I was unsure where it would be most appropriate to write this, but what EXACTLY is a double major. Currently, I am trying to double major in Biochemistry and Public Health. Public Health is my first major. Both are Bachelor’s of Science. When I graduate, would it be "Bachelor’s of Science in Public Health and Biochemistry? And with dual degree, I would get a Bachelor’s of Science in Biochemistry and a Bachelor’s of Science in Public Health Correct? I have been told that you only get a dual degree if the second major isn’t the same as your first, meaning if my first was a BS and I wanted, say a major that was only in BA, I would have to do a dual degree. Also, for double majoring, does it matter which major comes first? Like will employers see it any different or anything like that?
Can anyone tell me the difference if I didn’t explain it correctly and if there are really in true pros and cons to both?
I don’t want to double major to have an ego or “to look good for employers” or anything like that. I just really like both subjects and I feel like they compliment each other very well.
Im sorry in advanced for posting in the wrong section but I don’t know where else to post it. I also feel people who are active in this section are very well informed.
You need to ask how your own university handles this. At some universities the BS in Biochem and BS in Public Health would be dual degrees, at other places they would be double majors.
In either case, how you list them on a job application will be up to you.
Dual degree means you physically get two diplomas. This means that your majors are under different degree plans. You could say, get a BS in Biology and a BA in history for example and you’d receive both degrees (diplomas) when you graduate.
Double major is one degree, but with two majors. You get one diploma when you graduate. For example, I’m getting a BS with majors in Computer Science and Math. At my university, only your primary major is listed on your diploma (in my case CS), but both are reflected on your transcript. It doesn’t matter which is your primary to employers, however, because they won’t ask to see your diploma, they’ll look at your transcript.
Since you want to do Biochem and public health, and they’re both BS majors, you’d be doing a double major, not a dual degree (they’re both the same degree type, so they’re combined as one degree).
@guineagirl96 - I think that it depends on the school. At one of the schools that my daughter is considering, she was told that a for a double major, two senior theses are necessary; for a dual major, you can do a single thesis that combines the subjects.
My kiddo did the double major…not the dual degree. The duel degree would have required additional,coursework, and at least on additional semester of study.
She got a bachelors degree in bioengineering and biology.
I was told by my advisors that I would simply have a “Bachelors of Science” when I graduate, and my field of study(s) would be below. So in my case, it would say “Bachelor’s of Science in Biochemistry and Public Health”. There would be no differentiation. She also told me how I put it on my resume is up to me, and all that people will know is that I simply got a bachelor’s of science and studied biochemistry and public health. I asked about pros and cons and they said it honestly does not matter unless I was planning to major in something else that was not a BS, such as a BA or BBA. So in that case, I would HAVE to dual degree. But yes, I do believe it is dependent on the university. I do know that in Biochemistry and Biophysics department at my university though, that they try to get kids to dual degree in Biochemistry and genetics because its only like 4 classes different.
A double major from what I understand is just requiring the MAJOR COURSEWORK and sometimes SUPPORTING COURSEWORK. But that all depends on that major you want to double major in.
Thank you everyone for your input. Very informative.
It honestly makes more sense to just get a single major and then a master’s in the other field. There is no point in having more than 1 undergrad degree and no real advantage to a double major.
One common reason for someone to do a dual degree program is that one of those degrees is in engineering, which typically has a pretty tightly prescribed curriculum, leaving little time for a lot of non-engineering courses. Most of these dual degree programs are 5 year programs because it’s not simply about course selection, but also about quantity of classes. A friend was a Chem E. and got a B.A. in political science. Sometimes the two degrees might be related (civil engineering and urban development ) and make a graduate more employable, or it could be to sate an intellectual appetite.
@garyphan3 regarding double majors vs. second degrees taken simultaneously or sequentially, you should read your school’s undergraduate catalog (hosted on the website of the registrar’s office of your school) that discuss the requirements of second majors and second (dual) degrees. There is a difference. Second degrees taken simultaneously usually require completing a minimum of 150 credit hours, where, for example, at least 18 of the credits applied to the course work of one degree is not applied to the requirements of the second degree program. You should not list two degrees on your resume if you’ve not completed the requirements for a second degree. In your case, it sounds as though you are working toward a double major, not a second (dual) degree, and it would be appropriate to list your degree (e.g., B.S.) and your two majors Biochemistry and Public Health on your resume, per the guidance of your advisers. Also, your transcript would note the award of one degree and two majors. Again, it’s best to consult the undergraduate catalog of the school to understand the school’s policy for awarding bachelor’s degrees.
