensic Psychology.
  • Deaf Studies: Overlaps to a large extent with American Sign Language (ASL) courses, so it fits well for students who are satisfying their language requirement with ASL 101-103.
  • Leadership: Broadly useful for anyone interested in law/politics, business, education, or many other fields pursued by PSY majors. Housed in the School of Business, but interdisciplinary and draws on coursework in areas like Psych, Communications, Public Health, and other fields.
  • Management or Human Resource Management: Overlaps with the Industrial/Organizational specialization and is beneficial for students interested in working in business organizations with a Bachelor’s degree.
  • Marketing: Overlaps with the Industrial/Organizational specialization and is beneficial for students interested in sales or advertising-related applications of Psychology.
  • Political Science: Provides a complementary perspective for students interested in public policy or government careers, or applications of Social Psychology concepts. Also a natural fit for students considering Law School.
  • Public Health: Provides beneficial training for students interested in careers in clinical psychology, medicine, public policy, or social work.
  • Social Justice: Appropriate for students who anticipate working in counseling, or in advocacy roles in nonprofit organizations, local communities, or government organizations.
  • Spanish (or other spoken languages): Broadly beneficial for a wide variety of careers, and may be easy to satisfy if you study abroad in a country where your chosen language is spoken.
  • Statistics: Very helpful for graduate school in Psychology, particularly for students aspiring to doctoral programs.
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