Are you a computer scientist who is secretly an artist? A biomedical engineer with a love for economics? Maybe an accountant with an interest in physics? A mix, or perhaps a completely different combination?
The Minor Fair held on October 30 by the Office of Undergraduate Academics bustled with students who answered yes to those questions. Inside the Bissinger Room (Howe Floor 4), academic representatives exhibited minors from the School of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences, the School of Business, and the Schaefer School of Engineering and Science.
You may ask, what are minors, and why are students at the Minor Fair interested in learning more about them? A minor represents a coherent program of study in a discipline other than your major degree program. To complete a minor, you would need to take fewer courses than in a major. Students usually take minors to explore their passions and gain valuable skills in an additional field of study without having to go through the time commitment and courseload of a major. If this idea speaks to you, consider taking a minor!
As students walked into the Bissinger Room and marveled at the array of minors offered by Stevens, many were curious about what kind of skills they could gain from each type of minor and which one is right for them. Fortunately, academic representatives at the fair had their back and answered any queries, helping them evaluate their options and strategize on which minor is the best fit.
The Schaefer School of Engineering and Science offers various minors from the Departments of Biomedical Engineering, Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, Civil, Environmental and Ocean Engineering, Computer Science, Electrical and Computer Engineering, Mathematical Sciences, Physics and Systems Engineering. A minor from this school increases your breadth of technical knowledge and enhances your critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Pursuing one is fulfilling because it gives you an overview of what happens under the hood of various technologies and the science behind how the world works.
The School of Business offers minors that strengthen your skill of making decisions strategically. Some popular ones are Quantitative Finance, Economics, Finance and Entrepreneurship. Taking a minor from this school helps you understand how businesses work, gain financial literacy and present your ideas to other people effectively. Most importantly, it helps you become a better leader, so it complements any major you are pursuing, business or non-business.
Popular minors from the School of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences include Science, Technology and Society, Science Communication and Medical Humanities. A minor from this school develops transferable communication skills and creativity, which are crucial for you to think up new ideas, bring fresh perspectives and convey them effectively. Additionally, it prepares you for analyzing social and ethical issues which appear in many aspects of life, and helps you understand different perspectives empathetically.
After some worthwhile conversations with the staff, some students left the fair confident about which minor to choose, while some felt a bit unsure. If you are in doubt, you could talk to your faculty and academic advisors to figure out which minors are best suited for your goals at this moment and how you could incorporate minor courses into your schedule. Do not fret, for it is only natural to feel uncertain when you are presented with a lot of options; in fact, it makes you a great student for being excited that there is something new and amazing to learn about in every minor, but you do not know which one to pick!
You can add a minor as soon as your first semester grades are in and begin taking classes toward it in your sophomore year. The last date to declare a minor is the Add/Drop Date of the first semester of your senior year.
If you are unable to complete a minor, nothing bad happens! You can remove it at any time. After all, minors are designed to help you learn new things, and trying one out would surely make you feel fulfilled and enhance your skills regardless of whether or not you finish all requirements.
