by "Slant6" (slant-6)
Published 05/14/2017 at 21:07
by "Slant6" (slant-6)
Published 05/14/2017 at 21:07
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STARS: 0
I was doing some math on the courses I have left to graduate and realized I’m only 3 classes away from a minor in Appalachian Studies (I took a course sequence for my general education requirements). I’m a furniture design major and a marketing minor already but summer classes this summer and last summer have opened up a lot of time for fun classes during the year, or just a more open schedule.
I asked my design friends group chat (“the Furniture Bois”) about picking up an extra minor and they laughed at me, saying it would be a waste of time. Granted I could take more design electives, or maybe take a commercial photography class but why not something unrelated to everything else I already do? Wouldn’t a minor in a history/ social subject help me to be better rounded as a person, and more importantly as a designer?
Design and more so art come from experiences and knowledge, so my reasoning is that a wider knowledge base in any subject would contribute to my ability as a designer. My fiends took it too literally, at face value, like I want to combine design with Appalachian Studies. I don’t want to design backwoods furniture from the 19th century, but that’s also besides the point. Appalachia has a lot of negative press, and some of it is well deserved, but it also has a lot going for it, and unbounded potential to move on from coal in the coming years.
I’m still considering the minor, and it is something that I enjoy, but what do y’all think? Worth my time to take an extra class or two to get a double minor? I also think it might be just a little fascinating thing to put on my resume, even if it is unrelated to design jobs it might just be something that gets someone’s attention.
"My X-type is too a real Jaguar" (TomSlick)
05/14/2017 at 21:23, STARS: 0
I have 2 degrees (computer science and public relations) and a minor in history because I love history, the history minor was really a waste of time and money, especially in the modern age, go to your library grab some books and read, find online discussion groups, get your history fix that way.
"Distraxi's idea of perfection is a Jagroen" (distraxi)
05/14/2017 at 21:25, STARS: 2
For your second and onwards jobs nobody will care about the details of your degree - just what’s your major, what’s your GPA, and what’s the school.
For your first job, anything that makes you stand out from the pack and look like you give a shit about something (anything!) will help -or at least it does when I’m hiring. So as long as you put a story behind it, like you have above, that avoids the “wants to design backwoods 19th century furniture” problem (which IS likely to be an employer’s first impression), then why not.
"SVTyler" (svtyler)
05/14/2017 at 21:29, STARS: 2
I’m doing something similar by minoring in history to go along with my mechanical engineering degree and while I haven’t applied for jobs or internships yet to gauge employers’ reactions to minoring in an unrelated field I’d say it’s worth it just from a personal standpoint. The further along you get in school, the more burned out you can get so having a fun, interesting class to break up the monotony of your major coursework is a great way to keep your sanity; hell I’ve liked the history classes I’ve taken more than several of my actual engineering classes.
In terms of your future career, it’d be a great way for employers to remember your resume. Recruiters and HR managers get so many applications that have all the same classes and clubs and stuff that putting something like Appalachian Studies would make them go ‘hey, I remember this dude’ which is exactly what you want during a job search. They’d be the only ones who could say whether the minor’d have any professional impact beyond an interesting novelty on your resume but either way it wouldn’t hurt.
Also don’t worry about what other people think, if you’re interested in that kind of stuff and want to take those classes, then do it. College is the only time in your life you’ll have these kinds of opportunities so don’t waste them because you don’t want people to give you shit about it.
"Honeybunchesofgoats" (honeybunche0fgoats)
05/14/2017 at 21:38, STARS: 3
Assuming that it would replace electives and wouldn’t stop you from taking additional classes related to your major, I’d go for it.
I double majored in college, and while I never actually used my second major in any way, I always thought it looked good on a resume and I sometimes wish I had tried to finagle a minor too.
Ironically, though, it did actually hurt me in a backhanded way. Some time after graduating, I realized that there was no explanation for why I didn’t get invited to Phi Beta Kappa. With my records, I should have been automatically considered.
I’m even awful enough that I asked my thesis advisor and my major advisor if they had ever been approached about it, but they never had and said they obviously would have recommended me for it. I finally put two and two together and realized that second major was actually listed first on my records and that they probably contacted my advisor from that department. That advisor was such a bitch that my first and only meeting with her ended with her telling me that if I had any advising questions, I should speak to her secretary and not waste her time.
Not that I’m bitter about silly academic honors or anything.
*Spoilers*
I am very bitter
"Frenchlicker" (frenchlicker)
05/14/2017 at 21:48, STARS: 2
Hell, even if it serves absolutely no purpose other than to be something you enjoy it is worth. I’ve seen many people get burnt out with their regular classes in school and fall behind. They didn’t have that little thing that brought them joy. Do the thing that brings you joy and keeps you going.
"BIGBLOCK472 - wide and bizarre" (bigblock472)
05/14/2017 at 21:57, STARS: 0
I read lots of resumes every time our department has a contract or FTE position open up. I definitely don’t think it would be a mark against you to have a minor in an unrelated field. Havong depth of knowledge is great and having breadth of knowledge as well is icing on the cake.
"promoted by the color red" (whenindoubtflatout)
05/14/2017 at 22:01, STARS: 1
Fuck ‘em. Finish the minor.
People only care about your major, because that’ll show up on your degree. You can take as many minors as you want - they’re fun and a great conversation starter.
Plus there’s also no telling what doors it can open in the future. I paired a psychology minor with my engineering degree and it opened a pathway to human factors-type work when I mentioned it during a networking event.
In your case, it sounds like Appalachia could help you get a leg up as we in the greater US aren’t well versed in it. For all we know, there could be some interesting design motifs you can spin into The Next Big Thing.