I’m considering being a double major in Political Science and Economics since I would like my future career to be a corporate lawyer. Political Science is my major as of right now to help me prepare for law school however I’d really like to not just minor but major in becoming as well. Is it really as hard as people say or is it just more work that people are too lazy to do? Also is it smarter to double major in the same college or dual degree in different ones on campus?
In most cases a double major requires taking more courses. This can be done by arriving at university in the first place with AP credits, by taking summer courses, by taking more than the normal load, or by staying more than 4 years. Clearly one of these (taking more than the normal load) is hard. Others (summer courses and staying more than 4 years) cost more money and involve more time in school.
It is not unusual for people with a double major to “step back” at some point and continue with only one major, with the other as a minor or perhaps just an area where they took a bunch of classes. In many or most cases this is just as useful as a double major. To me depending upon details this may be a very sensible approach since by starting off intending to double major you get to consider both options thoroughly, and later you are well informed when you get to pick one as your eventual major.
For many universities, “lazy” is not the right word.
“Also is it smarter to double major in the same college or dual degree in different ones on campus?”
Can you reword this question?
It really, really depends on the school and on the two majors. At my school it requires a LOT of planning and you have to know exactly what you want to do off the bat. It helps if you can double-count a class or two, if you have AP credit, and if your school’s distribution requirements can be fulfilled through the major requirements. For example, through one of my majors I can fulfill my school’s language, arts, humanities, AND social science reqs - more than half the major was incorporated into gen eds. This makes it easy to tack on to a first major.
What I mean in that question is for example, in order to take business administration you have to get accepted to not only the university but THEIR business college. I got accepted into the College of Arts and Sciences at West Virginia, not the college of business and economics. The two programs have different requirements to get in. A dual degree would be a degree from the business college AND arts and sciences where as double majoring is just from one specific college on campus. I’m not sure if that helps.
That’s not necessarily a dual degree but it does greatly complicate things. Some schools call it a dual degree if one is a B.S and the other is a B.A. and it is more difficult. But, double majoring business or engineering with something else is difficult because both require so many hours and in a particular order. Double majoring within business such as in accounting and finance however, is quite doable.
As stated, it is still up to how many advanced credits you enter with. Start as a sophomore with 30 hours and it’s still doable in four years.
“I got accepted into the College of Arts and Sciences at West Virginia, not the college of business and economics.”
Now I get it. Yes, this will depend upon the university, and which two degrees. You will need to check out the requirements in your university. The alternative of majoring in one and taking a lot of courses in the other might be easier to arrange. Is Political Science in the “college of arts and science” and Economics in the business school where you are? There are some universities where both are in the Faculty of Arts.
Don’t you have a BA in Economics in the Faculty of Arts and Sciences at West Virginia U?
I personally think people get too hung up on double majors and minors. Most majors and minors require a bunch of courses that are either not interesting or not practical for your individual goals.
I’m a parent, by the way. When you’re a college student, you usually don’t know what your goals are. I would suggest speaking with someone who works in the two fields you’re interested in. I would recommend picking one major, and then taking courses in other disciplines that you are specifically interested in and/or will help you get the job you’re shooting for.
If you conform to the requirements of majors and minors that the school has picked out for you, you’ll probably end up taking at least a few courses that are a complete waste of time. You’re going to have some of those courses in your major, and that’s unavoidable. But you can avoid doing it twice.
It’s hard to figure out which courses are a waste of time without guidance. I can see it now, as someone with decades of experience in the business world, but I couldn’t see it when I was in college. I would strongly recommend speaking with multiple people in your fields of interest. Here’s an area of life where your parents aren’t as useless as you might think they are 
They probably know people in those fields who you can talk to.
Good Luck.
I’m a lawyer, and it doesn’t matter what your major is. Keep it simple. Choose a major you will enjoy and make good grades in, and don’t burden yourself with a double major. What you will need to get into a decent law school is a high GPA and high LSAT score. That’s it.
Yes we do have economics at the arts and sciences college which is what my second major would be. I just wasn’t sure if applying to have a dual degree and majoring in something like business administration would be more beneficial.
Your major(s) won’t make even the tiniest bit of difference in your admission to law school- and admissions will not be even slightly impressed that you double majored- no matter what subjects you choose.
Absolutely choose the major that is the most interesting to you- and, ideally, in which you are naturally strong, and likely to end up with a strong GPA: a 3.9 GPA in Art History is better for admission to good law schools than a 3.5 in Political Science.