Katy Coakley
Contributing Writer
Several minors may be removed due to the lack of Dominican students enrolling in them. The university currently offers 51 undergraduate minors to choose from.
As of 2021, Spanish is the most popular minor, with 64% of undergraduates minoring in the language. Other popular minors include psychology, with 34%, and chemistry, with 31%.
The art department has now removed the art history minor, as well as photo-cinema, which was offered as both a major and minor.
However, three specific micro-minors are still available. These minors are Medieval and Renaissance studies, Catholic studies, and Music. Each has less than 2% of students.
English professor Mickey Sweeney explained why only a few students are minoring in Medieval and Renaissance studies, which offers courses from three departments, each year.
“We do not do a good job of advertising,” said Sweeney. “It is hard because the courses change every semester. You are not going to get people to take a minor unless they are really interested.”
Devvora Papatheodorou, a music adjunct instructor, explained that music was originally a major, but that it was downgraded to only a minor last year.
“When you shut something down, people might think that the minor has shut down,” said Papatheodorou. “Students know about the existence of music classes, but they might not think of the minor. Music exists as a minor.”
Papatheodorou also said that only four students are currently enrolled in the music minor, but the classes do fill up quickly.
Timothy Milinovich, associate professor of theology, said that there are no students currently enrolled in the Catholic studies minor.
“To a number of students, theology seems broader and more open than Catholic studies,” said Milinovich. “We are accepting students for Catholic studies if anyone wants to get into it.”
Milinovich said that the theology department does not have any plans to remove the minor.
Other interdisciplinary minors are still available, including computer information system, interfaith studies, and sculpture.
