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Single Major vs. Double Major "I am a ventures scholar and I have a question about double majors. Can you pursue a master’s degree in each of the fields of the bachelor’s degree? For example, say that I graduated from Illinois University with a double major in acting and business. Could I pursue two separate master degrees in acting and business? Do jobs feel that students with a double major are just students with degrees, or do the job feel the students are better equipped for the job?" Responses were sent from: University of Dayton, Union College, and Johns Hopkins University. Member Institution and Association Answers:

From University of Dayton: For admission purposes, all students pick a single major and begin their first year in that particular department. During the course of the semester they are encouraged by academic advisors, to consider, when possible, a double major. It all will depend on the initial major students chose. A student who enrolls in Pre-med, for example, may find it difficult to add a second major due to required courses. However, if a student opts to take summer courses, or add one or two more classes a semester, double majors are highly probable and possible. Again, it all depends on the initial program they start in. Jessica González Assistant Director of Admission University of Dayton jgonzalez@udayton.edu

From Union College: You will eventually choose majors and graduate schools based on your interests. There is never a guarantee that a degree, undergraduate or graduate, will get you the job. Prepare yourself in what you like to do, do your best and present yourself well and convincingly on a resume and in an interview. Union graduates have told me they have gotten jobs because they present themselves well. Remember, your first job will not be your last. You will learn from each experience and will very likely have several jobs in your career. Dianne Crozier Union College Schenectady, New York crozierd@union.edu 518-388-6112

From Johns Hopkins University: Here at Hopkins, we have around 12 majors that offer a joint 5-year bachelors/ masters program in which you can earn a masters degree in addition to your bachelors in 5 years. You can look at the individual departments' information on our website. Also, double majoring is an opportunity to explore a variety of academic interests at one time. In the professional world and for graduate school, the student who double majors or minors in various subjects is portryed as more well-rounded than the student who focuses just on one subject. This is a way of developing additional skills and education in diverse academic studies. Over 60% of all students at Hopkins choose to double major or minor, because they have multiple interests in different fields and Hopkins facilitates great flexibility with students choosing their schedules. Stacy C. Hernandez Office of Undergraduate Admissions Johns Hopkins University 140 Garland Hall/3400 N. Charles St. Baltimore, MD 21218-2683 410.516.7032 (v) Stacy.Hernandez@jhu.edu http://apply.jhu.edu