Majors & Minors 101

What degree should I pursue? What's a major? How do I know which one to choose? Your mind may be swirling with unanswered questions... leaving you nothing but confused. I started university in the Bachelor of Journalism program at Thompson Rivers University and switched programs twice. Yes, twice. I thought I knew what career I wanted to pursue, but discovered my true passion later on. In addition to having appointments with TRU academic counsellors, I looked in-depth at all of the school's programs, majors, and minors. I would love to share with you what majors and minors are, why you should choose them, my major and minor, why I chose them, and the ones that TRU offers!

What are Majors and Minors?

A university major is something you can choose in order to make your degree or diploma specialized. It has a strong impact on the courses you are required to take to graduate. Typically, your major is one that you are both interested in and translates to a career in a specific field. At Thompson Rivers University, a major can be obtained through the completion of 24 credits in a specific discipline. It may be slightly different at another school, so be sure to look into that! A minor is also something you as a student can choose, however there may not be as many options. A minor is not as influential as a major, however it is another area you educate yourself in and have it appear on your degree. At TRU, a minor can be obtained through the completion of 9 upper-level courses (3rd or 4th-year) which is only three courses.

Why Should You Choose a Major and Minor?

A major is important to choose, because it makes you more qualified for various careers in a field or industry upon graduation. I believe that graduating with a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) with a major in finance or human resources, is better than simply graduating with a general BBA. I believe the same goes for Arts degrees and Science degrees. Working towards a major allows you to become an expert in a certain subject, making you more valuable to employers when you enter the job market. As for minors, it's a little something you can add to your degree or diploma (if possible) that can show employers you have basic knowledge in the subject.

My Major and Minor

I chose my major when I decided to pursue a Bachelor of Arts degree. The Bachelor of Arts, Major in Communication program is offered in TRU's Journalism, Communication, and New Media department. I enjoy writing and always have so I was confident I could perform well in the program. I also have a strong interest in designing, which I could explore in the program. To keep it short and sweet, this major required me to take lower-level and upper-level courses in communications, event management, marketing, public relations, and a couple in journalism. Overall the courses sounded interesting to me, were courses that could showcase my strengths, and aligned with my career goal of earning a marketing career. Not too long after I started the program, I knew I wanted to to take as many marketing courses as I could. I looked into if I could obtain a minor or concentration in marketing upon graduation. I was told I could only minor in marketing, but even after obtaining the 9 upper-level courses I am still taking more. It is important to me to take advantage of as many marketing courses as I can during my degree! The major and minor I selected has helped me obtain my previous internships and will help me earn a career once I look for full-time work.

TRU's Selection of Majors and Minors

If you will be starting college or university this year or are currently a student at TRU and thinking of changing majors or minors, take a look at the list below. This list is of all TRU majors and minors offered for the Arts, Business, and Science degrees.

Arts

Majors: Communication, Criminology, Economics, Economic and Political Studies, English, Geography and Environmental Studies, History, Mathematics, Philosophy, Psychology, Sociology, Theatre

Minors: Creative Writing, Economics, English, Environmental Economics and Sustainable Development, Geography, History, Language and Global Studies Management, Mathematics, Philosophy, Political Studies, Psychology, Sociology, Theatre, Visual Arts

Business

Majors: Accounting, Economics, Entrepreneurship, Finance, Human Resource Management, International Business, Marketing, Supply Chain Management

Minors: same as majors + Environmental Economics and Sustainable Development, Financial Markets and Institutions, Leadership, Project Management

Science

Majors: Animal Biology, Biology, Cellular, Molecular and Microbial Biology, Chemical Biology, Chemistry, Computing Science, Computing Science and Mathematics, Ecology and Environmental Biology, Environmental Chemistry, Mathematics and Statistics, Physics

Minors: Not offered