Do Double Majors Matter?

[Kaz]

Are you wondering whether having two majors will improve the odds of you getting one job? Or are you wondering whether it is worth the trouble to "double" the number of jobs you could get? My two ¢...

First, if the only difference between graduating with one major and two majors is a few classes then you should double major. Honestly, the only reasons not to are usually laziness and wanting to save a bit of money. Money is a big deal on this board, and to me too, but a few hundred bucks shouldn't make-or-break such a big, permanent decision. A couple years down the line those few hundred bucks won't look as big as your completed degree. On the other hand, if the second major drastically sets your graduating date farther back and will cost thousands more dollars then I say forget it.

Second, if the majors are very "close" to each other I don't think it helps much. Just my opinion. If you were going to get a job about the history of politics it would appear that it should help. But I'm sure prior work experience, GPA, references, interview skills, etc., all matter more. In other words, having only one major and being good at those other things would easily beat out completing both majors and lacking in those other things.

Third, if the majors are significantly different, I think it can actually set you apart. A friend of mine with a lot of comp sci industry experience, and a comp sci bachelor's, told me that if he had to do it all over again he'd double major physics and English and just put the computer languages he knew on his resume. His reasoning is setting himself apart: the physics major would prove his analytical skills, his English major would prove his communicative ability, and together they'd show that he had something different to bring to the table. With the listed languages, and an internship or two under his belt, he firmly believed that that resume would make it to interview over a lot of comp sci/IT resumes precisely because everyone else had a comp sci/IT degree.

Fourth, unless you know "exactly what you want to be when you grow up" or are simply "checking the box", completing a double major gives you a "Plan B". Lots of people have an idea of what they want to do, so they pursue a degree that will get them there, only to be a year into the job and not loving it nearly as much as they thought they would. Or parallel to that, the economy could shift and that chosen profession is no longer so great to be in. If you have a very similar second major completed, it won't give you that much ability to transition into a different career. If the second major is quite different, if gives you a chance at a transition. At least in theory :coolgleam: !