Dual Degrees (1 Viewer)

[Web Addict]

Hi.

I've been looking at some dual degrees and I have a few questions. I've been searching the net, but I can't find that much information on them.

Take engineering and commerce for example. An engineering single degree is four years and a commerce single double is three years, so an engineering and commerce dual degree should be seven years. However, it actually is five and a half years. How is this possible if the workload for a single degree is the same as a dual degree? Do you learn less in a dual degree or something like that?

Also, what are the advantages of doing a dual degree? Does it increase you chances of getting a job or do people do it for interest?

When choosing a dual degree, should the two degrees be somewhat relevant to each other? For example, I don't think engineering and commerce have much relevance to each, do they?

Thank you.

 

[nerdasdasd]

Double degrees broaden your employment opportunity and fields. The workload is around the same , except if you do a single degree, you have the opportunity to do electives, but if you do a double degree you would possible do major from each degree.

 

[brent012]

Typically commerce degrees involve two majors (or electives, or sub majors etc.) but in a combined degree you just have the one major. You also miss out on electives in engineering. Both of those make up most of the time saved in the combined degrees but there are other things, like at UTS engineering combined students are exempt from statistics because we do it in an engineering subject. We are also exempt from an engineering subject which covers the basics of finance, economics and accounting.

 

[Absolutezero]

Basically, a double degree filters out most of the elective subjects, so you just focus on what's core to understanding.

When choosing a dual degree, should the two degrees be somewhat relevant to each other? For example, I don't think engineering and commerce have much relevance to each, do they?

If you're using it to get a job, then they generally would want to have some overlap. Engineering and Commerce would have heaps of overlap; things like cost-effectiveness and statistics are highly relevant to both. More esoteric combinations can broaden you up to more specific fields. e.g. Creative Arts and Science could lead you to bio-mechanical art.

 

[Web Addict]

Typically commerce degrees involve two majors (or electives, or sub majors etc.) but in a combined degree you just have the one major. You also miss out on electives in engineering. Both of those make up most of the time saved in the combined degrees but there are other things, like at UTS engineering combined students are exempt from statistics because we do it in an engineering subject. We are also exempt from an engineering subject which covers the basics of finance, economics and accounting.

Basically, a double degree filters out most of the elective subjects, so you just focus on what's core to understanding.



If you're using it to get a job, then they generally would want to have some overlap. Engineering and Commerce would have heaps of overlap; things like cost-effectiveness and statistics are highly relevant to both. More esoteric combinations can broaden you up to more specific fields. e.g. Creative Arts and Science could lead you to bio-mechanical art.

Just wondering, what exactly are electives? Are they important?

By doing a dual degree, am I disadvantaged to those doing single degrees because I'm missing out on a couple of majors and electives?

 

[brent012]

Just wondering, what exactly are electives? Are they important?

By doing a dual degree, am I disadvantaged to those doing single degrees because I'm missing out on a couple of majors and electives?

Electives mean you aren't as restricted to a course plan as you usually would be, but not all electives are completely free choice. If you select your combined degree right (i.e. something you enjoy and want to study), any free choice electives you did have in the single degree would likely go to subjects relevant to the other degree anyway.

 

[Web Addict]

Electives mean you aren't as restricted to a course plan as you usually would be, but not all electives are completely free choice. If you select your combined degree right (i.e. something you enjoy and want to study), any free choice electives you did have in the single degree would likely go to subjects relevant to the other degree anyway.

So, I'm not really disadvantaged by missing out on some majors and electives?

 

[Absolutezero]

So, I'm not really disadvantaged by missing out on some majors and electives?

No, because you're essentially getting another degree as compensation.

 

[Jinks]

Everyones already answered pretty much everything, if you can handle 5 years of study and have an interest in both commerce and engineering then a double degree is a great choice. A lot of the competitive finance jobs generally like strong maths ability from what i've been told so an engineering degree would do wonders there. At the same time i've heard that engineering firms like an applicant with maybe a management major as they might also be able to do things like project management. Just something to keep in mind.

 

[Web Addict]

Thanks for the clarification. From what I've heard, I'll probably do a dual degree.

 

[Jinks]

Thanks for the clarification. From what I've heard, I'll probably do a dual degree.

Don't think it's too hard to drop back to only one of them if things don't work out anyway!

 

[Web Addict]

Another question about dual degrees popped into my mind. Just out of curiousity, when you're doing the dual degree, do you do the two single degrees simultaneously or do you complete one degree and then do the other?

 

[Absolutezero]

Another question about dual degrees popped into my mind. Just out of curiousity, when you're doing the dual degree, do you do the two single degrees simultaneously or do you complete one degree and then do the other?

It depends on what your doing, but as a rough guide: The are simultaneous, but often weighted towards one or the other e.g. 3 subjects for one, 1 subject for the other. You'll finish one first, and then spend the last year finishing off the other.

 

[Jinks]

It depends on what your doing, but as a rough guide: The are simultaneous, but often weighted towards one or the other e.g. 3 subjects for one, 1 subject for the other. You'll finish one first, and then spend the last year finishing off the other.

this ^

 

[Web Addict]

It depends on what your doing, but as a rough guide: The are simultaneous, but often weighted towards one or the other e.g. 3 subjects for one, 1 subject for the other. You'll finish one first, and then spend the last year finishing off the other.

That's interesting. Do you do both degrees, say in the same week, with some lessons/days devoted to one degree and some to the other?

 

[Absolutezero]

That's interesting. Do you do both degrees, say in the same week, with some lessons/days devoted to one degree and some to the other?

It's just the same as any other weekly schedule, except one of your classes is from another faculty. There's no designated different time/day/week to your other degree. It's just however the subjects fit together.

 

[brent012]

It ends up however your timetable is scheduled which depends on your subject selection. Every given subject will have students at different stages of many different courses so they can't design it to be like that.

Also, for the most part, at uni you arent obliged to follow the course plan they suggest.

 

[Crobat]

Sorry to barge in with another question, but it's something that occurred to me the other day.

When you're doing a double degree, if you finish one side of the degree before the other (with say a year apart), do you attend two graduations, one before the other accordingly? And if not, are you able to say you have completed the degree you have already finished if you aren't technically a graduate?

 

[D94]

Sorry to barge in with another question, but it's something that occurred to me the other day.

When you're doing a double degree, if you finish one side of the degree before the other (with say a year apart), do you attend two graduations, one before the other accordingly? And if not, are you able to say you have completed the degree you have already finished if you aren't technically a graduate?

For the dual award degrees at UNSW, you are awarded 2 testamurs, so in your scenario, you will attend 2 graduations. You will be a graduate of one of your degrees.

 

[Absolutezero]

For the dual award degrees at UNSW, you are awarded 2 testamurs, so in your scenario, you will attend 2 graduations. You will be a graduate of one of your degrees.

This isn't true of every uni though. UOW, for instances, doesn't let you graduate either until you've finished both. And when you do, it's just the one ceremony.

As for whether you've 'completed' it; you can say it if you want. I know others have in the past for degrees that are finished by not yet graduated.