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Author Topic: Double Degrees - Thoughts??  (Read 5530 times)  Share 

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hums_student

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Double Degrees - Thoughts??
« on: August 01, 2018, 11:23:32 pm »
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Hi guys, I'm currently in year 12, and with VTAC Applications approaching soon I'm currently considering what to put as my preferences. My top choice is BA at Melbourne however I'm also quite drawn to the idea of pursuing a double degree at Monash, as it would probably offer me more employment opportunities after finishing uni. I only know one person IRL who did a double degree (arts + commerce) at Monash, but he eventually dropped arts in his second year after finding the workload too stressful.

I've got a couple of questions - first, what is the workload like in comparison to only doing a single degree? My friend told me it was hell but I'm hoping for some more opinions :) (I'm aware it could vary between different degrees but generally what is it like?)
Also, would you say it's worth giving up electives / breadth subjects in uni in order to pursue a double degree?
Finally, would you recommend someone who's still deciding what they want to do in the future to do a double degree, or would it be better to do a single degree with a wide range of electives/breadths subjects?

Thanks in advance! And if anyone has any experience with double degrees at other unis, I'd love to hear them as well!  ;D

Btw, if anyone's wondering, I'm thinking of arts+science or arts+music at Monash.
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fantasticbeasts3

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Re: Double Degrees - Thoughts??
« Reply #1 on: August 01, 2018, 11:37:56 pm »
+7
Hi!

I don't live in Melbourne studying what you're looking at but I do a double degree :-) Answering some of your questions:

1. What's the workload like in comparison to a single degree?
Honestly, I would say it's the same. Initially, I only wanted to do International Studies and I think if I did just that my workload would be pretty similar! Whether or not you take a double degree you're still completing the same amount of credits per year (at UNSW, a full-time load is 48 units of credit). The only time you'd be having a heavier workload would be if the subjects you've selected have more contact hours.

2. Is it worth giving up electives in order to pursue a double degree?
I'm very biased on this seeing as I do a double degree, but yes, I think it's worth it. Even with a double degree, you still get electives where you can explore any other interests you have. Or, what if you don't really like anything outside your home faculty - you would probably find it hard to find electives! It depends on the person though.

3. Would I recommend someone who's still deciding what they want to do in the future to do a double degree, or would it be better to do a single degree with lots of electives?
If you're indecisive and have no clue what you want to do, maybe a single degree would be good because the electives allow you time to decide your interests and what you'd be most interested in. In saying this, there's no harm in taking a double degree because you can drop one (or both) of your degrees at any time, and you can change it at any time. Uni's a lot more flexible and you can pretty much do whatever you want!

Hope this helps!
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extremeftw

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Re: Double Degrees - Thoughts??
« Reply #2 on: August 02, 2018, 01:55:58 am »
+4
In most cases an Arts/X double degree is an easier workload than just doing a straight degree in X. This is because Arts units typically have very low contact hours and are mostly centred around assignments, whereas other faculties are usually more focused on exams. So by combining the two, you can devote more time to your Arts course during the semester and your other degree for exams.

Highly recommend double degrees if you are interested in multiple fields; the extra year is well worth it in my opinion.

Joseph41

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Re: Double Degrees - Thoughts??
« Reply #3 on: August 02, 2018, 11:42:07 am »
+4
Hi guys, I'm currently in year 12, and with VTAC Applications approaching soon I'm currently considering what to put as my preferences. My top choice is BA at Melbourne however I'm also quite drawn to the idea of pursuing a double degree at Monash, as it would probably offer me more employment opportunities after finishing uni. I only know one person IRL who did a double degree (arts + commerce) at Monash, but he eventually dropped arts in his second year after finding the workload too stressful.

I've got a couple of questions - first, what is the workload like in comparison to only doing a single degree? My friend told me it was hell but I'm hoping for some more opinions :) (I'm aware it could vary between different degrees but generally what is it like?)
Also, would you say it's worth giving up electives / breadth subjects in uni in order to pursue a double degree?
Finally, would you recommend someone who's still deciding what they want to do in the future to do a double degree, or would it be better to do a single degree with a wide range of electives/breadths subjects?

Thanks in advance! And if anyone has any experience with double degrees at other unis, I'd love to hear them as well!  ;D

Btw, if anyone's wondering, I'm thinking of arts+science or arts+music at Monash.

