4 Pitfalls of Being a Double Major

by Kurt Magnus K-12 Teacher and Copywriter

College is often considered the best years of your life. Yet, in the midst of this time, you also face some of the hardest work in your academic career. The workload can be especially difficult to manage if you're a double major. While it does look good on a transcript and on job applications, trying to fulfill the requirements for two majors can be draining, both physically and mentally. Here are a few pitfalls of being a double major:

1. It's Double the Work

Succeeding in college requires hard work. However, when you decide to take on two majors during your undergraduate career, that work doubles. You not only have to worry about fulfilling the requirements of your initial major, but you also have to fulfill the requirements for a second department. It's a delicate balancing act, but it can be done.

Be sure to keep in contact with the heads of both your departments when it's time to choose classes for next semester. Don't overload yourself every semester either. Rather, take summer courses to help you accomplish more in less time.

2. Two Majors Means More Mental Strain

Doubling up on majors not only means doubling up on homework, it also doubles the intellectual workload as well. While this can certainly have its advantages, its downside is that it can also be mentally straining. Studying two subjects at once can have you doing mental gymnastics. If you're lucky enough to major in two relevant courses, such as English and communications, it can be easy at times to draw parallels between the two. The same could be said of a double major in subjects like science and math.

However, if you choose to major in two areas without a lot of overlap, like math and English, then it can be difficult to juggle the courses and assignments. How well can you study for an exam on formulaic computations while concentrating on a paper detailing the subversive themes of "The Great Gatsby"? Again, this is not to say that it can't be done; rather, the effort that it takes to do it will be much more intense than that for one area of study.

3. It Could Take You a Little Longer to

Graduate

Considering that you are taking on the workload of two majors, you will also have to fulfill the requirements of two different departments in order to graduate. While you may have fulfilled most of the requirements for one department, the other might have some prerequisites that need to be completed before that major is considered complete. Because of this, it could take you longer to graduate.

Make sure you visit your advisors (you'll usually have one for each course of study) to make sure you fulfill all of the necessary requirements. Summer courses and weekend classes can also help expedite your journey toward graduation.

4. There's no Guarantee that Double

Majoring will Increase Your Career

Prospects

You may think that taking on so much work would look good on a resumé and impress prospective employers. Unfortunately, this is not always the case. Doubling up on studies doesn't necessarily mean doubling your job security. What will most likely impress employers are internships, as well as a well-rounded education.

Nevertheless, having two concentrations under your academic belt could help open doors for you in the future. It never hurts to have knowledge of more than one specialty. Double majoring can at times be overwhelming, but if managed properly, it could be one of the best decisions you make in your academic life.