Concentration vs. Major — What's the Difference?
By Tayyaba Rehman & Urooj Arif — Updated on May 6, 2024
A concentration is a specialized focus within an academic field, while a major is the primary field of study a student pursues, typically involving a broader curriculum.
Difference Between Concentration and Major
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
A concentration is a subfield within a broader academic discipline, allowing students to focus on a niche area. A major, however, represents a student's main field of study, often determining the majority of courses taken.
Concentrations offer students the chance to specialize within their chosen major. In contrast, a major provides the foundational framework of a degree, with set requirements and core courses.
Concentrations can be optional, offering students an extra credential in addition to their major, whereas a major is mandatory for degree completion and represents a more comprehensive academic commitment.
Concentrations may share many core courses with the broader major but require specific electives or projects. A major, on the other hand, involves more generalized and required coursework to provide comprehensive knowledge.
Concentrations are often chosen later in a student's academic career as interests become more defined, while students typically declare their major earlier, usually at the beginning or middle of their undergraduate education.
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Comparison Chart
Definition
Specialized focus within a field
Main field of study in a degree
Scope
Narrower, niche area
Broader, comprehensive curriculum
Requirements
Specific electives or projects
Core and elective courses
Timing
Declared later, often as specialization
Declared earlier, often before junior year
Importance
Optional focus to supplement a major
Essential requirement for a degree
Compare with Definitions
Concentration
The act of grouping or gathering things together.
The concentration of factories in the region has led to increased economic activity.
Major
The primary academic discipline a student studies in college.
He is pursuing a major in computer science at the university.
Concentration
The amount of a substance within a solution or mixture.
The salt concentration in the ocean makes the water undrinkable.
Major
Greater in significance or size compared to others of the same kind.
The company announced major changes to its structure.
Concentration
A specialized academic focus within a broader field.
She chose a concentration in marine biology within her environmental science major.
Major
An officer of high rank in the military.
The major commanded a battalion of infantry soldiers.
Concentration
The accumulation of a particular substance or element in one area.
The concentration of pollutants was high in the river.
Major
The quality of a chord that sounds happy or bright.
The composer used a major scale to give the piece a joyful tone.
Concentration
The action of focusing mental effort on a specific task.
Concentration is crucial when solving complex mathematical problems.
Major
An important or influential person.
He became a major figure in the technology industry.
Concentration
In chemistry, concentration is the abundance of a constituent divided by the total volume of a mixture. Several types of mathematical description can be distinguished: mass concentration, molar concentration, number concentration, and volume concentration.
Major
Major is a military rank of commissioned officer status, with corresponding ranks existing in many military forces throughout the world.
Concentration
The action or power of focusing all one's attention
She was frowning in concentration
Major
Important, serious, or significant
The use of drugs is a major problem
Concentration
A close gathering of people or things
The island has the greatest concentration of seabirds in the north-west
Major
(of a scale) having intervals of a semitone between the third and fourth, and seventh and eighth degrees.
Concentration
The relative amount of a particular substance contained within a solution or mixture or in a particular volume of space
The gas can collect in dangerous concentrations
Major
(appended to a surname in public schools) indicating the elder of two brothers.
Concentration
The act or process of concentrating, especially the fixing of close, undivided attention.
Major
(of a term) occurring as the predicate in the conclusion of a categorical syllogism.
Concentration
The condition of being concentrated.
Major
A rank of officer in the army and the US air force, above captain and below lieutenant colonel.
Concentration
Something that has been concentrated.
Major
A major key, interval, or scale.
Concentration
(Chemistry) The amount of a specified substance in a unit amount of another substance.
Major
A major organization or competition
The majors have swept up the smaller independent companies in licensing deals
It's not unreasonable to believe someone can win all four majors
The oil majors had a profit bonanza
Concentration
The act, process or ability of concentrating; the process of becoming concentrated, or the state of being concentrated.
Major
A student's principal subject or course
Many students would ignore courses outside their major
Concentration
The direction of attention to a specific object.
Major
A major term or premise.
Concentration
The act, process or product of reducing the volume of a liquid, as by evaporation.
