Triple-Jount Degres? Getting 3 degrees concurrently?

Graduate School
1

<p>I know that many schools have joint-degree programs where you may pursue 2 degrees concurrently and finish in around 4 years.</p>

<p>These include JD/MBA, JD/pHD, MBA/pHD, MD/phD, etc.</p>

<p>However, this probably seems like an insane question, but is it possible to pursue 3 degrees concurrently? </p>

<p>Like, for example, entering into a JD/MBA/phD program or something of that sort?</p>

<p>*Also, another question, I havent seen any MD/JD programs out there. Do any of the top schools have this?</p>

2

<p><a href="http://pritzker.uchicago.edu/jointdegrees/combined/mdjd.shtml%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://pritzker.uchicago.edu/jointdegrees/combined/mdjd.shtml&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>
[quote]
**finish in around 4 years.

[/quote]
** NOPE</p>

3

<p>The following schools have combined MD/JD programs:</p>

<p>Baylor College of Medicine
University of Florida College of Medicine
University of Minnesota Medical School
The Ohio State University College of Medicine
University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine
UMDNJ--New Jersey Medical School
Vanderbilt University School of Medicine
Yale University School of Medicine
Mayo Medical School
University of Calgary Faculty of Medicine
University of Illinois College of Medicine-UrbanaChampaign
West Virginia University School of Medicine
University of Iowa Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine
Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine
UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School
University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine
University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine
University of Arkansas College of Medicine
Southern Illinois University School of Medicine
Duke University School of Medicine</p>

<p>As far as triple majoring, why would you want to do that? If it's a matter of not being able to decide on a major, give yourself a bit of time in undergrad - something should pop for you. Three majors is overkill and likely won't help you for grad, med, law schools or employment purposes. Double majors are relatively common, and finishing them both in four years is tough. It can be done sometimes, depending on what the majors are. For example, if one of the majors is a foreign language or a lab science, they will be far more time intensive. A combination of history and English, though, might be possible in four years. All this is dependent on the requirements of individual programs, though. Look at the core reqs for the school, then add in the major reqs for each major. Do the math - you should be able to figure out what the time commitment is. Keep in mind that a minor is always an option as well. If you're planning on med school, don't forget the prereqs for that, either.</p>

4

<p>^I could be mistaken, but I don’t think the OP is asking about triple majoring in undergrad, but rather, pursuing 3 graduate degrees concurrently. I agree that triple majoring in undergrad is overkill, but pursuing 3 graduate degrees at the same time is CRAZY. Kidchicago, why on Earth would you need that many advanced degrees?</p>

5

<p>Ah. Well, that'd be just silly. There's no purpose whatsoever for that. Plus, some programs won't allow it - I've seen on more than one program website that if you hold an equivalent degree (i.e. PhD and a PhD program, MA and an MA program) they won't consider your app.</p>

6

<p>"There's no purpose whatsoever for that."</p>

<p>lol, well actually there is: to learn. S/he may have multiple interests and multiple advanced degrees could very well satisfy his/her passion to be a well-rounded person. You don't have to go to graduate school with the aim of getting a job, you could just go to learn.</p>

7

<p>Nobody who wants a JD and an MBA is going to school just to learn. Getting three advanced degrees at once is not possible, and even if it was, it wouldn't be fiscally responsible.</p>

8

<p>MD/PhD programs are also not finishable in "about four years" -- the PhD part takes about four years (if all goes well), but so does the MD part. And then there's all that doctor stuff -- internships, residencies -- plus an academic postdoc. Not an easy row to hoe.</p>

9

<p>You don't get a PhD to be a "well-rounded person." People can certainly learn without taking a degree. You get a PhD because of a passion for a particular field. Trust me - after getting through it once, you won't want to do it again!</p>

10

<p>I am not even talking about getting three at once, just getting three. I know a good deal of people that have gone to grad school to get an education not just a vocational education, the best example being my father. After undergrad my dad entered a JD/MBA program and completed it. After a few years in the workforce as an attorney he started teaching law and he decided to go back to school (become a teacher) and entered a philosophy phd program. He says that he didn't get a proper education until he was in the phil. grad program. People go to grad school to become educated, not just narrow-minded specialists, and you should think of education (including graduate school) as a reward unto itself, not just in the terms of what grad school will do for you. </p>

<p>"You get a PhD because of a passion for a particular field"</p>

<p>You can't have a passion for more than one field?</p>

11

<p>if you really want to, mathtastic, get three degrees. i'm a firm supporter of people chasing their educational dreams. however, when it comes to professional degrees in particular (e.g. JD, MA, MD), i would make sure that you really know why and for what you want them. they will cost you a ton (absent funding, of course), and if later you have collected them all but don't really have any plans for using them, you might regret having done even one of them. </p>