Howdy! Haven't yet read any of the replies above, so apologies if some of this is repetitive.

I think these are really good and important questions to be asking at the moment. In Year 12, I really had no idea what a double degree was or what it entailed. I ended up studying straight Arts and, whilst I enjoyed it very much, would really like to have another degree to my name now that I've finished.

To answer your questions/comments:

Quote
My top choice is BA at Melbourne however I'm also quite drawn to the idea of pursuing a double degree at Monash, as it would probably offer me more employment opportunities after finishing uni.

Perhaps. For example, in theory, having Arts/Education or Arts/Science is "better" than just having Arts - on paper at least. But degrees themselves won't get you that far. More Australians than ever before are studying at a tertiary level. Many markets are saturated. But you're right in that, theoretically, that's probably the case.

Quote
I only know one person IRL who did a double degree (arts + commerce) at Monash, but he eventually dropped arts in his second year after finding the workload too stressful.

Just as you should take this post with a grain of salt (as it's just one person's opinion), I'd encourage you to do the same for your friend's experience. Uni is so different for each individual - even if the circumstances seem comparable.

Quote
first, what is the workload like in comparison to only doing a single degree?

From a structural perspective (at Monash, at least), you still study four units per semester. I think that's one of the most common misconceptions about double degrees - that, on a semester-by-semester basis, you're actually studying more units. Double degrees just extend your time at uni by a little bit - they don't (necessarily) add more units within each semester.

Would Arts/Science have a bigger workload than straight Arts, though? Yeah, probably, if you're measuring workload by contact hours and the like. What would you be hoping to study in Science?

Quote
Also, would you say it's worth giving up electives / breadth subjects in uni in order to pursue a double degree?

If I could go back and do a double degree, I think I would. My electives were great, and I enjoyed a very vast range of subject matter in Arts. But I could have had, say, a Science or Education degree to my name for just one extra year of study, when they usually take three year. Seems worth it to me.

The interesting thing with Arts is that not all Arts degrees are "equal". For example, to qualify for my Bachelor of Arts, I studied more units than those who study Arts as part of a double degree.

Quote
Finally, would you recommend someone who's still deciding what they want to do in the future to do a double degree, or would it be better to do a single degree with a wide range of electives/breadths subjects?

Not a hugely qualified opinion but like, if you're doing Arts/Science, you'll still have access to a huge range of subjects.

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hums_student

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Re: Double Degrees - Thoughts??
« Reply #4 on: August 02, 2018, 09:05:05 pm »
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In most cases an Arts/X double degree is an easier workload than just doing a straight degree in X. This is because Arts units typically have very low contact hours and are mostly centred around assignments, whereas other faculties are usually more focused on exams. So by combining the two, you can devote more time to your Arts course during the semester and your other degree for exams.

Highly recommend double degrees if you are interested in multiple fields; the extra year is well worth it in my opinion.

Thanks for your advice! Just a question (cos I see in your signature that you do a double degree and a double major) what's the workload like for that? And would there still be space for electives if you do a double degree and a double major in one of them? Thanks!
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Re: Double Degrees - Thoughts??
« Reply #5 on: August 02, 2018, 09:46:24 pm »
+1
So - just to clarify, you can still do electives (just less amounts?) when doing a double degree?


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extremeftw

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Re: Double Degrees - Thoughts??
« Reply #6 on: August 03, 2018, 11:42:35 am »
+1
Thanks for your advice! Just a question (cos I see in your signature that you do a double degree and a double major) what's the workload like for that? And would there still be space for electives if you do a double degree and a double major in one of them? Thanks!

So in my Arts degree there are no room for electives as this is where I am doing a double major. My economics degree has space for 4 units of electives. Workload is very cruisy, I've never had to be at uni for more than 2 days a week to attend compulsory classes. Whether you have electives or not will depend on the structure of each degree, but in all likelihood you will have at least 24 points (4 units) of electives.

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Re: Double Degrees - Thoughts??
« Reply #7 on: August 03, 2018, 01:57:57 pm »
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Not sure if I read this right - so does doing an arts/x double degree mean I do less units that are relevant to my major? I thought it would just cut down on the number of electives.

Thanks for the reply btw!

Same number of units for your major.

