Why are Minor Subjects Important?

In any university, students are required to take minor subjects which include, but not limited to, English, math, psychology, philosophy, economics, statistics, biology, and a host of other subjects which many students find unimportant and a waste of time. Removing these subjects from the curriculum would have saved any student and his parents money and time. Bluntly speaking, more subjects means bigger expenses and longer years to spend in school. However, these humanities subjects (for most of them belong to the humanities) are the defining courses which mold any individual to remain connected to other people regardless of race, color, and profession.

As an example, many students seem to forget that without English or the lack of one’s ability to use the language properly, they can never be effective workers in their own field. I have yet to meet a successful doctor, nurse, engineer, architect, or any professional who is not good in English or at least able to communicate well in English. Same is true with logic which teaches us good reasoning and to distinguish truth from fallacy. Math, on the other hand, may seem very hard and insignificant especially if all you want is become a writer. But of course, we know that math is not just supposed to teach us how to solve daunting problems and write seemingly meaningless formulas but also enhance our ability to reason and think critically. These are just few of the things we ought to know from minor subjects and yes, most of these are basic. Basic, in the sense that, without them survival is difficult. Any educated individual must have at least learned these basic things. If not, just imagine how pathetic he becomes in the eyes of this stringent digital (and yes, dog-eat-dog) society.

One time, I had a nursing student who came to me because he had an “F” in the finals. He pleaded and begged me to let him pass because after all, “He doesn’t need World Literature in becoming an effective nurse.” Then I told him, “Well, maybe, that’s the reason why you failed!” At that time, I didn’t feel the need to explain to him why minor subjects are important. He should discover it for himself and, maybe, he would if he reenrolled in the same subject.

I was also a student once and I fully understand why many students prioritize their major subjects because, after all, these subjects are the technical side of their field. Yes, it’s the major subjects which mold us to become expert doctors and nurses, engineers and chemists, teachers and businessmen, etc. But, it is the humanities that shape our personality, build our character, and define our destiny.