How do majors and minors work in university?

[Coloratura]

I'm about to enrol for university, however, I'm not understanding the concepts of majors and minors. Could some please explain what they are, how they work, what they are used for in the future, what's the difference between them, etc.?

Thanks!

[Bri MT]

Majors and minors describes the areas of your degree you have more expertise in. For example, if a water treatment plant wants to hire a science grad, they are probably going to be more interested in someone with a strong chemistry background than a strong psychology background even though both chem & psych can be studied in a science degree. You should be able to access the requirements for what you need to study to earn each major or minor online.

A minor shows "yeah I've studied this a bit" whereas a major is more "this is what I focused on in my degree"

Hope this helps!

[www]

On the note of 'how they work':

Took a look at your post history, and if you're doing Comp Sci at Monash, you aren't working from a major/minor system as your primary course requirement. That degree works on a specialisation system (one of Data Science or Advanced Comp Sci). However, you can still create majors/minors using your elective units from a broad range of areas (since they are free electives) if you wish. Majors at Monash are typically 8 units, minors are 4, and extended majors are 10 (only some areas of study offer these).

[Coloratura]

Majors and minors describes the areas of your degree you have more expertise in. For example, if a water treatment plant wants to hire a science grad, they are probably going to be more interested in someone with a strong chemistry background than a strong psychology background even though both chem & psych can be studied in a science degree. You should be able to access the requirements for what you need to study to earn each major or minor online.

A minor shows "yeah I've studied this a bit" whereas a major is more "this is what I focused on in my degree"

Hope this helps!

Thanks so much for the info, Bri MT!

On the note of 'how they work':

Took a look at your post history, and if you're doing Comp Sci at Monash, you aren't working from a major/minor system as your primary course requirement. That degree works on a specialisation system (one of Data Science or Advanced Comp Sci). However, you can still create majors/minors using your elective units from a broad range of areas (since they are free electives) if you wish. Majors at Monash are typically 8 units, minors are 4, and extended majors are 10 (only some areas of study offer these).

That was my plan, to use the elective units to create a major/minor. (I'm planning to do Advanced Computer Science.) But if I want to do a particular major/minor, how will that work? Has it got something to do with the units I'm choosing as my electives?

Mod edit: Double posting (posting twice in the same thread in a row within 24 hours) is typically discouraged, as multiposting is generally considered spam. To avoid this, you can quote and answer multiple people's questions in a single post.

[AngelWings]

That was my plan, to use the elective units to create a major/minor. (I'm planning to do Advanced Computer Science.) But if I want to do a particular major/minor, how will that work? Has it got something to do with the units I'm choosing as my electives?

Yes, kind of. A minor is a sequence of usually 4 units from a specific area. For example, I got a Japanese minor by completing 4 Japanese language units: Japanese Intermediate 1 and 2 + Japanese Proficient 1 and 2, despite the fact that I did a Bachelor of Science.

You'd need to make sure that:
(a) you can actually take all 4 units i.e. there's no prohibitions on those units and your managing faculty allows it
(b) you can fit all 4 units into your course
(c) you can have all the prerequisites to take said units for the minor
(d) you take all 4 units for the minor.

If it's an out-of-faculty minor, you might not be able to elect it in WES by yourself, which I think was the case for my Japanese minor. If this is the case, then you'd have to contact Ask Monash or Monash Connect to do so.

If you're quite confused about the sequence of units you'd need to take a specific minor, then please either let us know which minor you're hoping to do and/or talk to your managing faculty's Student Services, when they're open.

[Coloratura]

Yes, kind of. A minor is a sequence of usually 4 units from a specific area. For example, I got a Japanese minor by completing 4 Japanese language units: Japanese Intermediate 1 and 2 + Japanese Proficient 1 and 2, despite the fact that I did a Bachelor of Science.

You'd need to make sure that:
(a) you can actually take all 4 units i.e. there's no prohibitions on those units and your managing faculty allows it
(b) you can fit all 4 units into your course
(c) you can have all the prerequisites to take said units for the minor
(d) you take all 4 units for the minor.

If it's an out-of-faculty minor, you might not be able to elect it in WES by yourself, which I think was the case for my Japanese minor. If this is the case, then you'd have to contact Ask Monash or Monash Connect to do so.

If you're quite confused about the sequence of units you'd need to take a specific minor, then please either let us know which minor you're hoping to do and/or talk to your managing faculty's Student Services, when they're open.

