nursing major, psychology minor?

Published

My question is that I will graduate in spring 2016 with my BSN. I started college in fall 2011 and this basically means it will take me 5 years to do a 4 year degree.. although I've read that it takes most people 5 years for a bachelors these days; so if I do a minor in psychology, will that make it look less bad? I want to point out that I'm not minoring in psychology just because I actually really enjoy it but nursing has called me into the profession. How will this look to FNP programs down the road and how will this look over all after graduation assuming all goes good once I'm in nursing school. I also want to point out that I just turned 19

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I don't think it matters that it will take you 5 years to complete a 4 year degree. More and more people go to college for 4+ years now. I think minoring in psychology is great though if you are interested in it, so go for it. Good luck!

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Thanks for the kind thoughts, I just got a little discouraged when I was adding it up.. but I guess I can make something great out of something bad.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I'm also doing a psych minor, graduate in December. Depending on your school it really isn't that many more classes. Aside from the psych classes in my prereqs, I only had to take three more. More education is always better than less I say. And as you will find in clinical psych is tied to a lot even if your patient's admitting diagnosis isn't psychological in nature.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

That's what I've seen in developmental psych and general psych that it is related closely to nursing and holistic view we have. It couldn't possibly hurt and since I enjoy psych I would call it "easier"

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Pedi.

Prospective employers won't necessarily know by your resume that it took you 5 years to complete your BSN. It took me 5 years to do mine (year long medical LOA) and it's never once been an issue nor has it been brought up or noticed.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I just got my BA in psych in December and when i went to talk to the deans of some nursing schools they said that is a good background to have for nursing, It's all about catering to patients needs

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I figured workplaces wouldn't mind much but what about grad schools? I would think that the way this economy is as long as you got the cash they will take you.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Trauma ICU/Trauma Resus.

Psychology minor that sounds awesome. One of my nursing teachers has the credentials CCM for Certified Case Manager, having this minor may give you a firm foot hold for that if it interests you.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Critical Care, Education.

There really isn't a "minor" in nursing. Nursing is an academic "program" - rather than a traditional "major". That's why you really can't transfer between nursing programs without starting all over. Sure, you can take some extra classes in psych in order to meet the qualification as a minor, but it doesn't count for much. Don't feel bad - nursing degrees always take longer than traditional ones. It usually takes ~3 years for an ADN & ~5 years for a BSN. In addition to the issue of taking all the pre-req's, some clinical classes may be offered only once a year. So, don't sweat it. No one is going to think less of you.

Eligibility for specialty certifications is based upon clinical experience and basic education (must have BSN for many). Grad school eligibility varies. Most clinical (NP, CNM, CCRN, etc.) AP programs generally require specific types of clinical experience & stellar undergrad GPA. Your extra undergrad electives won't make a difference.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Pedi.
Psychology minor that sounds awesome. One of my nursing teachers has the credentials CCM for Certified Case Manager, having this minor may give you a firm foot hold for that if it interests you.

A psychology minor would in no way give a nurse a leg up in Case Management (Nurse Case Management is very, very different from the type of Case Management that Social Workers do, which psychology may be relevant to) nor would it help him/her to obtain the CCM. Nurse Case Managers must have very specific experience and very specific qualifications before they can even take the CCM.

The vast majority of nurses do not have minors. My program offered only three electives over the course of 4 years. I had more electives than most people because I tested out of my math requirement with AP Calculus and fulfilled a social science requirement with a night class taken elsewhere and I still didn't have a minor.

Having a minor won't ever hurt you if it's something you choose to pursue... but it's unlikely to really help you once you get into professional nursing either.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Well my school in well known for filling our curriculum with fluff and I figured I might as well make the best of it.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Join the Discussion