Hi,
For my own sake I was wondering if I could go to college multiple times? It’s just a personal goal of mine to get several degrees and get knowledge from various field, totally off-career related. But I was wondering if that was possible?
If so, my first degree which I’m currently pursuing is a BBA, and then I’d like to get an MBA. If I wanted another degree say in Physics, Engineering, Philosophy, Math various sciences and so on, can I go directly to a masters degree or do I have to get a bachelors degree in those fields before that?
Thanks
BBA==>MBA makes sense. But engineering and other undergrad degrees are fine for getting before an MBA as well. For instance I know an undergrad BS EE who has an MBA and runs a technical company. To get a grad degree you often need the equivalent of the upper division core classes in the degree as an undergraduate. Some programs have ‘boot camps’ to fill in prerequisites before you begin MS work though, for people from other fields. Unless you have a good dose of physics and math, some of those won’t be feasible. Also there is no funding available for 2nd undergrad degrees. Unless you need another degree it is best to be a life long learner just for fun. It is not common to find people with such multiples except on TV because it doesn’t always make any sense.
One issue is that once you have your BBA, you no longer qualify for financial aid. So, potentially, you’d have to take classes year-round, double-major, and hold off on 2 classes needed to graduate so that you can graduate in 6 years.
BBA to engineering is basically impossible though, you can ask if you can take as many engineering classes as you can and leave the two BBA requirements till the end, see how many classes you can fit in, then apply for a Master’s in engineering with the engineering classes you took. Same thing for the other subjects. You can try to triple-major in 6 years I guess if you don’t include engineering but include CS, philosophy, etc.
It’s a rather odd question. Studying more than one subject is one thing. Getting multiple degrees is quite another. Going to college multiple times is something entirely different, in terms of cost and time.
There are lots of schools at which you can study multiple subjects. A double major, a minor, or a certificate are common options. Joint degree programs are rarer, but some exist, though they are usually specific and exclusive. There are also some coterminal programs where you can work towards a master’s degree at the same time.
Usually the purpose of getting an education is to acquire the necessary skills and mental preparation to go out into the world and put those abilities to use, directly or indirectly. Undergraduate education usually combines elements of general development and specific focus, whereas graduate education tends to develop specific skill sets. Going back and applying to a different school altogether at the undergraduate level would be time-consuming, expensive, and rather eccentric. There are probably better uses of your time and resources.
A love of learning is a great thing, but learning doesn’t stop when you graduate college. It’s a life-long process. I’d ask what the purpose of getting additional degrees is - is it just a way of satisfying your own curiosity and yearning, or does it relate to a specific goal or plan?
Well, I was thinking of doing my BBA, then getting work experience for an MBA done, then enlisting in the navy and after a few years of service, taking the post G.I bills advantage and just continue to learn different things and obtain certifications/degrees in various fields. I’m not trying to list money as a factor here but was just wondering if it even is possible to get degrees in other subjects without having to do a bachelors in them first? For say a degree in math, can I just skip to a masters in Math or do I have to take a bachelors in it, generally?
In addition, my recruiter was filling me in on how he’s pursuing a degree in college in his time in the navy and I have other friends doing it as well. So if it does boil down to that situation, I’d like to know in advance.
Thanks for the great replies everyone!
This also may be a silly question, but say if you’re getting an online degree from George Washington University, which is a good school. When receiving the degree will it differ from a traditional degree, in the sense of it’s value, and so? When getting into a Masters Program, the online degree holds value, right? And to get an online degree from GWU, I’d still have to be accepted into the program, correct? Since GWU is selective.
Since, an online degree sounds more do-able in the military, that may be a good option.
Sorry for all these silly questions, I’m sort of all over the place in trying to figure out my future.
Thanks!
Your best bet is to do double major.
What is more common is to get an undergraduate degree (possibly with a double major) and then get several graduate degrees. (Spouse has 3 masters, two obtained concurrently in complimentary fields).
And online degrees are generally not as valued as those done in place.
Try to double major, see if you can add a minor. Aim for getting done in 6 years tops (some students who come in with many AP/DE credits can do that in 4 years).
No, you can’t get into a Master’s in Math with a BBA. It’s fairly hard to get into these programs and you need to have a strong Math major (ie., more than what the major requires) to have a good shot at a master’s in Math.
Studying while in the military means taking 1 class per semester, not being full time…
Thanks guys for clearing this up everyone! I can’t double major anymore as I’d have to wait two additional years to graduate. Also, if I was acquiring, say a second Bachelors degree. Would I have to resend my SATs for the second bachelors degree or do the requirements change once you get your first degree?