Balancing a double major is not something everyone can do, but some students manage the extra workload keeping in mind the more marketable they may be to employers.

Jeremy Weiss, junior in management and apparel merchandising, design and production, declared his double major during his sophomore year.

“At a time now, where the job market is highly competitive, it is best to focus on your major concentration, while being careful not to focus too much in one subject,” he said.

“My double major allows me a bachelor of science in a very large field, management, but allows me the opportunity to focus in more of apparel management and human resources for apparel companies.”

For students majoring in industrial technology, double majors don’t necessarily benefit students in the job market.

“The industrial technology program at Iowa State has a high job placement rate, double majoring doesn’t necessarily benefit students greatly,” said Melody Carroll, academic advisor for the department of agricultural and biosystems engineering. “We encourage our students to declare a minor that supplements their major.”

According to the College of Business curriculum, “all students pursuing double majors or double degrees within the College of Business are required to have 15 credits of coursework in each major that is not used in the other major.”

The extra coursework required in some colleges for double majors may intimidate students. But a double major is certainly manageable.

“It really isn’t that hard to have a double major, it just means extra time,” Weiss said. “With my two majors there is some overlap and definitely an overlap of a lot of concepts, so that helps a lot.”

Double majors can give students a chance to experience different classes outside of a single major’s curriculum, broadening their educational experience.

The process of declaring an additional major can be confusing, but academic advisors are resources used to create a graduation path for students.

“With anything at a large university, the process takes steps,” Weiss said. “But if it is truly something you’re committed to doing it’s not much work at all. I try to remember that it affects my future, so although it’s a form to fill out and a couple buildings to walk between, it’s pretty painless.”