If you’re eager to go into nursing, you’ve probably carefully researched nursing programs to find the very best fit. Now that you’re ready to study for your BSN, you may be contemplating the rest of your course schedule and wondering if there is a certain minor that could especially enhance your nursing major.
Is a Minor Important in General?
This question tends to crop up for students no matter what their major course of study turns out to be. Not everyone who gets a Bachelor’s degree even bothers with a minor area of concentration, but there are at least two good reasons for choosing a minor concentration to go along with your major.
The first is that you might simply have a deep enthusiasm for another area of study. There’s much to be said for following your passions. Even if you can’t immediately find a way to use that minor or link it to your major, you may find it enjoyable and useful. Some employers may also think that a student who shows aptitude in a minor indicates breadth, curiosity and flexibility.
The second reason is more practical. Certain minors really do complement a major area of study, even if not always in a completely obvious way. If you have specific career goals in mind, it’s a good idea to think through what skill sets could benefit you all around. Then choose your minor accordingly.
Some Potentially Strong Minors for Nursing
The healthcare field is so broad that you will find a surprisingly wide array of choices when contemplating a minor. Your choice could be affected both by the area of nursing that you most hope to pursue, and the avenue in which you choose to pursue it. Obviously a nurse who hopes to work in urban community nursing might pursue a very different minor from one who hopes to serve elderly patients. Goals for working in healthcare administration or academia may also be influential.
Let’s take the case of working in community nursing in a city. Would a second language or a better understanding of psychology or sociology be of benefit? When it comes to working with elderly patients, would you benefit from a deeper understanding of nutrition, recreation or geriatrics? If you think you might one day pursue goals in healthcare administration, you might want to consider a business administration or computer science minor. These are all potentially good minors to complement a nursing degree.
Choose Your School Accordingly
It’s also important to remember that different nursing schools have differing ideas about the importance of a minor and how it should be chosen. While all nursing schools are sure to offer career and course planning advice, some nursing schools will let their students choose minors only from a certain set of subjects. If the freedom to choose a minor in something more tangential to nursing matters to you, make sure that you’re aware of your nursing school’s policies and recommendations before you commit to studying there.
In the end, a minor, while not necessary, can be a helpful and exciting complement to a nursing degree. What you will choose depends most on your interests, passions and long-range career goals.
