Students have so many options to choose from when it comes to academics and pursuing higher studies. With great options comes great responsibility, which can get quite confusing and overwhelming when making decisions for the future. Dual degrees are courses that award two degrees instead of one, and the advantage is that you can get these in lesser time as compared to studying two courses consecutively.
Make sure you don’t confuse dual degrees with a double major. A double major is two areas of specialization that award only one degree in the end, not two. Most people opt for dual degrees after their undergraduate degree, and although getting a dual undergraduate degree is possible, it isn’t that common.
Dual degrees are becoming more popular because they evidently take lesser time to earn as compared to obtaining each degree individually. Also, it is important to note that in terms of pursuing a career, employers look at hiring people that add value to their organization, so is having two degrees better? The answer varies from field to field. For example, as a full-time student, getting an MBA usually takes two years, and a Master of Science in engineering would take an additional year or two. However, a joint MBA and MS Engineering degree might only take two years instead of three or four. This is because most of the required courses overlap, which helps the student make faster progress through the program, and hence, get the degree faster.
Many people opt for combining two graduate-level degrees, like a Juris Doctor (JD) and an MBA. Opting for a combination of a bachelor’s degree with a master’s degree is also very common and popular, like getting a Bachelor of Science in Nursing and a Master of Science in Nursing.
A dual degree, hence, has a lot of advantages, revolving around accelerated education, and having diverse career options. Dual degrees are a challenging task, and it shows employers your hard-working attitude so it’s beneficial during employment as well. These programs also most often save a lot of time and money for a student, considering one-time admission processes and integrated course options.
It may also serve as a disadvantage because it is a lot of work and pressure for a student to study two different areas of interest at the same time. Another point of consideration that is worth noting is that a student will not be able to shift to another university after admission, because dual degree programs are exclusive to the university’s guidelines and courses. These two things should be taken into consideration while making the decision.
So, overall, is a dual degree worth it? The pros and cons have all been listed, and in the end, it is completely at the student’s discretion. Although, with dedicated focus and passion, a dual degree is definitely worth considering. There are many students who have a clear picture of what their career should look like, and their overall path as well. Knowing the different areas of study that will help them excel in their career is a great advantage and if it is beneficial, a dual degree is a great choice.