Major
Short for major suit
South was anxious to mention his four-card major and bid one spade
Concentration
The act or process of removing the dress of ore and of reducing the valuable part to smaller compass, as by currents of air or water.
Major
A goal.
Concentration
A field or course of study on which one focuses, especially as a student in a college or university.
Major
Specialize in (a particular subject) at college or university
I was trying to decide if I should major in drama or English
Concentration
The proportion of a substance in a whole.
Major
Greater than others in importance or rank
A major artist.
Concentration
(chemistry) The amount of solute in a solution measured in suitable units (e.g., parts per million (ppm))
Major
Great in scope or effect
A major improvement.
Concentration
The matching game pelmanism.
Major
Great in number, size, or extent
The major portion of the population.
Concentration
The act or process of concentrating; the process of becoming concentrated, or the state of being concentrated; concentration.
Concentration of the lunar beams.
Intense concetration of thought.
Major
Requiring great attention or concern; very serious
A major illness.
Concentration
The act or process of reducing the volume of a liquid, as by evaporation.
The acid acquires a higher degree of concentration.
Major
(Law) Legally recognized as having reached the age of adulthood.
Concentration
The act or process of removing the dress of ore and of reducing the valuable part to smaller compass, as by currents of air or water.
Major
Of or relating to the field of academic study in which a student specializes.
Concentration
The strength of a solution; number of molecules of a substance in a given volume (expressed as moles/cubic meter)
Major
Designating a scale or mode having half steps between the third and fourth and the seventh and eighth degrees.
Concentration
The spatial property of being crowded together
Major
Equivalent to the distance between the tonic note and the second or third or sixth or seventh degrees of a major scale or mode
A major interval.
Concentration
Strengthening the concentration (as of a solute in a mixture) by removing extraneous material
Major
Based on a major scale
A major key.
Concentration
Increase in density
Major
A commissioned rank in the US Army, Air Force, or Marine Corps that is above captain and below lieutenant colonel.
Concentration
Complete attention; intense mental effort
Major
One who holds this rank or a similar rank in another military organization.
Concentration
Bringing together military forces
Major
One that is superior in rank, importance, or ability
An oil-producing country considered as one of the majors.
Concentration
Great and constant diligence and attention
Major
(Law) One recognized by the law as having reached the age of adulthood.
Major
A field of study chosen as an academic specialty.
Major
A student specializing in such studies
A linguistics major.
Major
A major premise.
Major
A major term.
Major
A major scale, key, interval, or mode.
Major
A chord containing a major third between the first and second notes and a minor third between the second and third notes.
Major
Majors Sports The major leagues.
Major
To pursue academic studies in a major
Majoring in mathematics.
Major
(attributive):
Major
Greater in dignity, rank, importance, significance, or interest.
Major
Greater in number, quantity, or extent.
The major part of the assembly
Major
Notable or conspicuous in effect or scope.
Major
Prominent or significant in size, amount, or degree.
To earn some major cash
Major
(medicine) Involving great risk, serious, life-threatening.
To suffer from a major illness
Major
Of full legal age, having attained majority.
Major children
Major
(education) Of or relating to a subject of academic study chosen as a field of specialization.
Major
(music):
Major
Having intervals of a semitone between the third and fourth, and seventh and eighth degrees.
Major scale
Major
Equivalent to that between the tonic and another note of a major scale, and greater by a semitone than the corresponding minor interval.
Major third
Major
(postpositive) of a key Based on a major scale, tending to produce a bright or joyful effect.
Major
(campanology) Bell changes rung on eight bells.
Major
Indicating the elder of two brothers, appended to a surname in public schools.
Major
(logic)
Major
Occurring as the predicate in the conclusion of a categorical syllogism.
Major
Containing the major term in a categorical syllogism.
Major
(military ranks) A rank of officer in the army and the US air force, between captain and lieutenant colonel.
He used to be a major in the army.
Major
An officer in charge of a section of band instruments, used with a modifier.
Major
A person of legal age.
Major
(music):
Major
Ellipsis of major key.
Major
Ellipsis of major interval.
Major
Ellipsis of major scale.