I agree that it depends on the college - but I am curious about why this matters. Employers won’t really care whether you get a dual degree vs. a double major, nor will they care which major you list first or which comes first on your transcript. Most employers will never even see your transcript; it’s not like they request it or anything.
I think it depends on how you list it. For example - if you started a double major in biochemistry and public health, and you finished the public health major and were within two courses of the biochemistry major, although you don’t want to imply that you finished both majors, I think it’s totally appropriate to say that you had a “concentration” or “specialization” in biochemistry even if that’s not the exact name of what you did on your diploma. A resume is a marketing document for you as a job candidate that is intended to emphasize your skills and strengths, not necessarily a litany of exact words from your background.
I agree that the resume is a marketing document and some employers may not care whether you graduated with a double major or earned a dual degree, but employers do care about the veracity of the resume. Listing degree(s) that have not been awarded matters. Listing skills and experience that one does not have matters. For example, indicating that one has a B.S., Biochemistry and a B.S., Public Health (i.e., a second degree) when in fact has earned only one degree (B.S.) with two majors, is misleading for the reasons I’ve stated in post #11. Similarly, no one should list they’ve earned a Master’s or Doctorate degree when in fact they’ve not done so. I do agree that it doesn’t matter the order the double majors are listed or whether “concentration” is indicated on the resume with the single Bachelor’s degree. Nonetheless, depending on the position, some employers do request transcripts to verify the degree(s) awarded and major(s). Also, those seeking security clearances must complete the SF-86 and that information most certainly should be consistent with the information provided on the resume and transcript(s).
Oh, I completely agree about the truthfulness of your resume. This typically applies to people who program, but a lot of what I’ve been told is, that people say they know how to use C++ or Java, or anything related, but in reality, they’ve never really had made a project or anything to show for it. Or they know how to do the VERY BASICS of the program. I am sure this applies to things such as Excel, Access, and whatever else there is out there also.
I am working towards both majors right now. The only difference between a Dual Degree and a double major (at least for Biochemistry and Public Health) is about 5 classes or so, which in my opinion, is not worth my time considering those particular classes would not make me anymore knowledgable of biochemistry. They are mundane courses that are not related to biochemistry, or even public health, and are just needed to take to satisfy the dual-degree requirement. I still take all of the major coursework for Biochemistry which is most important.
I do not think it would be appropriate to list a “concentration” on my resume as I did not have the option to do so. I think I would be doing myself a disservice if I said Biochemistry was my concentration in public health. Perhaps I am looking at this the wrong way.
That’s why notation of degree is useful - for example, you could put “Programming languages: Java (Beginner), C++ (intermediate)” on your resume. But even if your knowledge is basic, that doesn’t mean you have to leave it off - you are more easy to train than a person who has zero exposure, for example.
This, of course, is going to be a matter of opinion. But in my experience, employers don’t care about the exact words on your resume or the exact classification that your school gave you in terms of your coursework; they care about your knowledge, skills, and abilities. So if you took 7 courses in biochemistry - not enough for a major/dual degree - I think it’s totally appropriate to say that you had a ‘concentration’ in biochemistry. You can always explain it in more detail if they ask you about it.
For example, on my resume under my PhD I note that I had a ‘specialization’ in advanced statistical methodology. No such formal concentration/specialization exists at my university, but I took a concentrated core of coursework and conducted most of my research in that area during my PhD program. I did, indeed, “specialize” in it, even if my diploma doesn’t say that.
Of course, you have to do what makes you feel comfortable. You could also put “significant coursework in biochemistry” or list your knowledge of biochem under a special “skills and knowledge” section on your resume if you feel more comfortable doing that.
Of course - and I didn’t suggest that. I only suggested recognizing when you have significant coursework in an area that you don’t necessarily have a formal degree, in in a way that makes it clear that you don’t have a degree in that area.