This article offers a student POV (point-of-view) of what taking on a second major and/or minor(s) is like in NUS College. Our student writer, Shona Tan (Sociology, English Literature + NUSC [USP] ’25), shares her experience on how students can achieve a holistic University experience, along with four other NUSC students who also take a second major and/or minor.

By Shona Tan

I decided that despite the increased workload, taking on a second major was a worthwhile decision that would encourage me to develop a more holistic learning experience. Thanks to the experience, I was able to move flexibly between different academic fields of study and learned how to write effectively in both the style of social sciences as well as traditional literary analysis.

One moment that I found especially rewarding was undertaking my Independent Study Module paper titled “A Socio-Literary Study: F. Scott Fitzgerald and Youth Cultures in America’s Jazz Age.” Insights I gained from NUSC, Sociology, and Literature found the perfect opportunity to converge in a single exercise. And I was able to witness how my interdisciplinary experiences could be integrated in an unique way.

Another course mate, Valerie Tan (Data Sciences, Linguistics + NUSC ’25) also shared a fond memory where a formal Linguistics class touched upon the topic of recursion, a function that she had encountered previously in her Computer Science classes. Excitedly, she recounted how she found it “cool to be able to see how your disciplines intersect when you least expect them to”, highlighting how her experience of taking a double major allowed her to appreciate these interconnections in greater depth.

Choices, choices, choices

Taking on another academic commitment in the form of an additional major and/or minor can be a daunting prospect. Students often have to weigh the benefits of a more holistic learning experience with the increased workload that comes with it. What is the point? Is it truly worthwhile? How will I cope? Questions like these frequently ran through my mind while deciding on my University journey, as with many other NUSC students.

The motivations behind taking on another major and/or minor can look different for everyone. Like a great deal of my peers, I aimed to “get the best of both worlds” by pursuing a second major. I felt that this would give me more opportunities to pursue both my interests in Sociology and English Literature in far greater depth and at a parallel pace. For others, like Aeron Toh (Mathematics, Computer Science + NUSC [USP] ‘25], the decision to take on a second major was largely borne out of the competitive edge it would provide for him in light of his career aspirations.

Major vs Minor — What’s the difference?

In NUS, taking a minor requires only 20 units, while a second major requires at least 40 units and brings in its train less more constraints in one’s study plan. In both cases, the budget comes from what is otherwise our “Unrestrictive Electives” (UE), were we get to sample the courses from across many fields available in NUS. In other words, a certain degree of flexibility in terms of course choices is compromised once you commit to a second major or minor, and more so with the second major. Hence, it is worthwhile to first take a step back to consider your goals and whether you already have specific interests in mind to pursue, in order to determine whether a second major and/or minor would the most appropriate fit.

For example, I had to take more courses in the unfamiliar field of 18^th century literature to fulfil my Second Major requirements in English Literature. In contrast, taking it as a minor would have allowed more flexibility to focus on other topics that I was originally more interested in. Nonetheless, despite my initial apprehensions, I saw this as an opportunity to explore new areas and fully commit towards expanding my literary competencies.

Neo Hui Wen (Chemistry + NUSC ’26) took a different approach. Had she taken Geography as a second major, she would have been required to take both Human Geography and Physical Geography courses. However, as she only wanted to learn more about Physical Geography, the more flexible requirements of a minor focused on Geosciences were better suited to her interests.

Valerie considering doing a second major in Computer Science but realised that it would require taking certain courses that she was not interested in just to fulfil the requirements. She decided that she would rather limit the fulfilment of requirements towards the level of a minor and take on any other particularly interesting courses as Unrestricted Electives (UEs) instead.

Managing the workload

A challenge that most students take a second major and/or minor face is managing the increased workload. To cope with this, good time management and strategic planning is essential. Viola Chee (English Literature, Philosophy + NUSC [USP] ’25) found that compiling all her deadlines for the semester ahead of time and starting papers early helped her greatly with pacing herself.

For me, taking on a second major alongside my NUSC course requirements meant that I had no UEs remaining. I had to plan my courses very carefully to ensure I met each major’s requirements. Additionally, I often had to weigh my interest in courses of less immediate interest but needed for the major, with taking other unrelated courses I’m interested in but that will require that I go beyond the normal workload expected of a student in a semester (colloquially, we call that “overloading”), or require me to go beyond the typical total graduation requirements of 160 Units (i.e., 40 distinct courses).

Even if taking a second major may not necessarily require students to overload in a semester or go beyond the typical graduation requirements, there are still various ways to further optimise study plans. For instance, you can research whether certain courses can double count towards one’s intended majors. Taking such courses will gain back some flexibility and potentially free up some UE space.