I sort of understand.

I'll give an example. Given that I am going to study Computer Science at Monash Uni, what if I decide to major in 'Computer Networks and Security' (https://www.monash.edu/study/courses/majors-minors-specialisations/2020/majors/computer-networks-and-security-xm0065)? What units do I have to put my electives to do this major?

And another example, a minor in 'Cybersecurity' (https://www.monash.edu/study/courses/majors-minors-specialisations/2020/majors/cybersecurity-xm0068). What would my electives look like?

[AngelWings]

Ah, I think I see where your confusion is now. I went ahead and did some research for you, so hopefully the following extended post clears a few things up (or directs you to the correct people if it doesn't).   

I'll give an example. Given that I am going to study Computer Science at Monash Uni, what if I decide to major in 'Computer Networks and Security' (https://www.monash.edu/study/courses/majors-minors-specialisations/2020/majors/computer-networks-and-security-xm0065)? What units do I have to put my electives to do this major?

This is something you’d have to consult the Monash University Handbook for. It changes yearly and you should be using the one for 2020, which is here. For a Bachelor of Computer Science student doing the advanced computer science specialisation and Computer Networks and Security major, you’d be looking at this page for a normal Bachelor of Computer Science and the advanced computer science specialisation that can be found here. These list the subjects (which uni students call “units”) that you must do to fulfil a major or minor and, in most cases, a single unit will be worth 6 or 12 credit points (the more credit points, the closer you are to finishing your degree). 

Side note: I will assume you’re doing a single degree, as you haven’t indicated otherwise. It changes your course plan quite significantly if you’re doing a double degree. Also, since you're doing a degree with a specialisation, you don't necessarily have to do a major (from what I understand), but I guess you could do it for your certificate when you finish the degree (It usually lists the specialisation only, but those who complete a major usually get that written on there too, although I'm not sure if that's the case for your degree. I'd probably ask your managing faculty's student services, Ask Monash or Monash Connect about this, if you're that concerned.)

requirements for Advanced Computer Science Specialisation and Computer Networks and Security major

For the requirements of an advanced computer science specialisation, you need to take:
- 5 core units: FIT2099, FIT2102, FIT3143, FIT3155, FIT3171 - however, these are all Level 2 and 3 units i.e. second/third year uni subjects (you can usually tell which level it is by the first number in the code), which might have prerequisites so you’d need to check what Level 1 units i.e. first year subjects are their prerequisites by clicking each unit and seeing what their prerequisites are and, as you’ll be doing your very first year of uni in 2020, you’ll need to take these Level 1 prerequisite units sometime early on in your degree
- 1 additional computer science unit from the list (this link > Advanced computer science > Additional computer science units should have about 17 units to pick from).

For a Computer Networks and Security major, you’d need to take these units. There are:
- 6 core units: FIT1047, FIT2093, FIT2100, FIT3031, FIT3165, FIT3173
- 1 programming unit (pick one of the three listed in the previous link I gave)
- 1 additional unit (again, pick one unit out of the three from the appropriate section in the same link).

Since that’s quite confusing, I’m going to use course progression maps (otherwise known as “course maps”) which are basically tables that will help you plan when you do specific units and fulfil the Advanced Computer Science specialisation + Computer Networks and Security major you want to do. Faculty of IT course maps can be found here, with the Bachelor of Computer Science - Advanced Computer Science specialisation course map being here. As you can see from that course map, you've already got most of it filled out for you - you'd take a combination of the units listed in the first year category (which fulfils the Advanced Comp Sci specialisation) and then, if you want a major in Computer Networks and Security, you'd slot the appropriate units into the spaces that state "elective" (but not "computer science approved elective" unless it's a mutual unit with the box underneath).

