October 14, 2026 by

 

As a professional writing and information design (PWID) student, I am a part of one of the smaller majors on campus. When my freshman year began, I wondered if I would feel out of place in campus academics because my major-specific classes had fewer students.  

I would talk to friends in huge majors like nursing or Bible and wonder if it would be strange that the classes in my major were so small. But throughout my freshman year, being in a small major became one of my favorite things about my Cedarville experience.  

Here are four things that make a small major special. 

Getting To Know Your Professors 

Being part of a smaller major allows students to get to know their professors in a unique way. Because our primary professors teach almost all of our major-specific classes, small majors have a built-in system for connection.  

As you begin to take more major-specific classes, you see your professors so often that you can get to know them and their personalities well. Outside of classes, my professors will stop and talk to me whenever they see me around campus. 

The small class sizes also mean the professors have more time to concentrate on their individual students’ career paths. My professors are personally invested in our goals after graduation and eager to find specific ways to help us get there. 

Image of students and professors in auditorium.

Making People Aware of Your Field 

Another aspect that I’ve grown to love about being in a smaller major is the opportunity to explain what my major involves to other people. This gives me the chance to talk about what I love to do! 

Sometimes people have no idea that the PWID major exists, and even after I tell them, they don’t know what “professional writing and information design” means.  

At first, this was a little frustrating! However, as I became more involved in the writing world, I learned to not only tolerate these questions but to welcome them.  

When people ask me about my major, it gives me an excuse to talk about writing — one of my favorite things in the world! 

Now when people ask what I want to do with my major, it gives me an opportunity to remind myself of why I chose to go into the field that I am in.  

Enjoying Smaller Class Sizes 

One of my other favorite parts about being in a small major is how personal our classes feel. As someone who can be pretty quiet around people that I don’t know well, it can take a lot of effort for me to speak up in large gen-ed classes, like Old Testament Literature or Politics and American Culture.  

However, in my PWID classes, I feel much more comfortable answering questions and contributing to discussions because the class is made up of a smaller group of people.  

The smaller class sizes also allow the professors to get to know each of our strengths and weaknesses a lot better because they are able to see us participate in class a lot more than they would in larger classes. This allows them to tailor the class to better fit each student’s needs. 

In a small, major-specific class, I most likely already know all my classmates. This leads to my next reason for loving a small major! 

Building Strong Community 

Some of my closest friends at Cedarville are people I met through my major. Taking so many of the same classes together can form a special bond between classmates. Even outside of our PWID classes, several of us have had gen-eds together.  

The Society of Professional Writing organization for all PWID students provides us with fun events throughout the year. While some of these events are academic, we also have annual Halloween and Christmas parties.

Because so many of the people in my major spend time together outside of classes, there are also often several unofficial events. Last year, we had a few movie nights and went to the Cincinnati Zoo’s Christmas light show.  

One of my favorite parts about my major is that even if I’m not best friends with everyone, I still know every PWID student by name. Because my major is so small, I am able to remember who everyone in the major is and even a little bit about them! 

Image of college students clustered around a table at a restaurant.

Bonus: Valuing the Place God Put Me in 

While I first wondered if I would enjoy being part of a smaller major, the Lord has used this experience to bless me in so many ways! Being a PWID major has provided me with opportunities for academic growth, a chance to share more about my field with others, and strong friendships.  

You may be wondering if a smaller major is right for you. Just know that the Lord will guide your steps, and He will use wherever you are to make you more like Him! 

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