The Benefits of A Double Major

    Business is a unique discipline that incorporates many different subjects. It includes, but is not limited to, aspects of math, psychology, economics, law, art, and so much more. With this in mind, adding a second major, especially one outside of the Fisher College of Business, can add a lot of value and make you stand out. Whether you are coming into Ohio State with zero or a hundred credit hours, OSU makes it incredibly easy to study two majors. Doing a dual or double major has become even more possible under the new General Education (GE) requirements. Under the new GE requirements, students have more flexibility and credit hours to devote towards other majors, minors, certificates, or curiosities. 
    Anna Chen, who is on the UBWA DEI Committee, is a first-year student with a double major in accounting and psychology. Luckily for her, she came into OSU with enough credits to qualify her as a junior, making it even easier to pursue a second major. As of now, Anna is planning on obtaining a CPA (Certified Public Accountant). Her rationale for choosing accounting is that jobs are abundant, well paying, and stable; her rationale for choosing psychology is that it was intriguing. Anna wants to understand how the brain works and what motivates people to behave in certain ways. Even if she does not pursue psychology as a career, she feels having the background knowledge will help her to be more successful. Furthermore, behind every person's interaction are psychological processes. When applying for jobs, having two majors on her resume will help her stand out amongst other candidates. Anna feels that studying both accounting and psychology will “make [her] a better employee, coworker, and boss,” as she will gain improved communication and empathetic skills. In general, a second major simply opens up possibilities, opportunities, and more career paths. Therefore, it also gives you a degree of flexibility and the comfort of knowing you have options. 
    Accounting is part of the Fisher College of Business while psychology is part of the College of Arts and Sciences. Studying two majors across two different colleges can seem intimidating at first. However, Anna says the process was simple with the support of her advisors. After speaking to her accounting advisor, adding psychology as her second major began with the simple task of sending an email to the psychology department. Anna was quickly able to set up a meeting with an advisor in the College of Arts and Sciences to officially declare psychology as a second major. Something incredibly helpful is the fact that there is a liaison between Fisher and the psychology department, who was able to help Anna make the transition between the two colleges as painless as possible. Each college also provides their own resources to help support their students and ensure their students’ success. Having those extra resources also gives Anna yet another competitive advantage, giving her access to opportunities she may not have gotten otherwise. 
    There are many benefits to having a second major, but, of course, no one should feel pressured to do so. It’s important to remember that adding another major is a difficult and personal choice. Before declaring any major, you should really consider how interested you are in that discipline. Again, OSU provides a lot of options and versatility when it comes to majors, minors, and certificates. No matter what you may decide, Anna encourages everyone “to learn different perspectives and ways to look at the world’s issues”, whether that be from a second major, an internship, a study abroad program, or anything else. Just keep your eyes and mind open to new learning opportunities and take advantage of the time you spend at OSU. 

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