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Return to: Academic Offerings
A minor provides an excellent opportunity to blend another subject area into your degree program without the additional requirements of a double major or dual degree. A minor may be related to your major, or it might be in a completely different academic/professional area. Because a completed minor appears on your transcript, it highlights another dimension of educational background to support an application for graduate study or employment.
A minor is a grouping of 6 or more courses, totaling 18 to 21 credits, of which 12 credits must be in 300- to 400-level courses. A minor may be similar to and named for an existing major, such as Chemistry, or it may be an interdisciplinary grouping, like Judaic Studies. The department or college offering the minor determines which courses are required. Some colleges require a formal minor as part of the degree program.
Minor courses may or may not fit into the electives of your degree requirements. Your academic advisor or home college undergraduate office can advise you on the effect of a minor on your particular degree program, including whether or not you will need to complete more than the normal total number of credits.
Enrolling in a Minor
Pursuing a minor should be discussed with your academic advisor as early in your academic career as possible. You will then complete a Declaration of Minor form, available in your school/college undergraduate office. The form must be signed by the department or college offering the minor and, in some cases, your advisor. Your home college’s undergraduate office will review the paperwork and enter the minor on your student record. A variety of minors offered by SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry are also available to Syracuse University students. Information about these minors may be found in Academic Offerings under SUNY-ESF. Students may request admission into SUNY ESF minors using the same forms and procedures used for Syracuse University minors.
Information about minors that have enrollment limits or eligibility requirements can be obtained at the sponsoring department/college. The sponsoring unit can explain specific course requirements and options for the minor. In some cases, a minor must be officially listed on your record for you to be able to register for certain restricted courses. The department or college offering the minor determines the requirements, and any exception to the minor requirements must be granted by petition through the sponsoring department/college.
After certification by your college for graduation, and if all coursework for the minor is completed, it will appear on your transcript under the college, major, and degree listing as “MINOR IN {title}.”
Pursuing More Than One Minor
You may pursue more than one minor if there are enough elective course opportunities in your degree program or if you choose to graduate with additional credits. This possibility should be discussed with your academic advisor or school/college undergraduate office.
Official Minors
All current official disciplinary minors are listed on the appropriate school, department, or program pages. Detailed descriptions of requirements for each minor may be found in Academic Offerings. Interdisciplinary minors within the College of Arts and Sciences and between the College of Arts and Sciences and other schools and colleges may be found in Academic Offerings. Please be aware that not all minors are endorsed by all schools and colleges. You should verify that the minor you wish to pursue is accepted by your home college.
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