Two Degrees = Same Major

I know of a student that has decided to graduate from two schools. One is regionally accredited and the other is nationally accredited (DETC). They are both Associate degrees with the same major. The reason why this person decided to graduate from both of these schools is because if one doesn't recognize the national accreditation, then they will most certainly recognize the regional accreditation. What is your take on a person getting two degrees with the same major? The other reason why this person has decided to get the two degrees is because there were only a few credits required for completion. It was also indicated that the one degree required additional courses and if they could get these courses completed, they might as well get the degree. Has anyone ever experienced this before? I thought it was interesting, but at least the person has graduated from accredited schools. I just wanted to get some thoughts on this.

 

Why not get a foreign degree as well, just to cover all the bases?

 

Personally, if I were this person getting an RA degree, I wouldn’t even bother with the DETC one, unless there was some unique element of that particular program that they weren’t getting in the RA program. But at the very least, its not going to hurt them.

I personally have a lot of trouble with programs (and there are a lot of RA ones that do this) that will apply credits earned towards other degrees. This seems to happen a lot at the undergraduate level, but to me it makes little sense. Once credits are used/counted in the awarding of a degree, they should be retired. There is a local program here between the University of Maryland, Eastern Shore and Salisbury State University, where a student will do a 120 credit program in biology/marine estuary science and get 2 bachelors degrees (one from each university) for the same credits. I don’t know… seems like double dipping to me.

Cheers,
Tony Maranto

 

So if I wanted to go back and get a second BA, I should have to take Comp I, Western Civ and all the other GenEd requirements again? That doesn't make sense to me.

 

That's a good point, dcv, but I'm not saying that an individual should have to repeat completed classes (or GDRs or whatever) only that they should have the opportunity for new learning for those credits... and not be rewarded twice for a single effort. Just my two cents.

Cheers,
Tony

 

I've wondered about this myself; should a lawyer with an unaccredited J.D. seek a second J.D. from an ABA school?

Boy, it would be a LOT of additional work. I think I'd just continue to live and practice in those states where I could be licensed.

 

What if you get your JD from a non ABA school but an ABA school lets you in to do the LLM (I'm not sure how likely that is). Could you then take the bar?

 

Graduating from a DETC and RA school with the same major is probably a more common occurrance than we realize. If the person can get the two degrees, then there will likely be no disadvantage (as compared to getting a non-accredited degree). The "double dipping" syndrome is quite common at colleges and universities. Many will require those seeking a second bachelors to complete an additional 30 units of upper division major courses without repeating the 90 units of general ed/elective. Interestingly, a low percentage of people actually choose this route. This is due likely to the fact that most would rather take 30-40 units of graduate work and receive a masters, rather than another undergraduate degree.

Tony Pina
Cal State U. San Bernardino

 

Unaccredited J.D. plus ABA LL.M.

Some states yes, some no.

 

Many schools will not issue a degree at the same level in the same subject as one earned already. Others will issue a second degree at that level provided a minimum of new credit is earned (for a BA typically 30-45 hours).

I personally don't see the need for two degrees at the AA/AS level but consider -- If I had a BA in music from East Podunk State and then had an opportunity to earn another BA in music but from the likes of Juliard; would that second degree have value? Certainly! And if I were to take that route, would it make sense to have to retake any of the common knowledge basic material? Probably not.

As for "double dipping" -- is the degree recognition of completion of any 120 hours or is it recognition of completion of a specific 120 hours?

I think it is the latter. And, in that case, it matters very little when, where, or how someone has completed the specific hours -- so long as the degree requirements are met for each degree.

Very many schools offer the option of double undergrad degrees -- differing from a double major. The state school I'm attending would require only that I meet the full requirements for both and that there be a 45 hour difference between the two. They would then issue two degrees. Without that 45 hours difference (but with all requirements met) they would issue one degree with a double major.

I've noticed that many schools will not allow work on a third degree at the same level without some very convincing reason.

I can see myself earning another two degrees at the associate level -- but they are in very different content areas and are technical degrees. I can also see myself earning another BA as soon as I complete the one I'm in now. In each of those cases, I will be transferring into the programs 100% of the common "core" courses.

 

I'm hoping to do that...

More and more ABA law school are granting graduates of Cal State law schools like Oak Brook and Northwestern Cal one and a half year credit towards an ABA JD as long as that individual has passed the California bar exam. That only leaves one and a half years of school left so, if you wanted, you could use those credits to specialize. That's the beauty of the thing. It is now entirely possible to work as an attorney while in law school, so to speak. Ironic, but it makes a weird kind of sense. Why should you have to take Torts and Contracts and Real Property when you've already passed the multi-state? There's the logic. I'm hoping to do this when I graduate from Oak Brook. OBCL is cheap and gives me the same education as an ABA law school. So I will graduate from that and work as an attorney in California while attending a part-time program at an ABA law school just for that recognition. Each to their own...

Steven
_________________
I love my county,
It's my government I'm afraid of.

 

Re: I'm hoping to do that...

Wow, I thought our county commission was bad, but I'm not afraid of them.

 

Should these two degrees be listed on resume?

Since this person is going to be getting two of the same degrees with the same major. What is your feelings on putting them down on a resume? Should both be listed?

 

What programs are we talking about here? What schools?

 

I also would like to know which ABA schools will give this much credit.

I know that CalBar accredited schools will give credit for the first year of a four year program to someone who has passed the Baby Bar, but this year and a half credit at an ABA school is new to me.

 

Are you sure that an ABA school will give this much credit for passing the Bar on the strength of a CORRESPONDENCE JD as opposed to an non ABA but residence JD? I myself am aware of a non-ABA degree holder who received credit for a year and a half of full time law school but his LL.B. came from the University of Alberta and he was a Canadian solicitor. Neat guy, too.

This is really quite an exciting possibility!

 

I don't know what you guys are talking about.

I was asking what your feelings were about a person getting two of the same degrees an Associates with the same major. One being regionally accredited and the other being nationally accredited. The other question is -- should both of these degrees be listed on a resume? I don't know how ABA and all the other questions got into the mix.