<p>at least i know that is the case from my own experience.</p>

12

<p>I think getting PhD is time consuming, and three PhDs is, well, triply so. Personally, I think that the research, publications, etc. that one does for a field will suffer tremendously if one spreads that work over three fields. it's bit like the "Jack of all trades" phenomenon. Specialists aren't narrow-minded, they're specialists. Educated specialists. Keep in mind that PhDs also study several subfields. Also keep in mind that if you really have an interest in an area but do not plan on pursuing it for your career, it's fine to pursue that education outside of grad school. Grad school isn't the only only place to learn, and it's not even always the best place.</p>

<p>I personally don't see grad school as "what it will do for me." I think you misunderstand me. But learning certainly isn't even close to completed in grad school. Getting a PhD is a lifetime commitment to a field, and having that kind of commitment to three fields lessens each of them. That's just my opinion, and of course you can take it or leave it.</p>

<p>Expect each PhD to take you anywhere from 4-7 years. A combined MD/JD program takes seven years. Also count additional time for undergrad to meet all entry reqs for med school and your grad program.</p>

13

<p>While I am not going to deny that there exists some people who will eventually go on to get multiple advanced graduate and professional degrees, it is MUCH more common that the people asking these types of questions are simply misguided. The number one thing that these people want to know is "if I get my PhD, MD, JD and MBA degree, how quickly will I get 250k/year?" </p>

<p>There are many people who think that getting as many majors, minors, and advanced degrees are some how a recipe for success and wealth. There are very few people who need or would actually benefit from getting multiple professional degrees. It would certainly be common for a patent lawyer to hold a JD and a graduate science or engineering degree. However, it is quite clear that the OP, and many other people, are simply asking these questions because they think it looks good on their resume to list as many degrees as possible. </p>

<p>That is a very foolish path. It is an extreme waste of time and money. The path to success is not getting every possibly degree.</p>

14

<p>"I think getting PhD is time consuming, and three PhDs is, well, triply so."</p>

<p>LOL, a master of the straw man. No one is talking about 3 phds (i doubt severely that schools even consider a person with 2 phds when many schools don't even consider a person with one). I am speaking about three advanced degrees, not three phds.</p>

<p>"Keep in mind that PhDs also study several subfields."</p>

<p>Yes, but zoom in on that word. SUB FIELDS. These are areas that are very related and will not contribute to an overall education. For example, if I enter graduate physics with intentions to go into the subfield of elementary particles and on the way i also learn about cosmology (in the early universe) I am not really learning outside of my field because it is still physics. In other words, learning subfields does not count in becoming a well educated individual. But if i were studying a subfield of physics and then pursuing literature or philosophy, that would be considered truly learning about a vastly different field where i could become a well-educated person. </p>

<p>"...it's fine to pursue that education outside of grad school."</p>

<p>Sure, but best education, by far, would be in school. Try teaching your self upper division or grad level physics on your own, not easy. You could read philosophical texts by yourself, but you would be missing out on many things that you would get if you have an expert at the front of the room and a room full of intelligent individuals who could possibly think of something you didn't.</p>

<p>"However, it is quite clear that the OP, and many other people, are simply asking these questions because they think it looks good on their resume to list as many degrees as possible."</p>

<p>It is far from "clear" to whether the OP is interested in being extremely educated or just wants to extra degrees for a good-looking resume. S/he could really be interested in many things. Why don't we hear from the OP before we make such judgments. </p>

<p>"It is an extreme waste of time and money." </p>

<p>Well if that is your view you sound more like one of the people you described
here --> "The number one thing that these people want to know is 'if I get my PhD, MD, JD and MBA degree, how quickly will I get 250k/year?'" Why is becoming educated a waste of time? </p>

<p>"The path to success is not getting every possibly degree."</p>

<p>No one is saying anything about getting every possible degree. What if your goal is not going out into the workforce, but staying in school and learning as much as you can, across many, disparate fields?</p>

15

<p>The OP is a high school student so all this seems premature. I know there are BS/MS programs at many schools and then there are always MS/MBA (where you could get a masters degree in a different field?), PhD/MD, PhD/JD etc programs later on. I don't see a reason one would need to pursue three degrees simultaneously, but it's definitely possible you could get, say, 4 degrees in 8-12 years or so (5+3 if the former or 5+7).</p>

16

<p>Mathtastic, chill out. No one has told the OP that he/she is an idiot or some such. The OP asked for an opinion, and several people, including you, have given it. Most people in academe will give the majority viewpoint on this thread. You've shared your view, and that's cool. I don't think you should be on the attack - it's really not necessary.</p>

17

In the end it is your decision, we can not make it for you. If you wanna be really smart and spend one millon dollars in student loans, that is great, if you don’t that is fine too.

18

this is a 9-year old thread…