<p>I intend to minor in math at UCLA while I pursue a degree in chemistry, after which I would like to continue on to graduate school. However, I would like to take analysis and differential geometry (which won't fit into my two year schedule) which would pretty much land me with a mathematics degree. Would I be allowed to do this as a graduate student or would I have to petition for a double major and stay a little longer and put off graduate school?</p>
<p>As long as you pay for the extra credits, most universities would be happy to let you take extra classes outside of your degree program. However, you may find that Master’s programs can be very intense and you may not be inclined to add more classes to your schedule at that point. (Especially conceptually difficult and time-consuming classes like analysis. Most math majors struggle with it at first exposure.)</p>
<p>OP, policies vary between schools, but I see two big issues with this plan. </p>
<p>First, as b@r!um rightly notes, taking these extra courses may be difficult at best in the middle of a graduate degree, especially if you are obligated to follow the mandates of whomever is funding your studies. If you are paying your own way then this is less of an issue, but that is always something to be avoided.</p>
<p>Second, most schools have a pretty hard line on double-counting courses after graduation. While you may be able to use a few courses (perhaps), the reality is that after you graduate, getting that second bachelors is likely going to require another 4-ish years of study, all done without the financial aid made available to initial degree attempts. I know several people who delayed graduation expressly for this reason - to complete the double major before it had to become a second separate degree.</p>
<p>So I would strongly recommend either getting in the credits early and making it a double major, or being satisfied with the minor. I would not recommend delaying graduation for this, especially if you aim for grad school - the additional value of the second major (assuming you want to be a chemist and not a mathematician) is minimal, and the cost and inconvenience factors can be high. Remember that grad programs nearly always require that you start in the fall, so delaying by one semester is the same as delaying for a year and will require that you find occupation or employment for 6-8 months. Try to delay only if there is a legitimate year’s-worth of academic work to do. Try instead to get in those extra courses over the summer if this is really important to you.</p>
<p>Okay. Thank you both very much.</p>