For example, you could major in anthropology and literature to head towards a Bachelor of Arts. Similarly, a triple major can either mean three subjects towards one degree or three different subjects towards three different majors. Triple majoring, although hard to achieve, is actually doable.
I asked a friend at UC Berkeley, who is majoring in Economics, Political Science, and French, with a minor in German, about his triple major experience. So, how many units does he need to take to graduate? In addition, he has a minor in German, which requires 10 courses to declare. Additionally, not many people come into college with the intention to triple major, or at least knowing what three majors they want to study. My friend took discovery classes in his freshman year to finalize what he wanted to study.
As a result, he only had 3 years to complete all his requirements. Instead of 21, he has to take a whopping 28 units per semester in order to graduate on time, in addition to staying at Berkeley for summer classes every year. My friend even studied abroad his fall semester sophomore year — in the lively, romantic city of Paris, he took 22 units of class! As you can see, studying abroad is not always the fun experience that you hear about if you decide to triple major, that is.
Lastly, the process of declaring triple majors is also very complicated. At Berkeley, you have to get consent from each major department to allow you to major in the three subjects, plan out each semester with the specific classes you going to take, and get everything signed by your college advisor. All in all, triple majoring in college can be quite difficult and has plenty of obstacles.
But just be aware that the road will not be easy. Finally, it's worth noting that some students are able to triple major —meaning they get to study three fields at the same time and still earn just one degree! We can help. PrepScholar Admissions is the world's best admissions consulting service.
We combine world-class admissions counselors with our data-driven, proprietary admissions strategies. We've overseen thousands of students get into their top choice schools , from state colleges to the Ivy League.
We know what kinds of students colleges want to admit. We want to get you admitted to your dream schools. Learn more about PrepScholar Admissions to maximize your chance of getting in. So far, we've given you the basic difference between a dual degree and a double major as well as in-depth definitions of both academic paths.
Now, we'll take a look at some of the key similarities between the two. Both a dual degree and a double major allow students to study more than one academic field at the same time. As a result, you'll get the advantage of being able to broaden your horizons and expand your knowledge in different subject areas.
This can lead to more effective analytical skills, too, which can be applied to careers and other professional endeavors. According to one study, double majors tend to be more dynamic, creative thinkers than single majors, indicating that there are many intellectual advantages to studying two fields at once. Getting a double major or dual degree can also prevent you from feeling limited or constricted to a single academic discipline.
For example, if you love learning Spanish but aren't sure whether a language major alone will help you get a job after college, you could combine it—via either a dual degree or double major—with another field that's more job-oriented and that offers you the opportunity to learn a different skill set. Perhaps the biggest benefit of studying two fields, either as a double major or dual degree, is that you're acquiring two individual sets of skills and knowledge.
This intellectual diversity can have a positive effect on your future career prospects. Basically, your experience with studying two academic disciplines will allow you to explore a bigger array of possible careers.
With these two fields under your belt, you could enter a career related to music or business or a career combining both! Since you have many of the fundamental skills required or preferred for a job in either of these two fields, we could say your dual degree has, in fact, diversified your career possibilities.
The same can be said for a double major. Say you double majored in chemistry and English. With these majors, you'll learn plenty of useful skills, from critical thinking to observation and analysis, that you can apply to several occupations. For example, you could be a professional writer or work with a company that sells scientific equipment. You could even combine your majors in a more specialized career; for instance, you could become an editor of a science journal.
Overall, both a dual degree and double major allow you to not just learn about two fields but also gain a set of broader skills that can be applied to far more careers than had you simply studied one field.
For example, dual degree students in the College of Engineering at the University of Michigan may request to have a class for one degree "double-count" toward their other degree by submitting a Dual Degree Course Election Form. At Northwestern , double majors can double-count a limited number of courses toward both their majors if they're majoring in an interdisciplinary field, such as Asian Studies or Neuroscience.
We know that a dual degree gets you two separate degrees, whereas a double major gets you just one degree with two concentrations. But what are some other major differences between the two?
Unfortunately, knowledge isn't the only thing to rise when you opt for a dual degree. Since you're earning two degrees, each with its own unique academic requirements, a dual degree program requires more coursework than a double major does. This means you'll generally be in school longer—often five or more years depending on the program and types of degrees you're getting. By contrast, with a double major, you can usually finish college within the regular four-year time frame though some people might take longer, especially if they didn't declare their second major until very late into their college career.
At Indiana University of Pennsylvania , for example, you must earn credits for a double major and credits for a dual degree. Due to this extra time spent in school, a dual degree typically costs more money overall than a double major does You'll need to pay more for tuition since you're taking more credits in total; you'll also need to pay more for things like housing, textbooks, and meals since you'll be staying in school longer.