This would mean that a Bachelor of Computer Science - Advanced Computer Science + Computer networks and security major could look something like this (although you can move things around where necessary to fulfil prerequisites and such):

One possible course map for Coloratura

First year Semester 1: FIT1045 (covers both, but has a prerequisite of raw 25+ SS in VCE Methods/ Spesh, which from your signature, you have), FIT1047 (covers both), MAT1830, add one more unit (I assume MAT1830 will cover the Maths requirement for FIT2004 in second year, but check to see if it does with your managing faculty's student services. If not, you'll need to take a maths unit.) 
First year Semester 2: FIT1008, FIT1049, MAT1841, add one more unit
Second year Semester 1: FIT2004, FIT2099, FIT2093 (can't do FIT2078 with this unit due to prohibition), add one more unit
Second year Semester 2: FIT2014, FIT2102, FIT2100 (can't do FIT2070 with this unit due to prohibition), add one more unit (probably FIT2081, as this will free up a space in the following year)
Third year Semester 1: FIT3161, FIT3171, computer science approved elective (if you do either FIT3173 or FIT3142, it'll fulfil the Computer Networks and Security major AND the computer science approved elective), FIT3173/FIT2081/FIT3142 (pick one you didn't do, if you've done two of these already, I'd do FIT3165, which is only available in the first semester, so you can get your Computer Networks and Security major. If you don't, you'd miss out on the major by one unit.) 
Third year Semester 2: FIT3162, FIT3155, FIT3143, FIT3031 (only available second semester)

So on a filled out course map, it looks something like this:

Filled out course map

Important Note: This isn't anything official and I would highly recommend that you check this with your managing faculty's student services before taking this exact path, as I am not a part of the Monash course advising staff and I may get things wrong. Please note that some units can be "counted" only once ("counting" isn't an official term, I've used this to try to simplify the language here - please let me know if it's too confusing), whereas in other cases, they can be "counted" more than once for a major/ minor e.g. if you take all the required units, then the staff may allow you to use FIT1047 as a unit for satisfactory completion of both the specialisation and the major, or they may say that passing FIT1047 will satisfy part of the specialisation OR the major and not both. Faculties differ a bit, so I can't say which it'll be for sure.

tl;dr: The units for the major can be found in the first spoiler, second paragraph.

And another example, a minor in 'Cybersecurity' (https://www.monash.edu/study/courses/majors-minors-specialisations/2020/majors/cybersecurity-xm0068). What would my electives look like?

Again, we'd look at the Advanced Computer Science specialisation course map (you have to do either that or one of the other specialisations available) and add the minor units on to it. For a Cybersecurity minor, the requirements are:
- 3 core units: FIT1047, FIT2093 and one of the following: FIT1045/ FIT1048/ FIT1051
- 1 additional cybersecurity unit: one of the following: FIT2081/ FIT3168/ FIT3173

So you need to slot all four units into the course map somewhere, being mindful of any prerequisites, prohibitions and times when it's available (e.g. can you take it in Semester 1 only?).

As such, it'd look like the following course map with your Advanced Computer Science specialisation (without the Computer Networks and Security major):

Course map with Advanced Computer Science and Cybersecurity minor only

Legend:
blue = in both the specialisation and the minor
light green = in both the specialisation and the minor, but is one of several options
dark green = in the minor and is necessary for the minor only
orange = in the minor, but pick one of these orange options to fulfil the minor

Please note that FIT3173 may not "count" towards both the "computer science approved elective" and the minor simultaneously, so please check with your managing faculty if it does or doesn't.

 
If you want to do the Advanced Computer Science specialisation + Computer Networks and Security major + Cybersecuity minor, I think it's only possible if units can be "double/ triple counted" (if that makes sense), as that's the only way you can take all the necessary units and achieve this, but again, consult with your managing faculty's student services to confirm whether this is possible.

If it IS possible, then you'd have it already with the specialisation + major. 
If it IS NOT possible, then you can't get the minor - that's it. 
(Definitely ask your managing faculty. There might be a partial version, but I won't get into it here.)

My experiences with "counting"

From my own experience, I did a Bachelor of Science with an extended major in genetics, which actually fulfils a minor in molecular biology and a major in genetics. Since I did all the possible genetics units + two specifically for molecular biology:
- my testamur (that certificate in every uni graduation photo) states: "major in Genetics" on my pre-Honours certificate
- my transcript (basically the uni version of a report card or statement of results) states just "Extended major: Genetics" and not a minor in molecular biology (i.e. it was not "double counted" for both the genetics extended major and molecular biology minor, if that makes any more sense)

tl;dr: Either see course map in spoiler or the list of units I put directly under the quote about the Cybersecurity minor.

