Major and a Minor..is it worth it?

K9005 · Feb 8, 2015

Hi. I'm currently in my 3rd semester in a BSN program and I have to be honest with you. I don't think it's possible to take on a minor with a nursing major-there just isn't enough time in the day, especially if you're working. Nursing school isn't hard if you Just want to get by, but if you're wanting to get good grades and become a good nurse it is a big time commitment.

SopranoKris, MSN, RN, NP · Feb 8, 2015

If you want to be in health care administration, then major in that. Trying to do nursing plus all the required classes for your minor is going to be very tough. Nursing isn't just a class you take 2 days a week. You have to factor in skills lab, physical assessment lab, clinicals, etc. All if which aren't included in your schedule until the semester starts. I was trying to finish courses towards PA/NP school my first semester in nursing school. I had to drop the extra class because all the extraneous required seminars, case conferences, etc. were always scheduled right during my extra class. It was impossible to take another course.

Even if you did the minor.courses online, the sheer volume of work required is staggering. I had a 4.0 GPA until nursing school. It is now 3.93 and I worked my butt off to get it.

catlovingRN, BSN, RN · Feb 8, 2015

I'm going to disagree with the above posters because I graduated this past May with my BSN and a minor in Spanish. Of course it was not easy, but I managed to complete my major and minor, have a part-time job and a life, all while graduating on time. In order to do this I did have to take classes during the summer and I studied abroad in Spain for a summer to help with my minor (who can complain about that?!). I also was able to go to Bolivia for a Service Learning Trip over one of my winter breaks and I completed a Summer Study Hall program at a hospital that they offered in place of an externship since my schedule was so packed. It is definitely possible as long as you can commit! Of course it depends on the person and what obligations one has, but yes, it is possible. :up:

caliotter3 · Feb 8, 2015

I carried a minor with a full time job, a part time job most of the time, and a one and a half hour commute each way to school. You do what you need to do. Whether or not a minor is worth it is up to you if you choose to make use of the minor. It looks good on the resume, so if for no other reason, putting your minor on your resume is a good reason to have one.

happyinmyheart · Feb 8, 2015

I definitely think a minor is doable. I am doing my minor alongside my pre-requisite courses. I will be finished with it before I start actual Nursing classes. If this is something you want to do, you could always do it over the summer and take it slow :)

SierraBravo · Feb 8, 2015

If I were the OP I would get the BSN and then continue on for a Masters in Healthcare Administration or an MBA. The most ideal situation would be getting hired at an institution that offers tuition reimbursement/benefits and working as a nurse while working on the graduate degree. This would allow you to gain experience in healthcare which would make the Masters coursework that much more meaningful.