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Re: Double Degrees - Thoughts??
« Reply #8 on: August 05, 2018, 10:22:04 pm »
+8
Hi guys, I'm currently in year 12, and with VTAC Applications approaching soon I'm currently considering what to put as my preferences. My top choice is BA at Melbourne however I'm also quite drawn to the idea of pursuing a double degree at Monash, as it would probably offer me more employment opportunities after finishing uni. I only know one person IRL who did a double degree (arts + commerce) at Monash, but he eventually dropped arts in his second year after finding the workload too stressful.

I've got a couple of questions - first, what is the workload like in comparison to only doing a single degree? My friend told me it was hell but I'm hoping for some more opinions :) (I'm aware it could vary between different degrees but generally what is it like?)
Also, would you say it's worth giving up electives / breadth subjects in uni in order to pursue a double degree?
Finally, would you recommend someone who's still deciding what they want to do in the future to do a double degree, or would it be better to do a single degree with a wide range of electives/breadths subjects?

Thanks in advance! And if anyone has any experience with double degrees at other unis, I'd love to hear them as well!  ;D

Btw, if anyone's wondering, I'm thinking of arts+science or arts+music at Monash.

(1) Workload: This is the #1 thing new students get confused with. In a single degree, you take 4 subjects a semester, in a double degree, you also take 4 subjects a semester. The workload is the same, you're just there for longer (4 subjects * 2 semesters a year * 3 years = 24 VS 4 subjects * 2 semesters a year * 4 years = 32 subjects).

(2) Electives: You give up electives in the sense you can't do anything from outside the two degrees you choose. If you still want to pursue a language or arts subjects, there are other options for that (diploma of languages, diploma of liberal arts - both at Monash). I would say its worth it because you get two degrees in 4 years instead of 6 years, it's a good trade.

(3) Deciding: Electives won't help you decide much more what to do in the future i think. Say you take an elective and suddenly like that field, you'll have to totally swap out of a degree and that is a big change. Keep in mind you can start and if one of the degrees isnt working out for you or not what you thought, you can always transfer it to a different one. No use going down with a sinking ship.

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hums_student

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Re: Double Degrees - Thoughts??
« Reply #9 on: August 05, 2018, 11:15:11 pm »
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(1) Workload: This is the #1 thing new students get confused with. In a single degree, you take 4 subjects a semester, in a double degree, you also take 4 subjects a semester. The workload is the same, you're just there for longer (4 subjects * 2 semesters a year * 3 years = 24 VS 4 subjects * 2 semesters a year * 4 years = 32 subjects).

(2) Electives: You give up electives in the sense you can't do anything from outside the two degrees you choose. If you still want to pursue a language or arts subjects, there are other options for that (diploma of languages, diploma of liberal arts - both at Monash). I would say its worth it because you get two degrees in 4 years instead of 6 years, it's a good trade.

(3) Deciding: Electives won't help you decide much more what to do in the future i think. Say you take an elective and suddenly like that field, you'll have to totally swap out of a degree and that is a big change. Keep in mind you can start and if one of the degrees isnt working out for you or not what you thought, you can always transfer it to a different one. No use going down with a sinking ship.

Thank you for your advice! :)
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Re: Double Degrees - Thoughts??
« Reply #10 on: August 11, 2018, 04:19:28 pm »
+1
I'm only here as I've not seen a comment against doing a double degree. Here's my two cents on this, but it's just another perspective on double degrees that I think nobody really talks about, even though I'm indifferent to both sides.

With double degrees you really need to know which areas of study you really like, and not pursue a double degree for the sake of getting a double degree. I defs see the appeal of doing a double degree though, but if you want to save your time and money, pursue something you really like and strive to do your best in it.
If you're choosing two generalist undergrad degrees then choosing degrees based on your interests should be fine. If you have a specific goal, you'd have to choose double degrees based on what your goal, and building your skills through the degrees can be an advantage.
If you want to be employable in a specific field, it's best to make sure that your degrees overlap one another enough (not completely) to maximise your chances of obtaining the job. Eg: some students do law and commerce (majoring in finance) to gain an edge in investment banking and related fields, which works well for them, but there are students who choose to go all out and do law+actuarial studies or engineering (which is a STUPID decision btw, doing both fields will slaughter your WAM harder than Stalin's gulags, and you either become a lawyer, engineer or an actuary but not both).

My best advice is to do MORE research on the areas of study you're interested in before you choose your degrees,and  talk to someone in uni or your course counsellor, it really helps. Anyways you can choose to drop one of your degree when you're in uni so it's still fine if you choose something you realise you won't like.
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