What are the advantages of doing a double degree? (1 Viewer)

[Marc26]

Hey guys,
I've heard recently from a teacher at my school that completing two degrees at the same time
is rather pointless and completing the second degree can be done, I guess, when you have a job
and are looking to be promoted or go for a better job..

Is this the case?
Since I've been looking at combined degrees in economics/law/commerce/business.

Let me know of your thoughts

 

[deswa1]

Often double degrees take a shorter amount of time to complete than the two degrees seperately. Also, once you have a job, its often very hard to take the time to go back to uni. In my opinion, it makes sense to do all you uni stuff early on. Plus, you said you were looking at law. You'll find that at most of the 'major' unis, you have to combine law with something else like commerce or economics; you can't do it by itself.

 

[Riproot]

1. Law by itself is pointless.
2. Double degree gives you two degrees in a shorter time.
3. Get employment from jobs needing one of the degrees or both; gives you more employment options.
4. If they compliment each other a lot you can have subjects that have a lot of overlapping material, making it easier.
5. Once you get a job you won't want to go back for a degree, and if you do it'll be a one year masters which won't give you that much knowledge, or you'll do it whilst working which will be challenging, or you'll have to drop out and do it.

Yay!

 

[x3Reii]

Ehh, I always believed it's better to complete one degree and achieving credits or honours in it is better than having a regular double degree. But I do see the attraction of a double degree - keep in mind that there is more work and hours involved in a double degree though.

 

[theholy1]

yeah do both honours and a double degree haha

 

[1to1 Tutor]

Hello,
I'm not quite sure about double degree, but i think doing a minor is not bad, and much easier. you don't have to do extra, just choose related courses to fulfill and declare that you want to classify them under requirements under minor.
Thank you!

 

[SandMulls]

Getting a double degree can be advantageous if you're up to it. I'm inclined to agree that it does give you more employment opportunities. However, just be sure that you're up to the challenge. It's not a walk in the park. You see, you would need to divide your focus between two, although similar, but entirely different academic discipline. It's more like a shotgun approach where shotgun pellets fly out in all directions once it gets out of the barrel. If you think you can handle it, then go for it. But if you believe that it would be difficult for you to focus on two academic disciplines at the same time, then go for the pistol approach - a predefined single goal with a set of plans on how to achieve that goal.

 

[Riproot]

yeah do both honours and a double degree haha

yep.

If I end up completing my current degree I will get honours in both engg and science.

 

[izzy88]

keep in mind that there is more work and hours involved in a double degree though.

Generally a double degree doesn't involve any more work or hours then a single degree. You still do four subjects a semester, it just takes a longer period of time to do both degrees (eg. 5 years instead of 3).

The only point at which you can argue its more difficult is that you have to get your head around two different areas in the same semester (eg. two science subjects and two arts subjects), but you could argue the same by just doing two very different majors in arts (eg. a language and a history).

yeah do both honours and a double degree haha

I'll hopefully be graduating my double degree with honours in both, but only one (arts) required an extra year. My other degree has honours awarded based on wam over subjects, so I don't need to add an extra year on to get it! (luckily). So it turned a five year degree into 6 - which isn't that bad.

 

[Memento-mori]

A double degree gives your university degree a larger scope and edge. People have already mentioned points such as increased employability, etc but by doing a double degree, you can incorporate alot of your interests a bit more than just electives. It avoids the feeling that you are being ''trapped down'' into a single degree. Say if you decided to major in French from a B.A and do another major in Psychology from science. That instantly increases oppurtunities. I think the extra couple of years would definately be worth it.