What does a minor do for you?

General Knowledge: I have one semester left as an undergraduate. My career interests have changed, and I am considering dropping my official minor in mathematics, and instead taking courses in computer science, information science, and/or probability. What advantages/disadvantages do you see in this

• I am in my last year of undergraduate studies, studying cognitive psychology with a planned minor in mathematics as an undergraduate. However, I no longer plan to pursue a PhD in this subject. I am beginning to look for entry-level jobs and internship experiences for next summer (following my graduation)... and I am searching quite flexibly to begin with.   I have experience programming in scripting languages (e.g. Python, Matlab), work experience in research assistant positions, and experience with user-interface design, digital animation, web design, and video editing. Within the next 1-2 years, I might decide to apply to Masters programs in UX Design, Game Design, or Data Science. Ideally, after graduating I will find some work opportunities that will allow me to learn more about these fields in some capacity, while I teach myself, explore, and develop my skills outside of work using online courses and other resources. Alternatively, perhaps my work experience after graduation will push me in a different direction. My background prior to university is in filmmaking and art... and I've realized that, broadly speaking, I'd like a career that will allow me to be surrounded by creative people.   I originally chose my course of study with a PhD in mind. However, since my long-term career interests have changed (a bit late in the game), I am now wondering whether it might work to my advantage (in terms of finding a job after graduation) to drop my minor in math and instead focus on taking some more 'relevant' elective courses. I have taken half of a CS minor at my school, and I've otherwise taught myself programming outside of school and through math courses. My knowledge of some subjects such as data structures is currently lacking, however... and I could either take this course 'officially' next semester, or teach myself the material after I graduate.   Next semester, I have the following options: - Take 2 courses: (Ordinary Differential Equations and Mathematical Optimization) to complete an official math minor. - Take 2 courses that might better fit my career goals (e.g. Data Structures and (Applied Probability Modeling or Mathematical Statistics) .... or any other pair of available courses that fit my broader interests )   I think that doing this might make it easier to transition into the kind of non-academic work I'm generally interested in doing after graduation. On the other hand, perhaps there are advantages (in terms of employability or preparation for future studies) to taking the math courses mentioned above and having an official math minor printed on my resume? In case it helps to know: I live in the US (Pennsylvania).

• Answer:

  I'm glad you asked this question. However, I think you're focusing at the wrong level of detail. Asking whether you should switch your minor to improve your career prospects is a bit like asking what font you should use when turning in your essays to get the best grade-it might make a tiny difference, but your attention is much better spent on other questions. If you want to improve your career prospects, take whichever courses you want, and then focus on talking to people in the relevant industries. Reach out through alumni networks, companies that recruit at your school, and others. Ask your friends and parents for introductions. Try to get an idea of what that work is really like, and try to make some friends in the different industries you'd like to explore. That lets save time figuring out exactly what kind of work you would enjoy and makes the process of finding a job much faster.