Advisor Kayla Dasta introduces you to Minors.
A minor is a recognized concentration of study in a subject area outside of the major, consisting of at least 15 credits of appropriate course work. The minor affords a traditional, well-accepted way to recognize that a student has completed a significant body of work outside the major.
Guidelines
- A minor may not inherently overlap with the student’s major (e.g., a History major may not pursue a History minor).
- Students must complete a minimum of 6 credits of coursework exclusive to the minor that will not count toward the major or other minors. Review the “Minor/Major Combination Restrictions” section below to see if the desired minor/major combination is permitted.
- Students may not complete a minor and certificate in the same area (East-Central European Studies, European Union Studies, Latin American Studies, or Teaching English as a Second Language).
Minors available at UF
The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (LS) offers 50 minors. There are over 130 minors available to residential students at UF.
Eligibility
Students must:
- have an established UF GPA of 2.0 or higher.
- be on-track for their major.
- have 45 hours earned.
- be able to complete the minor in a timely fashion.
- complete a minimum of 6 credits exclusive to the minor (credits that will not count toward major(s) or other minors).
- See “Minor/Major Combination Restrictions” section below, which includes lists of:
- minor/major combinations that will not be approved due to too much overlap,
- minor/major combinations that have potential for extensive overlap, but may be approved under certain conditions, and
- minor/major combinations which will be approved despite potential for extensive overlap.
- See “Minor/Major Combination Restrictions” section below, which includes lists of:
Some minors have additional requirements for approval, (e.g., a higher UF GPA, etc.). Be sure to review the Catalog information for the minor in your Catalog year.
Considering a Minor
- Take introductory courses in the area before applying.
- When selecting General Education or elective courses, take courses in disciplines that are unfamiliar – you might discover an area of interest this way.
- To find out more about a minor, read course descriptions, search the UF website for syllabi, and contact the department that offers the minor.
- Often, a minor will complement your major, and/or provide for a more well-rounded experience. Try to branch out. If you are majoring in a Humanities discipline, such as English or History, consider pursuing a minor in another area (such as a Social & Behavioral Science, or a math/science-related minor).
How to Apply
Request to Add or Remove a Minor
Students can request to add a minor on their ONE.UF account by clicking the link above. The request will be sent to the student’s major college and the requested minor college for approval.
Minor Requirements
CLAS minors require:
- All minor courses must be completed with a minimum grade of a C.
- At least three, three-credit courses must be at the 3000 level or above (none of the three courses can be individual work).
- Of the total credits for the minor, no more than three may be individual work.
- Requirements for individual minors are available in the Undergraduate Catalog.
Minor/Major Combination Restrictions
Please review the tables below to determine if your major combination is permitted or has potential for extensive overlap. These tables are not all-inclusive, consult with an AAC advisor to verify that your intended minor/major combination is acceptable.
1) Minor/Major Combinations that Will Not Be Approved
Below are commonly requested minor/major combinations that are not permitted.
| MINOR | Majors NOT Permitted in Combination with this Minor |
|---|---|
| East Asian Languages - Chinese | Foreign Languages and Literatures – Chinese |
| East Asian Languages - Japanese | Foreign Languages and Literatures – Japanese |
| Botany | Biology Entomology Wildlife Ecology and Conservation |
| Chemistry - either track | Biotechnology track in Biology Botany Chemical Engineering |
| Geography | Environmental Geosciences track in Geography or Geology |
| Geology | Environmental Geosciences track in Geography or Geology |
| Hebrew | Foreign Languages and Literatures - Hebrew Jewish Studies |
| Sociology of Social Justice and Policy | Sociology |
| Statistics | Data Science |
| Theories and Policies of Sexuality | Women’s Studies |
| Zoology | Biology Entomology and Nematology Nutritional Sciences Natural Resource Conservation Wildlife Ecology and Conservation |
2) Minor/Major Combinations with the Potential for Extensive Overlap
Below are commonly requested minor/major combinations that are permitted provided the student will earn 6 credits exclusive to the minor and 15 credits exclusive to the major.
If a student would like one of these combinations, CLAS will approve if there are enough unique hours (15 for majors, 6 for minors) completed, if the courses still needed for the minor/major do not overlap (i.e., only count toward the minor or major but not both), or once the student meets the conditions specified in the table below. For example, if a Women’s Studies major wants a History minor, we want to see 6 non-gender specific History credits, and THEN CLAS will approve pursuing the minor.
| MINOR | Majors Permitted in Combination with this Minor if Exclusivity is Met |
|---|---|
| American Indian & Indigenous Studies | Anthropology: Anthropology majors must complete one 3-credit minor elective with a prefix other than ANT before being approved for this minor. |
| Anthropology | Women’s Studies |
| Asian Studies | History Political Science Religion |
| Entomology and Nematology | Prior to applying for the minor, BA Biology majors must either complete 6 credits Entomology courses that are NOT on the BA Elective list, or 6-10 credits of BA Electives that are NOT Entomology minor courses. Prior to applying for the minor, BS Biology Preprofessional majors must either complete 6 credits of Entomology courses that are NOT on the BIOPRO Elective list, or 3 credits of BIOPRO Electives that are NOT Entomology minor courses. |
| Hebrew | Foreign Languages and Literatures – Hebrew Jewish Studies |
| History | Women’s Studies |
| Many minors in CLAS | International Studies |
| Medieval and Early Modern Studies | English French History Spanish |
| Physics | Astronomy and Astrophysics – Students pursuing an astronomy or astrophysics major must complete six credits of physics coursework beyond what is required for the Astronomy/Astrophysics major before they will be approved for the Physics minor. Engineering Majors - Physics minor courses may overlap with outside areas of concentration, but should not overlap with technical electives |
| Religion | Women’s Studies |
| Zoology | Women’s Studies |
3) Minor/Major Combinations that ARE permitted, despite overlap
| Minor | Major |
|---|---|
| Actuarial Sciences* | Business Administration Statistics |
| Mathematics | Engineering majors Computer Sciences (LS-CSC) |
| Statistics | Engineering majors |
| Teaching English as a Second Language** | Linguistics |
* It is OK to receive an Actuarial Sciences minor even if there are not enough exclusive hours (for example, double major in Statistics and Business) because it is useful to the student for professional credentialing.
** TESL minors must have Linguistics department approval first, regardless of major.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many minors am I allowed to pursue?
You are allowed to pursue up to three minors.
How will the minor appear on my records?
Once you are approved to pursue the minor, it should show as one of your Academic Programs in ONE.UF. The college/department offering the minor will certify whether you complete it in the term you graduate. The minor will be noted on your official transcript.
Will courses for the minor satisfy the CLAS 3000-level elective requirement?
If the courses for the minor are at the 3000-level or above, the courses will also go towards the elective requirement, unless they are also counting toward your major. Some majors/minors limit overlap, check the Undergraduate Catalog for your specific programs.
Are there certain restrictions on minors I’m eligible to pursue, depending on my major?
Yes; CLAS does not permit certain major/minor combinations that have an extensive amount of overlap, since the purpose of a minor is to pursue an outside concentration. You can view the chart above for restrictions and meet with an advisor if you have questions.
Can I cancel a minor after I’ve been approved?
You may cancel a minor on your ONE.UF account under the “Request to Add or Remove a Minor” tab. No approvals are needed to cancel a minor.