Major
(campanology) A system of change-ringing using eight bells.
Major
A large, commercially successful company, especially a record label that is bigger than an indie.
Major
The principal subject or course of a student working toward a degree at a college or university.
Midway through his second year of college, he still hadn't chosen a major.
Major
A student at a college or university specializing on a given area of study.
She is a math major.
Major
(logic):
Major
Ellipsis of major term.
Major
Ellipsis of major premise.
Major
(bridge) major suit.
Major
(Canadian football) A touchdown, or major score.
Major
(Australian rules football) A goal.
Major
An elder brother (especially at a public school).
Major
(entomology) A large leaf-cutter ant that acts as a soldier, defending the nest.
Major
(obsolete) mayor and {{en}}.
Major
(intransitive) major in
Major
Greater in number, quantity, or extent; as, the major part of the assembly; the major part of the revenue; the major part of the territory.
Major
Of greater dignity; more important.
Major
Of full legal age; adult.
Major
Greater by a semitone, either in interval or in difference of pitch from another tone.
Major
An officer next in rank above a captain and next below a lieutenant colonel; the lowest field officer.
Major
A person of full age.
Major
That premise which contains the major term. It its the first proposition of a regular syllogism; as: No unholy person is qualified for happiness in heaven [the major]. Every man in his natural state is unholy [minor]. Therefore, no man in his natural state is qualified for happiness in heaven [conclusion or inference].
Major
A mayor.
Major
A commissioned military officer in the United States Army or Air Force or Marines; below lieutenant colonel and above captain
Major
British statesman who was prime minister from 1990 until 1997 (born in 1943)
Major
A university student who is studying a particular field as the principal subject;
She is a linguistics major
Major
The principal field of study of a student at a university;
Her major is linguistics
Major
Have as one's principal field of study;
She is majoring in linguistics
Major
Of greater importance or stature or rank;
A major artist
A major role
Major highways
Major
Greater in scope or effect;
A major contribution
A major improvement
A major break with tradition
A major misunderstanding
Major
Greater in number or size or amount;
A major portion (a majority) of the population
Ursa Major
A major portion of the winnings
Major
Of the field of academic study in which one concentrates or specializes;
His major field was mathematics
Major
Of a scale or mode;
Major scales
The key of D major
Major
Of greater seriousness or danger;
A major earthquake
A major hurricane
A major illness
Major
Of full legal age;
Major children
Major
Of the elder of two boys with the same family name;
Jones major
Common Curiosities
Is it possible to change a concentration?
Yes, students can usually change concentrations if their interests shift.
Is a concentration required within a major?
No, it's optional and provides specialized knowledge within a broader field.
When do students typically choose a concentration?
They often choose after completing foundational courses in their major.
Can I have two concentrations within a major?
Some programs allow multiple concentrations if requirements are met.
Do all universities offer concentrations?
No, some focus solely on majors and minors.
Is declaring a major mandatory for graduation?
Yes, for undergraduate degrees, a major is essential.
How do concentrations enhance a major?
They provide specialized knowledge that may improve career prospects.
Can I choose a concentration unrelated to my major?
Generally, concentrations are directly related to the major field of study.
Is it possible to double major?
Yes, though it requires completing the requirements for both majors.
How many majors can students pursue simultaneously?
Some institutions allow more than one, but typically, students pursue one primary major.
Can I pursue a minor instead of a concentration?
Yes, a minor is another option for supplementing a major with additional skills.
Do concentrations affect job opportunities?
Specialization can make candidates more appealing in specific sectors.
Are concentrations available in graduate programs?
Yes, many master's and doctoral programs offer specialized tracks.
Does a concentration require additional coursework?
Often yes, requiring specific electives or projects to fulfill its criteria.
Can I choose a major outside of my interests?
It's possible but recommended to align with personal or career goals.
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Written by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
Co-written by
Urooj ArifUrooj is a skilled content writer at Ask Difference, known for her exceptional ability to simplify complex topics into engaging and informative content. With a passion for research and a flair for clear, concise writing, she consistently delivers articles that resonate with our diverse audience.
