You decide to take WMNST 001, AAA S 110, LER 100, CAMS 012 or something along those lines–just to meet a General Education requirement. You discover that, as Gen Eds go, this course really isn’t too bad. When the first exam comes along, you’re pleasantly surprised to have done so well–and you continue to succeed in the course. Your scheduling date for the following semester comes up (quicker than you thought it would, of course), and you decide, based on your first positive experience, to take another course in this discipline to satisfy another Gen Ed requirement. This course appeals to you, too, and again, your test scores confirm that you “get” the material. You wonder about taking a 3rd course in this subject and you discover that you might be able to knock out another Gen Ed with this course using the standard 3-6-9 substitution (about which you’ll learn in another advising blog post) or that you can use it to satisfy a Bachelor of Arts requirement for your major.
It might be in this 3rd Women’s Studies; African and African American Studies; Labor Studies and Employment Relations; or Classics and Ancient Mediterranean Studies course when an idea starts to flicker. Could you minor in this area? Would the courses you’ve taken so far to satisfy Gen Ed requirements still “count” toward a minor? Could you even complete a 2nd major in this discipline that you never even heard of before you came to Penn State? In your next advising meeting, you learn that the answer to all of these questions is yes. And your interest begins to grow…
At some point, you might talk yourself out of this new idea. You wrestle with the question that nearly every Liberal Arts student faces at some point: What would you actually do with a major or minor in this discipline? What value would it add?
My answer to that is that only good things can come from aptitude, interest, and enthusiasm when they influence your academic choices, which in turn, affect your post-graduation plans.
So, what are some of these “good things,” specifically?
- Students who are energized about their courses tend to perform well and their transcripts illustrate that success in a concrete way.
- Students who are curious about what they are learning are frequently motivated to establish connections with faculty members, and they become “known” in the academic community–an important professional development task for all Penn State undergraduates.
- Students who are enthused about a discipline tend to investigate related experiential opportunities–internships, research projects, education abroad, extracurricular activities, for example–and incorporate them into their educational plans.
- Students who pursue a unique interest are often asked about it in interview situations (Why did you decide to minor in Latina/Latino Studies or major in Labor and Employment Relations?) Because of their positive experiences, these students are able to talk about them enthusiastically–students can discuss what they bring to the table as potential employees with their specialized knowledge. They can elaborate on what they now understand, appreciate, and can apply in professional settings as a result of their studies.
My list of good things could go on and on…but the important message is this: Your interest in a major or minor you’ve discovered is significant, so resist the temptation to dismiss it. Stand firm when anyone, including yourself, questions your decision to incorporate a less common discipline into your academic plan. Doing so can enrich your experience at Penn State, guide your next steps in meaningful ways, and shape who you are both professionally and personally.
So, as you sit in your general education courses, pay attention–not just to the lectures, the power-point presentations, and the readings. Pay attention to what resonates with you–and see where this discovery takes you.
If you are currently pursuing a lesser-known Liberal Arts major–or a “discovery major” in adviser lingo–we’d love to hear about your experiences so far.