General Education Earning a degree doesn't mean you totally immerse yourself in one area of study for four years. Typically, students complete most General Education requirements by the end of their sophomore year. Your major is the subject in which you specialize by taking a prescribed number of required and elective courses. It is a field of study that relates closely to your career goal. A minor is a secondary field of study in a subject, usually, but not always, related to your major.
Minors require about one-half as many credit hours as a major.
Although most majors do not require you to complete a minor, a minor may enhance your employability. All students earning a teaching degree are required to take courses in the Professional Education core and, in addition, a minimum of one departmental methods course. Completion of the Professional Education core is required for state teaching licensure. Certificate Programs UNI makes available, in addition to traditional programs, the opportunity for you to earn Program Certificates. These certificates provide you with an alternative to programs leading to a degree, major or minor.