Share this post

The US is a hotspot for everything tech, with the Silicon Valley home to some of the best companies worldwide like Google, Apple, Facebook and more. So, if you’ve chosen the US as your destination to pursue a bachelor’s degree in computer science, congratulations, you’ve made a great call.

A computer science program from the US has a ton of advantages, especially owing to the country’s educational system. Here, you have some of the best universities in the world with the US bagging 5 spots on the global top 10 list. Also, there is a lot more focus on practical application than theory, which is exactly what top companies are looking for. Another added advantage to studying a bachelors in computer science from the US is course flexibility, here you have the option of choosing a minor with your CS major.

Now, what is a minor? Simply put, it’s a secondary focus of study. If you choose to take up a computer science degree, this will be your primary focus of undergraduate study, aka your major. But universities don’t just teach you CS though. To get a degree you will have to pick up a variety of courses in basic sciences, humanities and more. A minor is usually an optional secondary concentration where you can choose to spend all your additional course hours on one specialization. Typically, a major corresponds to about 2/3rd of your studies, and a minor the remaining 1/3rd.

What would be a good minor to be paired with a CS major?

Have you taken the GMAT before?

If you’re wondering why do a Minor at all, here’s a few reasons to convince you!

  1. Personal Interests: If you have a particular interest or passion, this is a great way to get a formal education in it. Learn from experts and pursue your interests.
  2. 1+1: You know what’s better than one major, it’s two. If you really enjoy your minor you can choose to clock in some extra hours and convert it into another major. But first, check if your college offers dual-degrees.
  3. Employment opportunities: Minors are a way to have a diversified profile, it shows employers that you are organized, determined and capable enough to pursue an additional specialization. Moreover, it can increase your chances of getting a job. Say there’s a requirement for a project in Japan, your minor in Japanese can put you ahead of all others applying to the same role.
  4. Complement your Major: Extra knowledge never hurts, doing a minor in a related area is a surefire way to enhance your profile and possibly do better in your major. For example, a math minor might give you a greater understanding of your course on computer algorithms.

Here are some of the best minors for computer science majors!

  1. Mathematics: This will complement your CS major and is one of the most popular choices. A strong mathematical aptitude will help you academically in a number of your major courses and also give you extra insights into solving problems. You can opt for an analytics or statistics minor if you’re interested in Data Science.
  2. Engineering: Software is pretty much useless without the hardware that supports it. So, if you’re interested in the hardware part of technology as well, like robotics, a CS major with an electrical engineering minor might be your best option. In the same bucket, you can choose a mechanical engineering minor, a design minor or a physics minor.
  3. Management: A minor in Business can be very useful in today’s job market. Most people have exceptional educational and academic abilities, but they aren’t the best at showcasing them. A minor in management can help you build relevant managerial soft skills. You can choose from a variety of subjects that interest you like Finance, Economics, Accounting or Marketing. Management can also help develop skills in a particular niche, which will help greatly when you look for a career. For example, say you are interested in financial modelling, a CS major with a finance minor might get you into top companies like Goldman Sachs or Google.
  4. Communication: If you’re interested in the media or communications business, a communication minor is a fantastic way to get industry required skills. Whether you want to specialize in visual communication, digital communication or even behind the scenes research methodology, communication is a very practical choice.
  5. Liberal Arts: The arts put a lot of focus on broad thinking and soft skills such as creativity and critical thinking. Pursuing a CS major with a specific liberal arts minor can help you get the best of both worlds, and who knows, maybe you’ll create a brand that can compete with Apple! The popular minors are Psychology, Philosophy and Literature. The arts also include natural sciences like Biology or Physics, so if you’re into Nanotechnology or Biotechnology, these minors are great choices.

These are but a handful of minors that go with computer science degrees. There are hundreds of subjects to pick from, and most US universities encourage their students to pursue minors. So, contact us if you’d like to know the options, advantages and the career prospects of choosing a particular minor with your CS degree!

Check SAT Exam Dates

Share this post