Hi CC,
Just hypothetically speaking, it is possible to pursue another bachelor’s degree after graduating from undergrad? Could a person use the gen ed prerequisites from their first degree towards their second degree, and maybe other classes that satisfy other requirements? Has anybody else done this?
It is indeed possible to get a second bachelor’s degree after finishing the first one. Most colleges/universities that allow that will accept most or all of your gen-eds from your previous degree, and you typically only have to complete the major requirements and maybe a few other classes. Generally speaking it takes about 1.5 to 2 years to do this.
There are several caveats to this, though. First of all, many colleges don’t actually allow you to do a second bachelor’s. Some allow you to do it only in certain fields (nursing, for example).
But secondly, a second bachelor’s may not actually be all that useful. IN most fields, it’s far better to go get a master’s or a certificate in the other field. There are three major fields that I can think of where it might be useful to get a second bachelor’s: engineering (where the degree is really required for the jobs in the area, and getting into a master’s program without an undergrad background in the field is difficult to impossible); accounting (ditto), and nursing (ditto again, with the additional burden that getting licensed requires a degree n the field and you can’t work without the license).
There may be some more - mostly very narrow professional degree programs where you need licensure or highly specialized training to work, and in which master’s programs are either not widely available or difficult to get into without a major in the undergrad field (maybe like dental hygiene? or clinical/medical laboratory science?).
@juillet sort of said first what I was going to say: I have seen multiple cases where a student got a Bachelor’s in one field, then got a Master’s in a field that was closely related or in which the student had either minored or at least taken classes as an undergrad. Thus while a second Bachelor’s is definitely possible, you should also consider getting a Master’s instead.
Also, there are some parts of the world where it is perfectly normal for a student to get a Bachelor’s in one area, then another Bachelor’s in teaching, and then teach whatever subject their first degree was in.
I agree with pursuing a masters instead, if at all possible.
I am going through the same situation.