Double Major vs. Dual Degree

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I would ask about completion requirements. For example, in the dual programs I have looked into, you don't get ANYTHING until both are completed- in other words, there is no safety net should you not go the distance. If one vs the other allowed an exit strategy- that might be the one I'd go for, but I only say that because I don't know your career goals.

 

Is one choice a higher cost than the other?
I suggest going with the lower cost option and putting any cost difference towards a masters degree.

 

Personally I would take two degrees if one was a BS and one a BA - just because I think it would look better on a resume or business card. I'm slowly plodding toward a BA at TESC to supplement my BS.

But maybe separate degrees are wanted by some non-USA students. For example my daughter is working in the UK and her job requires a BA or BA on psychology and she is 2/3 of the way through this one:
Psychology BA & BSc (Hons)
Note that the entire degree is just psychology - nothing else - this is typical for many UK degrees.

 

That is interesting, Ian! Why did you choose to go with a second bachelors rather than a masters? Just curious. I would never have thought of going back for another bachelors.

 

I thought that same thing until recently when I figured out times it could be useful. For example, pretend you have a BS and MA in Geology and decide you need more knowledge about Chemistry because of something you are doing in your field. If you go for an MA in Chemistry, it might be overkill and most programs would require a strong undergraduate base in the subject. By picking up a second BS degree instead, you can get the knowledge you need without having to do an entire graduate program.

 

I am one of those individuals whom opt for the dual degree BA Political Science BA History. To be honest I thought it look good to say I had earn two college degrees and a Commisson in the US Army. In all honest it was nothing more than vanity. I rarely mention any of my undergraduate degrees, since earning my MPA and working toward my PHD. Everything I have done academically I could have done with either just my BA in Pol Science.

Just my two cents

 

Because I am taking courses offered in my area by UC Riverside in natural sciences and they happen to be for credit (I would take these courses regardless of credit) so when I accrue 12 units I get a cert from UC and when I accrue 30 units I can get a BA from TESC. I am not pursuing for any professional purpose but just to understand the natural history of Southern California.

 

The way it was explained to me (how UF did it), was if your two degrees were the same type (e.g. both BAs or both BSs) then that was a double major. If they were different types (one BA, the other BS), then that was a dual degree.

 

But wouldn't the person still have 2 degrees? 2 BAs or 2 BSs. That's still 2 complete degrees, regardless of whether its called a "double major" or a "dual degree", right? So honestly, is there really a difference? To me it seems like 2 degrees is 2 degrees. And at ASU, you can use your electives to fulfill the requirements for your 2nd major, and it doesn't cost any additional time or money. You just have to be approved to do it from both departments.

 

Recommendation is the same as others...whichever costs less. College degrees ROI is very important.

 

I agree - if cost is an issue go with the cheaper route. If you plan to get a masters degree there really wouldn't matter at all as long as you meet the prerequisites for a masters degree you are interested in.

 

Since this thread was resurrected today I might add that I have shelved the second bachelor degree idea. I prefer to spend the money on bikes.

 

What I'm thinking is that it might be ideal for someone to get a duel in two separate for two reasons:

1). If someone's goal was to get a master in music therapy, some programs require them to have an undergrad in music and psychology. The duel may work find for this (I'm not sure, I'm estimating it should).

2). If a person was interested to build a duel degree on two subjects to closely resemble an undergrad field that is not normally pursued at the undergrad level. For example in I/O psychology, a duel degree in business and psychology may work nicely as an alternative at the undergrad level (since there are not many I/O undergrad degrees around).

This is just my opinion...

 

Different schools have different policies, but yes, there can be meaningful differences between a "double major" and a "dual degree".

For example, let's say you were interested in both biology (which is a BS program) and history (which is a BA program). Obviously you would need to take a lot of biology and history courses, which are specific to those majors. But in addition, let's say that your school has a general requirement that all BS degrees (regardless of major) require math through calculus. And let's say that all BA degrees (regardless of major) require proficiency in a foreign language.

Suppose you fulfill all of the requirements for the BS in biology, including the calculus. Let's also say that you take all the history courses required for a BA in history. But you hate foreign languages, and can't fit them into your schedule anyway, so you don't study them at all.

In this situation, some schools would award a BS degree with a double-major in biology and history. This is because (1) you met the general requirements for the BS, (2) you met the major requirements in biology, and (3) you met the major requirements in history. So you get one degree with two majors.

But this would be different from getting dual degrees: a BS in biology and a BA in history. You wouldn't qualify for the dual degree, because (4) you failed to meet the general requirements for the BA. You would have to study a language to qualify for dual degrees. Without that, you qualify for a second major, but not a second degree.

Not all schools do it this way, but some do.

 

Ah. Ok, I see the difference now. I always wondered what the differences were. Thanks for clearing that up!

 

Dual Degree at The Evergreen State College

Hello, I will be in my Senior year in the Fall of 2013. I am nearing completion of my BA and have decided to pursue a dual degree BA/BS, which will tack on another year until I graduate. If I decided to graduate with my BA and then come back for my BS the Pell grant would no longer be available to me.

Evergreen requires 225 credits to complete a dual BA/BS degree, 72 of which must be math, science, or computer science, and 48 of those 72 have to be upper division. I have earned many upper division credits throughout the last few years of college with my statistics class and other science courses.

I debated for the last year whether I would go this route...but I feel for me it is a right choice and being that Evergreen is a liberal arts college where there are no majors, only areas of emphasis (mine are law and anthropology), and no required courses, grades or g.p.a. So I decided that a dual degree would not only look better on my college transcripts (which we do have--these are faculty and self evaluations, and a self-written academic statement formulated during your undergraduate studies) but also better on my resume.