7 Great Alternatives to Double Majors
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“I’m the quarterback on the varsity team. I’m the co-founder of a startup. I run a non-profit. And I’m double majoring in international business and interpretive dance!”
For a long time, choosing a double major has been a good way for overachievers to beef up their resume and impress their friends at the same time. Can't decide on a single major? Choose them all!
Should I double major in college?
Double majors used to be a way to pursue a primary interest that might not work out and still have a solid backup plan with better job prospects.
But dramatic changes to what a degree represents in society and the skills employers expect are causing many to question the value of that second degree. Employers today are usually more impressed by your experience and what you can do than by showing them you've earned multiple bachelor's degrees.
Most colleges today are still fine if you choose to double major. After all, you'll stay enrolled in their school longer and pay more money. But what if "one degree in hand" is worth "two in the bush"?
Seven alternatives to double majors
College should be flexible, affordable, and purposeful. Often, that can be achieved without a double major.
Here are seven practical alternatives to double majoring that are more likely to pay off down the road:
Figure out your life purpose so you know what you really want to do when you finish.
Get practical work experience that helps you narrow down your choice.
Go faster through courses you don’t like and use the extra time to dive deep into a topic you love.
Pack your degree with affordable courses from an online program like Accelerated Pathways
Do a second internship (we’re taking it for granted you’ll do at least one)
Travel to a foreign country while you have flexibility and still qualify for student discounts.
Finish earlier and on a master's degree or work experience.
Double majoring might work really well for a few people in a few situations. But at the end of the day, a double major college grad is still only a college grad. (And don’t get us wrong: being a college grad is a good thing!)
Double major with caution. Think carefully about whether a single degree could put you farther ahead, with more work experience, a higher level of education, and less debt.