5 tips to balancing a double major or minor

It might be easier than you think to add another major or minor. You can still graduate on time and, bonus, your diverse studies can help you stand out in the job market. Here are some tips from College students on how to balance multiple majors and minors:

1. Don’t be afraid to explore.

A woman smiling in front of the religious studies center on KU campus

“I spent a lot of time exploring different courses and majors, and I'm still going to graduate in a reasonable amount of time. It's probably not advisable to change as often as I did, but there is a lot of wiggle room for those who are a little more indecisive than most.” --Kassandra Knoff, senior majoring in English and minoring in Korean language

2. Have a plan.

A man giving a thumbs up in front of the Union

Tell your advisors what you are interested in and figure out a plan to achieve different goals. It is really easy to balance multiple majors if you start early and have a solid plan.” --Liam Murphy, junior double majoring in communication studies and political science

3. Meet with your advisors early:

a woman wearing a tri-delta shirt with trees in the background “I meet with my advisors at least a month before I enroll so that I have enough time to meet with both advisors for my majors and adjust my schedule.” --Lauren Davidson, sophomore double majoring in Spanish and journalism and minoring in business

4. Ask questions.

a woman with black glasses smiling and shrugging “Whenever I have a question I talk to one of my advisors. They have great insight and their doors are always open. They helped a lot and I feel very confident that I can obtain both degrees, not be super stressed by my course load and graduate on time.” --Emma Easom, freshman double majoring in philosophy and Spanish

5. Take advantage of the KU Core.

A man looks upward, touching his chin looking contemplative

“KU makes it easy for students to double major within CLAS. With the (relatively) new KU Core, there are less general education requirements and some classes count for multiple requirements between the two majors. With the KU Core and the AP credits I brought in from high school, I've never found myself too overwhelmed by classes.” --Cody Christensen, junior double majoring in economics and political science and minoring in math

Thinking about adding a double major, triple major or a minor? Start exploring the schedule of classes to see what’s available in upcoming semesters.