A double bachelor degree is an academic program where students earn two separate bachelor's degrees simultaneously, typically completing it in four to five years instead of six or more separately. These programs allow students to pursue two distinct fields of study while sharing core requirements between both degrees.
Most double bachelor degree programs require students to complete the credit hours required for each degree individually, though many schools allow overlapping courses to count toward both degrees. For example, a student pursuing a double bachelor degree in computer science and business administration might use their programming electives to fulfill both degrees' technical requirements.
Students apply to these programs during their undergraduate studies, often after completing their first year. Some universities offer formal double degree pathways, while others allow students to design their own by combining existing programs. The University of Michigan's Ross School of Business and College of Engineering offers a formal double degree program where students graduate with both a Bachelor of Science in Engineering and a Bachelor of Business Administration.
| Type | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Formal Double Degree Programs | Structured programs with predefined course sequences | University of California, Berkeley's dual degree in Environmental Economics and Policy |
| Self-Designed Double Degrees | Students combine unrelated programs with faculty approval | Custom double degree in Psychology and Music at New York University |
| 3+2 Programs | Three years of undergraduate study followed by two years of graduate work | Engineering and MBA programs at some institutions |
Double bachelor degrees are most common at large research universities with diverse academic offerings. Students choose these programs to:
According to the National Center for Education Statistics, about 2% of bachelor's degree recipients earn multiple degrees simultaneously. However, this number has been increasing as more universities formalize double degree pathways.
Many people confuse double bachelor degrees with dual degree programs offered by partnerships between institutions. While similar, double degrees are earned from a single university, whereas dual degrees often involve study abroad components or partnerships between different schools.
Another misconception is that double degrees always take longer to complete. In reality, most students finish in four to five years by carefully planning their course schedules and using shared requirements.
At the University of Texas at Austin, students can pursue a double bachelor degree in computer science and business administration. The program requires 165 credit hours (about 25 more than a single degree), with core computer science courses counting toward the business administration degree's technical elective requirements. Students typically graduate in four and a half years.
This combination prepares graduates for careers in tech management, entrepreneurship, or data-driven business roles. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment in computer and information technology occupations is projected to grow 11%, much faster than the average for all occupations.
I spoke with a recent graduate who completed this double degree program. He told me the most challenging aspect was balancing the rigorous course loads of both departments, particularly during the senior year when advanced topics in algorithms and finance overlapped. However, he felt the career opportunities available to him justified the extra effort.