[Coloratura]

Ah, I think I see where your confusion is now. I went ahead and did some research for you, so hopefully the following extended post clears a few things up (or directs you to the correct people if it doesn't).   
 This is something you’d have to consult the Monash University Handbook for. It changes yearly and you should be using the one for 2020, which is here. For a Bachelor of Computer Science student doing the advanced computer science specialisation and Computer Networks and Security major, you’d be looking at this page for a normal Bachelor of Computer Science and the advanced computer science specialisation that can be found here. These list the subjects (which uni students call “units”) that you must do to fulfil a major or minor and, in most cases, a single unit will be worth 6 or 12 credit points (the more credit points, the closer you are to finishing your degree). 

Side note: I will assume you’re doing a single degree, as you haven’t indicated otherwise. It changes your course plan quite significantly if you’re doing a double degree. Also, since you're doing a degree with a specialisation, you don't necessarily have to do a major (from what I understand), but I guess you could do it for your certificate when you finish the degree (It usually lists the specialisation only, but those who complete a major usually get that written on there too, although I'm not sure if that's the case for your degree. I'd probably ask your managing faculty's student services, Ask Monash or Monash Connect about this, if you're that concerned.)

requirements for Advanced Computer Science Specialisation and Computer Networks and Security major

For the requirements of an advanced computer science specialisation, you need to take:
- 5 core units: FIT2099, FIT2102, FIT3143, FIT3155, FIT3171 - however, these are all Level 2 and 3 units i.e. second/third year uni subjects (you can usually tell which level it is by the first number in the code), which might have prerequisites so you’d need to check what Level 1 units i.e. first year subjects are their prerequisites by clicking each unit and seeing what their prerequisites are and, as you’ll be doing your very first year of uni in 2020, you’ll need to take these Level 1 prerequisite units sometime early on in your degree
- 1 additional computer science unit from the list (this link > Advanced computer science > Additional computer science units should have about 17 units to pick from).

For a Computer Networks and Security major, you’d need to take these units. There are:
- 6 core units: FIT1047, FIT2093, FIT2100, FIT3031, FIT3165, FIT3173
- 1 programming unit (pick one of the three listed in the previous link I gave)
- 1 additional unit (again, pick one unit out of the three from the appropriate section in the same link).

Since that’s quite confusing, I’m going to use course progression maps (otherwise known as “course maps”) which are basically tables that will help you plan when you do specific units and fulfil the Advanced Computer Science specialisation + Computer Networks and Security major you want to do. Faculty of IT course maps can be found here, with the Bachelor of Computer Science - Advanced Computer Science specialisation course map being here. As you can see from that course map, you've already got most of it filled out for you - you'd take a combination of the units listed in the first year category (which fulfils the Advanced Comp Sci specialisation) and then, if you want a major in Computer Networks and Security, you'd slot the appropriate units into the spaces that state "elective" (but not "computer science approved elective" unless it's a mutual unit with the box underneath).

This would mean that a Bachelor of Computer Science - Advanced Computer Science + Computer networks and security major could look something like this (although you can move things around where necessary to fulfil prerequisites and such):

One possible course map for Coloratura

First year Semester 1: FIT1045 (covers both, but has a prerequisite of raw 25+ SS in VCE Methods/ Spesh, which from your signature, you have), FIT1047 (covers both), MAT1830, add one more unit (I assume MAT1830 will cover the Maths requirement for FIT2004 in second year, but check to see if it does with your managing faculty's student services. If not, you'll need to take a maths unit.) 
First year Semester 2: FIT1008, FIT1049, MAT1841, add one more unit
Second year Semester 1: FIT2004, FIT2099, FIT2093 (can't do FIT2078 with this unit due to prohibition), add one more unit
Second year Semester 2: FIT2014, FIT2102, FIT2100 (can't do FIT2070 with this unit due to prohibition), add one more unit (probably FIT2081, as this will free up a space in the following year)
Third year Semester 1: FIT3161, FIT3171, computer science approved elective (if you do either FIT3173 or FIT3142, it'll fulfil the Computer Networks and Security major AND the computer science approved elective), FIT3173/FIT2081/FIT3142 (pick one you didn't do, if you've done two of these already, I'd do FIT3165, which is only available in the first semester, so you can get your Computer Networks and Security major. If you don't, you'd miss out on the major by one unit.) 
Third year Semester 2: FIT3162, FIT3155, FIT3143, FIT3031 (only available second semester)

So on a filled out course map, it looks something like this:

