Double Major & Minors

[JoshuaBuzz]

Hey guys,

I am thinking of going to university in America. Me and my family moved from England to Brazil back in 2005; I'm just finishing my high school education here and we are preparing to move to the US. I know there will be some issues in traducing my Brazilian high school certificate into something equivalent to a GPA/GED.

Anyways, I've seen alot of talk about double majors and minors.
I would like to study theology/Bible studies/Christian ministry, something that would prepare and encapacitate me for full-time ministry, but at the same time I'm very tempted to study something which would allow me to pursue a "secular" career should I need or wish to further down the line (something like International Relations, Government, or whatever set of courses one has to take to be eligible to go on and study Medicine or Law in the US).

At the moment I'm still very undecided, just doing my research and seeing what are the options.

I wonder, is it possible for me to take a double major in Theology, etc, and any other degree? Or are double majors only allowed in specific circumstances?
Also, how valuable are minors? For example, if I take a subject as a minor, would I then be able to study it at graduate level, or would my "minor" degree not be sufficient for that?

Thanks in advance
Josh

 

[kittysbecute]

There are a lot of schools that offer double majors in Theology and in a secular field.
I'm considering a school in Portland Oregon at the moment that requires everyone to major in Bible/Theology as well as in another major or minor.

I don't know much about the graduate level, I think it depends on what program you are doing at the graduate level. Different ones probably have different requirements. And some of them it doesn't matter what you studied at the undergraduate level, it just depends.

For double majors there might be different requirements depending on the school, but I think they are pretty common and you should be able to do it.

 

[Tzaousios]

I wonder, is it possible for me to take a double major in Theology, etc, and any other degree? Or are double majors only allowed in specific circumstances?
Also, how valuable are minors? For example, if I take a subject as a minor, would I then be able to study it at graduate level, or would my "minor" degree not be sufficient for that?

Although I did not go to seminary or bible college, I did do a double major in History and Classical Humanities at a secular university. Having a double major not only prepares you well, but it also looks good on a transcript.

I don't know if you have taken Greek yet. But if you are able financially and logistically, I would consider taking non-biblical Greek at a secular school first. If you "cut your teeth" on the pagan classics, it will make OT / NT Greek look like a cakewalk. You will be miles ahead of all the other students and at the level of sight-reading biblical Greek.

 

[heron]

Every college has their own policy on double majors and minors. Check with the departments you want to take from, before you commit.

I hope you enjoy coming up to the states! There are some great Brazilian AOG churches up here.

 

[bliz]

If you want to be useful in ministry, you should get an MDiv, after earning your bachelor's degree.

So, at the undergrad level you could simply major in, say, Political Science or Business Management, and save the theological studies for grad school.

OR, double major at the undergrad level, say, Bible major and Business major together.

Or, have minor, or multiple minors, say Poli Sci major, business minor and Bible minor.

Or, attend one university through the year, majoring in whatever, and take summer classes at another college in a different area of study.

My personal experience has been that my best pastors worked in non-ministry jobs before going to seminary. I've been pastored by former engineers, military men, college professors and union carpenters. The understand real life a lot better than people who went straight to from college to seminary.

 

[heron]

During your research, consider what denomination you would like to represent. Nondenominational churches regulate their own requirements, and some don't ask for a degree. Some denominational churches will ask for an MDiv, STM, ThM, MTh, or MA in Theology... and hope for a PhD.

I have been in nondenominational churches where pastors were hired out of the congregation, simply for their proven leadership skills. My own opinion on that -- if you are going to teach, you need skill in researching facts, so you don't pull people off track with half-truths and opinions.

I almost wish that pastors were required social work training, organizational behavior, facilities magagement, ancient languages... ha ha my list goes on. Ideally, I would like pastors separated from teachers. But that's another era and way off track.

 

[SqueekSSqueekS]

As far as I know, you can double major at any school. It's all about if you are willing to do the work. It's twice the load of work and with a minor or a double minor then you've got three times the work.

For what you are interested in I would major in communication or business and theology. However, I don't know how many public schools offer a theology major or any private christian colleges that offer communications or business. You might need to go to two separate schools.

A minor is helpful to you, but only if it's related to one of your majors.

 

[kittysbecute]

However, I don't know how many public schools offer a theology major or any private christian colleges that offer communications or business. You might need to go to two separate schools.

The private college I go to right now has all three of those majors. I think the largest program at the school is actually the school of business. Most other private colleges I looked at also had business and/or communication majors. Perhaps it's just in Southern California that it's like that, but I would assume that most liberal arts private colleges would have all three. Unless you go to one that is fairly new and possibly not accredited...
But I once was looking at a private college that had a bible major and had many other "secular" majors, but didn't have a history major, so I considered going to two different schools in the same city. It seemed like an okay plan. But it's more convenient if the school has both majors you want.

 

[citizenthom]

I wouldn't worry about doing any sort of "major" in theology if you want to pursue a secular career anyway. You can get the background for lifelong Bible study and growth with a much smaller number of classes, which leaves you open to put yourself more fully towards a major that will actually translate into a career. Take a couple of classes on church history (one early, one late) and a couple of classes on Jewish religion/history and you're set. These days most full-time ministers have M.Div or MS degrees anyway, so your undergraduate major probably doesn't matter as long as you have the prerequisites. Most of my friends who have ministry undergrad degrees aren't using them at all; most of my friends currently in ministry didn't major in anything close to theology.

I'd also counsel against worrying about fitting your academic plan into too many "boxes." You'll end up doing way too much work just to get a label when you could have learned the same material in far fewer classes.

 

[johndale]

Every college has their own policy on double majors and minors. Check with the departments you want to take from, before you commit.

I hope you enjoy coming up to the states! There are some great Brazilian AOG churches up here.

US is a very cool country. You'll surely enjoy there but check on the college policies. Yeah right.

 

[heron]

If you are torn between a secular and a ministry path, then find out what classes are required for each during the first year. Often you can take courses that overlap.

For instance, psychology is required for liberal arts, but might be the foundation course in a ministry program. Or macro- and micro-economics foundation courses for a business degree. Communications courses help in all three-- theology, business, and your required liberal arts.

Some schools can build a double major into the program electives, so you're not necessarily taking more courses, but they are specifically related. But one drawback to a squeezed-in double major -- you'd miss the professional depth courses at the end, and get a program with breadth of content. Which might be fine for ministry and business.