School not allowing me to double major?

Student Lounge College Life
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<p>I think transfer students are at a disadvantage sometimes. You head to a CC for a few years and then wait all of those months to finally get your acceptances. Then, when you pick where you want to go you're assumed to stay there for the rest of your career. I guess that's the price for going to a cheaper school before entering a four-year university, but I think most people at least had a choice of where they wanted to go for their freshman year and could decide after that whether it was a good fit for them or not. </p>

<p>At orientation, I was told that double majors were not allowed anymore at my university. That deeply disappointed me because I wanted to double major in physics. Unfortunately as a transfer student, all of the other upper-division students had their crack at course registrations before we did and I couldn't get the necessary course I needed to make sure I'd graduate in two years. By not getting this one course, I could potentially be set back an entire year. I have to take a heavy load to barely graduate on time because they don't offer the courses when I need them and there's no guarantee that I can fit all of the ones I need into one semester (there might be scheduling conflicts). </p>

<p>So if I end up disliking this university, why would I want to stay there for three years pursuing one major when I could go somewhere else I could double major at?</p>

<p>I don't necessarily want to take a minor in physics. I mean, I'd like to get the most out of my undergraduate education as possible and I do have a competing interest in going to graduate school between applied math vs. physics. </p>

<p>So what do you think I should do? Stay where I'm at to finish my degree or go somewhere else where I can pursue both?</p>

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<p>CalDud- you are not the only one with this dilemma. Many colleges are doing similar things like this to promote students graduating on time, in 4 years at best. I don’t know if this is economics or ratings (graduation rates)- or both- that is driving this, but some colleges have ruled that if you can’t get the double major in 8 semesters, you graduate with the first major. Other colleges discourage double majors. Then, I have seen some colleges that are just fine with a double major.
I don’t know if it is worth looking around for another college and transferring again- that is up to you. Or, you could continue in your first major and take as many of the classes in your physics major that you can. Graduate programs look at the classes you have taken- so if you are one or two classes short of the “major”-- it still shows what you took. Some graduate programs will admit a student who is missing a few classes and allow them to take them to catch up. Or you can take them as a post bac student if you wish to enter the field.
I think that many colleges are doing this to address students who are taking 6+ years to graduate. Unfortunately this approach does not take into consideration the students who seriously wish to have a double major. Another reason could be budget cuts and having enough classes, or room in classes so that everyone gets one major. I don’t like this myself, but it may be their best solution in their economical situation.</p>