Hey guys! When I submitted my UMD EA application I applied for to Letters and Sciences, since I was unsure of whether I wanted to do biology (and pre-med with it) or just economics. However, I have recently been advised to actually do a double major with economics and biology with a pre med-track, and then either drop economics or bio+pre-med once I decide which one is right for me. Unfortunately, at UMD economics and biology are in different schools! Would it be possible to double major in both?? Also, I am required to start in Letters and Sciences now, or is it possible to change this after I get accepted?
The first issue is that Biology is a Limited Enrollment Program (LEP). This means that they get more applicants than they can accept. You need to call UMD Admissions now, to see if they can change y0ur application from Letters and Sciences to Biology. Economics is not a LEP. Once the admissions decisions come out, the Biology LEP will probably be filled.
The other issue you will face is scheduling required classes, Not every course in these 2 Majors (or any Major) is offered every semester. You may also find that the days and times of required courses conflict with each. If an Economics course and a Biology course that you need are both on M/W/F at 10 AM, you can only register for one of them.
There ARE many students who successfully do double majors, or a major/minor, but it is easier if there is a lot of overlap in the required courses, i.e Engineering/Math or CS/Math