We all have busy schedules during the semester, no matter what we’re studying. Having two majors can make an already busy schedule even more hectic. Whether you’re already a double-major or are just thinking about adding a secondary major, here are some tips for keeping your busy academic life balanced!
1. Aim High
Even (or especially) if you don’t know exactly what kind of career you want, giving yourself a number of options in terms of academic course is a good idea. Simply choosing a major may not always land you a job in that field, but double-majoring will certainly widen your options. Even if you didn’t plan on double-majoring, but have taken a couple of courses in the same department outside of your major, you might be able to turn those courses into a secondary major by adding a few more classes!
2. Know what’s out there
UMass has so many different departments and subject matters to choose from. Before you commit to any majors, take a look at everything that’s available to you. You don’t want to be senior before you finally find the department that was right for you all along (and this happens to college students frequently). In addition, if you are an out of state student at UMass, but still from New England, you can get in-state tuition by majoring in a department that is idiosyncratic to UMass (meaning other public schools in your state didn’t have the program that UMass does!).
3. Plan, plan, plan!
If you plan your college academic career wisely, you’ll be able to double-major, study abroad, do a thesis, and perhaps even complete a certificate program. The key to doing this is to plan a lot in advance. As a freshman or sophomore, keep track of all your major and gen-ed requirements, and make an outline of how you will get everything completed by the end of your four years. If you hope to study abroad, start planning a good year and a half in advance. Find out which programs are affordable to you and that might also satisfy some of your major requirements. For example, even if you are majoring in the hard sciences, studying abroad may still be possible if you find an English-speaking university abroad that has the courses that you need.
4. Meet with advisors
An easy way to get overwhelmed with major requirements is if you are not visiting your advisors as frequently as could be. As students, we don’t always advocate for ourselves as much as we should, and talking with an advisor is the best way to advocate for yourself. Try to meet with advisors for both of your majors at least once a semester. The relationships that you make with professors during advising is especially helpful if you’re interested in ultimately doing a senior thesis.
5. Do what keeps you interested
The point of having more than one major is not to overload you with work, but actually to keep you more interested in the work that you have to do by allowing you entry into multiple subject matters. Ultimately, major in what makes you interested in going to your classes, not necessarily what will become a clear-cut career. Acknowledging and combining your various interests will make you not only more interested in what you are studying, it will make you a stronger, more resilient student!
Good luck, Collegiettes!