Unlike elementary, middle, and high school, students are free to choose their classes in college. As a result, they can take control of their college experience by setting a roadmap for their career. Sookmyung Women's University offers different programs: double major, minor, interdisciplinary, and advanced major. Sookmyungians can choose one and build their roadmap. With such a wide variety of programs, it can be difficult for students to decide which one is best for them. Here is an introduction to two students who chose a double major and an interdisciplinary major respectively and each major's benefits.
- Debate Topic -
Double major vs. Interdisciplinary major: what's your choice?
1. <Double major>
(Myung Soo-min, Culture & Tourism Major '20)
Hello, I am currently majoring in culture & tourism, and have been double majoring in public relations & advertising since my third semester. I studied at another university for two years before transferring to SMWU. Originally, my major at my previous school was business administration. During my two years of studying that, I developed a strong interest in marketing and business strategy, which naturally led to a strong interest in the relationship between companies and consumers. At first, I thought of business administration as a natural choice for a double major, but I felt that it was a bit far from my career path because it covers a wide range of fields such as accounting and statistics in addition to my core interests. After further thinking, I chose the Department of Public Relations & Advertising because my main interest was "How can we make products more widely known?" In the case of a double major, there is no doubt that it is beneficial to improve your well-roundedness by learning more in other fields as well as your first. In this respect, it's a matter of personal choice - whether it's a more employable major, a major you've always been interested in, or a major that's unique to your university, there's a clear reason why I recommend a double major program: it is to emphasize the constant challenge and reward of hard work. University is a symbol of opportunity and challenge, which means that you don't have to wallow in the anxiety of "What if I'm reckless?" or "What if I fail?” It's also a time when you can always take a different path if you don't like the one you've chosen, and no one can criticize you for doing so. The same goes for the double major program. I hope Sookmyungians build their knowledge at our university and develop a strong, full inner core.
2. <Interdisciplinary major>
(Joo Noonsong, Division of Business Administration '21)
Hello, I am studying business administration as my first major and tax accounting as an interdisciplinary major. I have dreamed of becoming an accountant since the end of my second semester, so naturally, I chose tax accounting. The tax accounting major is usually taken by students who want to study tax law and accounting, and many students around me who want to become accountants chose this program. In the tax accounting major, you can study specialized knowledge by focusing on tax law and accounting-related courses offered by the divisions of business administration, economics, and law. Students may take a variety of elective classes depending on their interests and desired career path. For example, to get a job as an accountant, I need to pass the Certified Public Accountant (CPA) examination, which includes accounting, tax law, law, and economics. Therefore, I took Advanced Financial Accounting, Principles of Commercial Law, and Principles of Economics. In my opinion, the advantage of an interdisciplinary major is that the requirements for completion are less demanding than a double major or minor course, and you can study courses from three or more different departments. If anyone is considering a double major or minor program, why not consider an interdisciplinary major? In addition to tax accounting, there are various other majors such as global business development, big data analysis, and storytelling. If you follow the curriculum designed by the professors, you will be able to acquire deeper academic skills.