Filled out course map

Important Note: This isn't anything official and I would highly recommend that you check this with your managing faculty's student services before taking this exact path, as I am not a part of the Monash course advising staff and I may get things wrong. Please note that some units can be "counted" only once ("counting" isn't an official term, I've used this to try to simplify the language here - please let me know if it's too confusing), whereas in other cases, they can be "counted" more than once for a major/ minor e.g. if you take all the required units, then the staff may allow you to use FIT1047 as a unit for satisfactory completion of both the specialisation and the major, or they may say that passing FIT1047 will satisfy part of the specialisation OR the major and not both. Faculties differ a bit, so I can't say which it'll be for sure.

tl;dr: The units for the major can be found in the first spoiler, second paragraph.
Again, we'd look at the Advanced Computer Science specialisation course map (you have to do either that or one of the other specialisations available) and add the minor units on to it. For a Cybersecurity minor, the requirements are:
- 3 core units: FIT1047, FIT2093 and one of the following: FIT1045/ FIT1048/ FIT1051
- 1 additional cybersecurity unit: one of the following: FIT2081/ FIT3168/ FIT3173

So you need to slot all four units into the course map somewhere, being mindful of any prerequisites, prohibitions and times when it's available (e.g. can you take it in Semester 1 only?).

As such, it'd look like the following course map with your Advanced Computer Science specialisation (without the Computer Networks and Security major):

Course map with Advanced Computer Science and Cybersecurity minor only

Legend:
blue = in both the specialisation and the minor
light green = in both the specialisation and the minor, but is one of several options
dark green = in the minor and is necessary for the minor only
orange = in the minor, but pick one of these orange options to fulfil the minor

Please note that FIT3173 may not "count" towards both the "computer science approved elective" and the minor simultaneously, so please check with your managing faculty if it does or doesn't.

 
If you want to do the Advanced Computer Science specialisation + Computer Networks and Security major + Cybersecuity minor, I think it's only possible if units can be "double/ triple counted" (if that makes sense), as that's the only way you can take all the necessary units and achieve this, but again, consult with your managing faculty's student services to confirm whether this is possible.

If it IS possible, then you'd have it already with the specialisation + major. 
If it IS NOT possible, then you can't get the minor - that's it. 
(Definitely ask your managing faculty. There might be a partial version, but I won't get into it here.)

My experiences with "counting"

From my own experience, I did a Bachelor of Science with an extended major in genetics, which actually fulfils a minor in molecular biology and a major in genetics. Since I did all the possible genetics units + two specifically for molecular biology:
- my testamur (that certificate in every uni graduation photo) states: "major in Genetics" on my pre-Honours certificate
- my transcript (basically the uni version of a report card or statement of results) states just "Extended major: Genetics" and not a minor in molecular biology (i.e. it was not "double counted" for both the genetics extended major and molecular biology minor, if that makes any more sense)

tl;dr: Either see course map in spoiler or the list of units I put directly under the quote about the Cybersecurity minor.

Hello, AngelWings! Sorry for the late reply. Thanks so much for this information! This cleared everything up and I was able to understand the majors and minors. I was able to enrol in my course just in time before the expiry date. I greatly appreciate the help and the time you invested on researching this information for me. Once again, thank you very much!

[AngelWings]

Hello, AngelWings! Sorry for the late reply. Thanks so much for this information! This cleared everything up and I was able to understand the majors and minors. I was able to enrol in my course just in time before the expiry date. I greatly appreciate the help and the time you invested on researching this information for me. Once again, thank you very much!

No worries! By the way, you can change your units up until the census date without having to pay additional fees. The census date for Semester 1 2020 is about 4 weeks into the semester on March 31 2020. (You can check via the Monash principal dates.) After that, you can still change units, but it'll have more repercussions the longer you take to withdraw/ discontinue the unit.

If you decide to switch mind of the major/ minor you want to do and need to move units, then you'd have the time to do so between now and the census date without any repercussions.

[Coloratura]

No worries! By the way, you can change your units up until the census date without having to pay additional fees. The census date for Semester 1 2020 is about 4 weeks into the semester on March 31 2020. (You can check via the Monash principal dates.) After that, you can still change units, but it'll have more repercussions the longer you take to withdraw/ discontinue the unit.

If you decide to switch mind of the major/ minor you want to do and need to move units, then you'd have the time to do so between now and the census date without any repercussions.

Got it. Thanks for the heads up!