I’m pursuing an engineering major with a german minor at GVSU this fall… I started french this last year at high school and really want to continue it through college (I love learning languages and traveling). I just don’t know how achievable double minoring is since I’ve heard the engineering major is hell haha! So should I go for another minor or would I be able to take random french classes throughout my years? I’m mostly fluent in german but barely know any french since I just started…
You can do it! But you may have to take summer classes and online classes to meet your GEs. You need to sit down with your advisor and let them know your goal and you need to be persistent. Alternatively you can just take all the language classes allowable in your schedule and not worry about if it’s enough for a minor in either. No one looks at minors too closely but the language skills go right on your resume! Enjoy!
I agree. You can do it! Just takes a plan to get all the courses in. Many people double major.
Good luck.
I disagree. Engineering majors have lots of required courses that have set sequencing, which means its very difficult to fit in courses for one minor, let alone two. You can, of course, continue to take language classes in whatever elective space you have.
Is there any reason you feel the need to double minor (or minor at all)? They usually aren’t helpful from a career standpoint, and it’s not like you somehow get bonus fluency by having a minor in a language. Why not just take classes and maintain your flexibility?
I agree…for German, isn’t all about Goethe Institute tests? So take classes when you can, but don’t worry about an official “minor”
I’d recommend that you print out the requirements for the engineering major, the German minor, the French minor, and the general requirements for graduating from GVSU. Work out on paper how these could all fit together. After you fit in the specific engineering courses, how many of the other general graduation requirements would also fulfill requirements for one (or both) of the language majors? For example, is there a German history requirement for the minor that could also fulfill a GVSU history requirement?
If you can present your own estimated plan of studies when you meet with your advisor to schedule your first semester classes, your advisor will be better able to help you sort out how to make a minor (or two) work with the major that you have. If a full minor can’t fit in with the engineering major and other GVSU graduation requirements, your advisor should be able to help you plan out a schedule that includes continued study of one or both languages. You also can start discussion with your advisor about working a semester or year abroad into your schedule. That usually is more difficult for engineering majors, but it is not strictly impossible, and it could allow for more intensive language work.
Thank you everyone! I’ll definitely look at the requirements for everything and talk to a counselor when I sign up for classes.
@guineagirl96 - It is possible to minor and even double minor along with an engineering BSE. Two people in my family have done so at good schools. It just takes a lot of work and a LOT of planning.
@CaMom13 I didn’t say it wasn’t possible, I said it was very difficult. I myself was a double major, double minor (although not in Engineering- Math and CS, with Music and Dance minors), so I am aware of the requirements of that kind of path. Those saying plan for it, and you’ll be fine, are doing a disservice to the OP though, as it is not always feasible at every school.
That’s where “plan for it” comes in. If you work with your school’s counselor, I think it’s very feasible - at ANY school that offers the programs. My D is at one of the toughest engineering schools in the country and is double majoring BSE/BA plus a second discipline engineering minor. She’s crazy and I wouldn’t recommend her path to anyone but I know the requirements for the BSE and she could have fit in a language minor easily instead.
You CAN do it… but why? It won’t likely help you in your career, and language lessons are readily available after college. This seems like a dangerous and costly shift of focus for something like this.
I have never, ever, been asked what my minor was and good thing because my school didn’t offer them.
My daughter just finished an engineering degree. I believe she had 15 credits of electives, but had certain classes she had to take like 2 writing classes and a history/civics type class. If she would have wanted a minor, I think it would have had to be in something she had already taken the core classes in, like chemistry or math.
I think I had a total of three electives I could take. I chose astronomy, tennis, and racquetball. I had thought I would continue to pursue piano in college, but it was too much for me. I found it more useful to take additional design classes.
had a roommate who wanted to take all those ‘regular’ classes in college,so she planned to go for 5 years. No minors offered, and no double majors since they would be double degrees (BA and BS).
Lots of ways to get where you want to be if that is speaking German and French.
Foreign language skills could have some value. But I don’t think having a minor on your resumes will be helpful. Just being able to say “fluent in…” should be enough. You will have lots more flexibility on engineering course scheduling without the burden of minor/major requirements.