Why Double Majoring is Worth It
By Bryan Smilek
Opinion Editor
At Seton Hall, all undergraduate business students undertake the same course load during their first two years. Therefore, each student has more time to contemplate their major and discover what piques their interests. As a result, many majors require the same core classes, allowing students, such as myself, to pick up multiple majors and further expand their academic capabilities while building upon their human capital. Moreover, students are already required to take 30 credits to maintain a scholarship, and, since students can take up to 18 courses under their scholarship without having to pay for extra credits, individuals can maximize their opportunity to act upon the similar requirements and attain a second major.
Although taking 18 credits per semester may seem daunting to some students, from my experience, employers prefer students who are malleable and possess diverse backgrounds, such as my double major. It signifies that I can adapt to their surroundings and holds the mental capabilities to juggle two varying tasks. Furthermore, in the workforce, I have often gained the opportunity to work on a plethora of projects occurring at concurrent times with similar deadlines. By challenging myself through increasing my workload, I improved my work ethic and have prepared myself for the grueling tasks of the workforce. Also, I have become acclimated to hitting deadlines with ease, an ability that employers desire very much. Thus, double majors are mentally prepared to handle a full workload and succeed at multitasking.
In addition to reaping the benefits of appealing to an employer, I have gained intangible social prowess. By exposing myself to multiple majors, I entered into two different realms of studies, which attract different crowds. Through engaging with diverse crowds in different majors, I can better understand different rationales and points of views. As a result, I built the ability to emotionally understand people who hold different viewpoints on a vast multitude of topics. Thereby, when I enter the workforce, I will be prepared to engage in conversation with my diverse co-workers while better understanding the concerns of clients. Further, by learning how their client thinks, I have a better chance of learning what motivates them, and, in turn, can appeal to their needs. Through my advanced emotional intelligence, I appeal to employers who are seeking individuals that can understand and win over clients from top competitors.
Finally, through interacting with many individuals in different majors, I have built a rather extensive network. Most importantly, my network consists of people placed in various fields of work. Hence, if I were to switch fields, I know multiple people from my classes who can serve as points of contacts for potential advice or job opportunities. Overall, my large network, in coalition with my ability to gain intangible skills that employers seek, hyperbolizes the benefits that stem from undertaking multiple majors.
Contact Bryan at smilekbr@shu.edu