Because a dual degree means you'll be pursuing two degrees from two different schools, you'll usually need to apply to and get accepted to both schools. By when you must apply to each school depends on the university.
At Boston University , you must complete one full semester before you can apply to the dual degree program, and you can't apply any later than the first semester of your junior year. At Columbia , applicants to the Law School may apply for a dual degree either when they initially apply for admission to the Law School in other words, before they start college or when they're already enrolled at the Law School.
Double majors are different, though. Since most students who double major study fields housed in the same school, they won't need to apply for admission to a separate school. In general, the process for declaring a double major is a lot simpler than that for entering a dual degree program. For a double major, all you typically need to do is consult your advisor to figure out how many credits you need, which classes you'll take, and whether you'll have enough time in your schedule to pursue both majors without issue.
If you're reading this article, you're likely considering studying more than one field in college. So while the General Education Requirements and the engineering core courses can count toward both majors, the specific, additional criteria for each major has to be completed independently. Double majors are approved through the same office by submitting the Major-Minor and Multiple Major Course Approval form. As a school, Stanford is very picky about letting students double major.
They are committed to helping students graduate in four years regardless of how many majors a student wants to tackle. We've got some great tips for how to fast-track your double major. One of the most frequently asked questions is can you double major in four years. The answer is absolutely, but it takes some planning and a lot of hard work!
Here are four ways you can make sure that you finish your double major in four years. Here are a few ways that you can maximize your time now to save you time later. Some high schools allow students to enroll concurrently in a local college to earn freshman course credit for basic classes like composition or math. Enrolling in a program like this can help you earn transferable college credit that counts toward your university core! Not only are these classes designed to prepare you for the college workload, they also give you the opportunity to test out--and sometimes even earn credit!
Many universities offer exams like the CLEP test that you take the summer before your freshman year.
Depending on your score, you can be exempted from or earn credit for certain college courses. The availability of these tests varies from school to school, so be sure to check with your university to see which ones they offer. Here are three tips for building a road map for your double major.
Planning your courses out early is key to maximizing your time and effort. Meet with your advisor and departmental advisors to build a plan of action. Once you have your road map, stick to it! If you have any issues--like overlapping class times--be sure to meet with an advisor.
But working your plan is a key component to managing your workload while graduating on time. And hey, lots of students find that a four-year plan makes things less stressful since they know exactly what to take every semester! If your university allows for double dipping, take advantage of it at every possible moment.
Take a look at the course catalog and departmental websites to figure out which classes, if any, can count toward both majors. In order to double major, you first have to choose which two majors you want to study. Here are three tactics that can help you narrow down your choices. One way to pick a double major is coupling one of your passions--which might not have many career options--with a professional field.
A double major is a perfect choice for you since it lets you study your passion vocal performance while coupling it with a major that will help you in your future profession business finance. Like we mentioned earlier, there are some career paths that require very specialized knowledge. A double major is a good way to study both fields while earning a degree that sets you apart in a competitive job market!
A good example of this is someone who wants to be a museum curator. There are some majors that naturally fit with one another, so much so that many of the courses overlap. T hese are natural fits for a double major, since a student will often take classes that count toward both degrees regardless of whether they actually plan to double major or not! This usually happens with related fields, like English and journalism, or international relations and foreign language.
In some cases, students can find themselves just a few classes shy of double majoring with little extra effort. Be sure to check your departmental website to see if there are complementary majors that you can take advantage of.
This might seem scary when you first get to college, but remember: your advisors are people who are passionate about helping you chase your dreams. Here are some of the ways your advisors can help you on your path to double majoring:. At some schools, your advisors have to sign off on your double major before you can start working on it.
This is to make sure students are in the best possible position to succeed! They will be able to help you pick classes, balance your schedule, and declare your major. Classes can fill up fast! If your advisor knows you, they can work to make sure you get into the classes you need to finish on time. We can help. PrepScholar Admissions is the world's best admissions consulting service. We combine world-class admissions counselors with our data-driven, proprietary admissions strategies. We've overseen thousands of students get into their top choice schools , from state colleges to the Ivy League.
We know what kinds of students colleges want to admit. We want to get you admitted to your dream schools. Learn more about PrepScholar Admissions to maximize your chance of getting in.
As a content writer for PrepScholar, Ashley is passionate about giving college-bound students the in-depth information they need to get into the school of their dreams. Our new student and parent forum, at ExpertHub.
See how other students and parents are navigating high school, college, and the college admissions process.
0コメント