Running head: Secondary Concentration Brings Insight 1

Willing Knowing About the Ability to Add a New Concentration Bring Schools Recruits?

Ivy L. Allen

Waynesburg University
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Introduction

College, though it may appear daunting, is something that seems to be where most young

adults are going after high school. Their path may be unknown, lost in the wind until they arrive

for classes. It is another four years, sometimes a sport too, on top of the thirteen years students

have just completed. Some college credits are already accounted for. Credits done before college

were obtained through Advanced Placement exams or Concurrent Enrollment Programs—

earning high school and college credits at the same time. This potentially widens the possibilities

in college. And some possibilities are unknown to incoming freshman. What may a freshman not

know?

A freshman may be oblivious to the possibility of adding a major or minor without

having to give up athletics (if applicable), add an extra year, or even pay for the additional

courses pending they fall inline with the typical times of four years for the undergraduate degree

commonly known as a bachelors of arts or science. Do freshmen know that having a double

major or even adding a minor may open more possibilities after graduation? The concept of

needing to think ahead applies here as students in high school are told to start looking into

schools as freshmen.

Aiding your major with a secondary class can be done. And knowing that as a freshman

may increase enrollment within the school and a department. It would help to know that

professors are willing to work with students to help them achieve their goals and be successful.

Majors overlap as do some minors. Students bring in credits that help eliminate general

education courses needed to graduate. These are factors that potentially weigh into obtaining a

double major.
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This study would be limited due to the focus only being on research obtained by students

who are currently upperclassmen. The limit would be interviewing freshman. The information

would most likely be confusing if not overwhelming. They just started their collegiate career.

There is so many options of discovery. The new virus could also be a limitation in which it can

inhibit the ability to physically show recruits or freshman how this feat of more than one area of

study is possible. There is the limitation of research policies within a university especially if it is

being conducted by a student currently enrolled at the same school where research is being

conducted.

Review of literature

In Double Majors: Influences, Identities, & Impacts, it states, “About 60% of those who

considered a double major and decided against it ended up pursuing a minor instead.” (Pitt, R.

and Tepper, S. 17) This aids the reasoning why most students would not even consider an

additional concentration. They do not want to fail or even fear that they would not accumulate

enough credits to complete such task. The article also mentions that students going into school

with already obtained college credits are more likely to commit to the path of a double major or

even adding a minor. These researchers have also discovered that students use this as secondary

exposures to skill sets. This being they want a vast array of possible skill sets. In this, the

influence of parents was mentioned as they play a large role in what their child chooses to study.

Steven Hemelt wrote The College Double Major and Subsequent Earnings. In this, it was

discovered that “little is known about the value of the decision to ‘double major,’ or complete

two sets of degree requirements.” Hemelt, S. 167) This is potentially applicable with all students.

The article also discusses the meaning of a double major and what “power” it could have in the

field. Graduates, earnings are slightly high than those with a single major. The limits that prevent
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double majoring or even a possible minor would be amount of credits needed or where the

student attends for post-secondary education. The choice to take this academic path is up to the

student but knowledge of what the major actually is and how it can be accomplished are not

exactly crystal clear. Sometimes it is vague, in reason that some (again) do not even know the

feat is possible in four years alone while keeping active with events around or within campus.

Methodology

The data gathered was obtained from three in depth interviews done by students—whom

will be kept anonymous. These in-depth interviews were based on students with a double major,

or a major in one academic department and a minor in a different academic department.

Upperclassmen were chosen for this data gathering method. They were chosen for the purpose of

experience, having hindsight, and possibly giving insight. The results will potentially help the

reader find new ways to increase recruitment. In this article, would be the level of awareness

freshman or potential students would have about obtaining the previously listed combinations of

secondary major/minor.

Choosing the in-depth interview method for this research helps prevent group think.

Group think is having a group being asked question but usually one respondent may lead

answers and others would follow along with the leading respondent. This method also gives

deeper insight on a subject, this being adding a second concentration, which is crucial to aid in

answering future question that could be asked by younger students or even recruits. Other

methods were deemed unfit for this subject as interviews can aid in receiving the answers needed

or wanted just by asking the right questions.

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Each student, three to be exact, are classified by a junior or senior status (deemed by year

enrolled or credits obtained). They fit the criteria needed for this research topic. A set of the

same questions was asked of each student yielding various answers—this being they had

different areas of study paired together. Each respondent was asked how they became aware of

this possibility, why they chose to proceed with their decision, what made the decision easier,

and opinion about informing freshman and potential students of the options with adding a second

concentration.

