Why You Should Consider a Science Minor
Written by Alex Fisher
Thumbnail & Banner Photo by Ousa Chea on Unsplash.com
Science is one of the most integral aspects of our modern world. Scientific advancements have allowed for the creation of almost everything you use today: your devices, your food, and even the appliances in your kitchen. Without the countless hours of work put in by thousands of scientists and engineers, few of the luxuries we take for granted each and every day wouldn’t even exist, much less be so readily available. Additionally, science has paved the way for us to live longer, healthier, happier lives—doubling your life expectancy in only two centuries.
Have you ever stopped to ask how this all works? What are the thermodynamics of your refrigerator? Why do some cuts or scrapes heal faster than others?
Fortunately for you, whether you’ve had these thoughts before or are just now asking these questions for the first time, Saint Mary’s University (SMU) almost certainly has a course that can help you find these answers. The SMU Faculty of Science offers a wide range of topics that you can explore during your studies. Everything from astrophysics to psychology to environmental science, no matter the question that starts your journey of scientific inquiry, there is almost certainly a course that will help you find the answers you seek.
You might find that one course is not enough to sate your curiosity, however. It might cause you to start asking even more questions than before, and you might be tempted to take another course. You might even be tempted to take on a minor—essentially a focus on a secondary topic that enhances your studies, complements your major, or provides you with knowledge and skills that you may use in your future career.
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There are many advantages to enhancing your degree with a minor, no matter which faculty your major is in. Students majoring in marketing would benefit from understanding human psychology to better sell their products, while those interested in sustainable business development would be at an advantage in understanding the processes of the environment and climate change. In the Faculty of Arts, history students could work towards specializing in a certain topic, such as the history of physics or the history of biology, by taking a science minor. Even students already within the faculty of science can benefit from taking additional science courses. Astrophysics, for example, is a very wide field, and depending on what you find interesting, minors in chemistry, computer science, geology, or mathematics can all be equally valuable for those interested in stellar atmospheres, simulations and modelling, exoplanets, or numerical analysis. A psychology student might find themselves making friends with the anthropology student when they take biology courses that help them in their understanding of the biological processes powering consciousness.
Minors can also help you meet new people and make new friends. Much like the psychology and anthropology students from the previous example, taking a minor in science can put you in a position to turn strangers into familiar and friendly faces on campus, forging friendships in the classroom that could last a lifetime. You might also be inspired to get involved with the academic student societies related to your minor, such as the SMU Biology Society or the SMU Chemistry Society.
If your main concern is your post-university career, rather than enhancing your major or making friends, taking on a minor can help with that as well. Minors can help to develop your career-relevant skills and make your resume stand above the rest. Whether you’re planning on continuing with your education in a Master’s program or heading straight into the job market, taking on a science minor will show prospective supervisors or bosses that you have initiative and curiosity. Additionally, the courses in your science minor will help you to develop important technical skills, such as programming, and soft skills like problem solving and interpreting data—all of which you can list on your resume.
Taking courses in science will also help you develop your critical thinking skills. These skills will benefit you across all aspects of your life, not just your education and career. Being able to think critically will make you more independent, help you keep healthier relationships, and overall make better decisions. While all university courses will help you develop your critical thinking skills to some degree, science itself is rooted in critical thinking through the scientific method. This allows you to directly build these skills while taking classes, and working towards a minor will give you plenty of opportunity to continue this development.
No matter what your degree is, there are many reasons for you to consider taking on a science minor. Whether it’s to enhance your future career prospects or simply to expand upon your own knowledge, a minor will grant you a specialized knowledge base and some general skills that you will carry with you for the rest of your life. If you need to fill out your elective slots anyway, then all it will cost is just a little bit of your time.
Do you have questions about any of the courses or programs offered by the Faculty of Science? If so, you can always reach out to the Science Advising Center, book an appointment with them, or stop by during their drop-in hours.
Are you currently taking a minor or thinking about adding one to your degree? Let us know in the comments on our social media pages.