Today’s post is all about double majoring.
Why did I decide to complete my undergrad as a double Major? What are the pros and cons of this? Who I recommend it to?
My application story:
I cannot recall ever being stressed about post-secondary, having doubts, or thinking twice. Looking back, I truly see this as a gift from God.
I declared in middle school that I was going to go to Wilfrid Laurier University for Christian Studies, for a couple main reasons: I was under (wrong) the impression that this was one of the only programs in Canada for Christian pastoralship, which I believed to be my calling since the age of nine, and my opa, one of biggest inspirations, was once the dean of the seminary at Laurier. I saw myself following in footsteps.
Throughout high school, while colleagues stressed about where they were applying, what schools might accept them, and how many different programs they should apply for, I… just wasn’t stressing. And in Grade 12, when it came time to apply, I applied solely to the Christian Studies I graduate program at Laurier.
I was accepted (the main requirement was a good English grade, which I had always had).
Coming to Laurier, still without question, boy was I ever made more aware than ever of just how much God has guided my path.
Not only have I grown closer to Him and learned about Him in ways only He could have foreseen;
I met the love of my life,
Some of my lifelong best friends,
and discovered naturally what gifts I really wanted to/felt called to utilize for ministry, and what my dream of “being a pastor” might look like.
In the process, I realized that majoring in solely Christian Studies meant I had to take a lot of electives, which, in first year, were very random according to my availability, from art history to Spanish (my only Cs in my university career– can you tell my interests?!). However, I took one English elective called Reading Fiction, and remembered words of many peers and role models in my life, from my opa, who said, “You would love to take literature courses,” my English teachers over the years, who encouraged me to pursue writing, and my own parents. These affirmations helped me to recognize a fire inside of me that I had always known, but never considered in terms of university, because what kind of job does one get with an English Literature degree?
All I knew was that I wanted more English classes. And so, I applied to double Major, and was accepted.
And the English classes I’ve taken have contributed to my degree, my maturation, and my learning in more ways than I can begin to express. I am a more well-rounded writer, more in tune with the importance of history, and in tune with my passion in analyzing classic writers.
Double Major If…
1. You realize most of your electives are in one field.
2. Your grades are suffering in your electives.
3. You cannot pick between two majors.
Don’t Double Major if…
1. You’re not incredibly confident in your choice of 1st major.
2. You find yourself wanting to explore a variety of other fields.
3. You don’t want to be on a strict schedule with course options.
My English Lit studies have complimented my Christian Studies in that the literature I’m reading for English classes has caused me to think critically about the application of ministry to different individuals in a Christian setting and in the world.
by 
Cassie
Cassie