This research could also be expanded outside of the chosen academic department. I chose

the Department of Communication. It also could be done with a larger sample of students by

including a larger span of majors across a campus to have opinions and larger data sets.

Results

The results varied slightly in response. The most varied response were questions about

majors and if the respondents had doubled or just added a minor. Their reasonings were similar

but varied by department and if brining in credits were applicable in their decision. They also

provided which department their majors/minor belonged to. The respondents were very willing

to share their information of this subject.

Student A is a senior with a business management major and minor in public relations

(classified under communication). Student B is a junior double major in Communications with

concentrations in Electronic Media and Journalism. Student C is a senior with a journalism major

(communications) and political science major. Each student stated a professor and/or advisor had

aided them in being able to obtain a degree containing a second major or single minor in addition

to their additional studies. They had also mention that they chose this path in their academic

career in hopes of standing out more than others when in contention for a job in their chosen
 Secondary Concentration Brings Insight 6

career. Through research it was discovered that adding a major/minor was not as difficult as it

was perceived. It was from an overlap in classes from one major to another or the extra credits

brought in from high school.

One respondent is actively involved with extracurricular clubs and sports while the other two

are actively involved with clubs around their campus. The clubs are related to the respective

choices of study. It was found that the respondents mentioned these clubs were life applications

derived from their studies. They found by joining the clubs even with the major/minor

combinations that it was still possible to complete studies while being active members. The

extracurriculars were also resumé builders as they gain some experience by participating

actively.

Through the interviews, all three respondents were relatively unanimous with their

response to being asked their thoughts to informing potential students and the incoming

freshman about double majoring or adding a minor. The also gave perks about their choice and

stated they think it will be beneficial after graduation whether it be a job position or just overall

knowledge. Student C stated, “I think it helps diversify your education, makes you more

desirable in the workforce and fits perfectly into Waynesburg’s commitment to providing a

liberal arts education.”

The perks were being able to put an extra study on their degree, more knowledge, and adding

the extra classes was not as daunting as they thought. It was still possible for them to enjoy a

social life with peers, complete studies, and even complete their undergraduate education in the

“normal four years” of time for their degree.

Discussion
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These results could be quite useful tool when recruiting. Use quotes from the respondents

to back up the data about this academic path especially with their university being small and a

liberal arts institution. The respondents were very willing to share information regarding their

chosen academic path. Their answers could potentially relieve another student’s fears about

adding something to their school load especially if they have an extracurricular like a sport.

Although attitude was not seen or interpreted by incoming freshman or potential students

the enthusiasm within their answers will show that anything is possible. The results obtained

from the interviews show that doing this (adding a major/minor) is not impossible. And showing

this to the freshman committed to the school and others who are looking into the school as well

can be beneficial. The benefits would be widening the opportunities by having the extra

knowledge. There is satisfaction knowing the professors want to help and will put in appropriate

effort so that this accomplishment is possibly—only if the student considering this option is

willing to take it on and put in the work.

Recruits and freshman want to know what they can do with the degree. This data allows

them to see that and the possibility of being able to choose more than one subject. It also shows

students can have an active social life and be involved with campus events/gathers (currently if

permitted by the institution). They also can be made aware of potential possibilities such as job

positions, they could become more qualified for. They could be more qualified, gain more

experience, or even can enter a field where majors may be used side by side.

Conclusions

When researching this topic, I only found literature on possible benefits and what it could

mean having a double major/addition of a minor. The finding compelled me to look further into

this academic path: Why? And do the freshman or recruits know this? My findings were positive.
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The respondents were cooperative. They gave answers that satisfied my burning question of how

is it possible and do the freshman and potential students know about it? This was driven by the

curiosity of how this can be used in aiding with recruitment. Ways to do this were always

changing so why not utilize the resources before us to our advantage?

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References

Hemelt, S. (2010). The college double major and subsequent earnings. Education Economics,
18(2), 167–189. https://doi.org/10.1080/09645290802469931

Pitt, R., & Tepper, S. (september 2012). Double Majors: Influences, Identities, & Impacts.
Double Majoring- The Phenomena, 13-22. Retrieved September 20, 2020, from
file:///C:/Users/Office/Downloads/Pitt_TepperTeagleReport.pdf