Dual Major versus Double Degree

If you are completing two majors, you may be pursuing a double degree or a dual major, and there are very important differences. If you have questions, please contact a professional advisor in the CoLA dean’s office.

Double Degrees:  Students who wish to earn a double baccalaureate degree at Wright State must complete the requirements for both majors and earn significant hours beyond the minimum hours required for the first degree. Students will pay two graduation application fees, earn two degrees, and receive two diplomas.

Example:  If you are pursuing a B.A. degree in History (which requires 124 hours) and a B.S. degree in Organizational Leadership, you must earn 124 for the first degree + the number of additional hours stipulated for for the second degree in order to meet the hours required to qualify for two bachelor degrees.

Dual Majors: Students who wish to earn a dual major must complete the requirements for both majors and will earn only one bachelor degree. The degrees for both majors must be the same—e.g. a B.A. in History and a B.A. in English. If the degrees are not the same—e.g. a B.A. in History and a B.S. in Urban Affairs—then the student must complete the requirements for double degrees. Students completing dual majors would pay one graduation application fee, earn one degree, and receive one diploma.

Example:  If you are pursuing a B.A. degree in History and English, you must complete all requirements for both majors and the minimum of 124 hours required for the B.A. degree. If you wish to receive two B.A. degrees—which would be a double degree and not a dual major—you must complete the additional hours beyond 124 as described for the double degree.

Note: The College of Liberal Arts allows students to double dip a small portion of hours of major requirements in one degree toward another major. Similarly, CoLA allows students to double dip a portion hours of major requirements toward a minor. For example, a Crime and Justice Studies major may apply a limited number of hours of SOC courses used for the Crime and Justice Studies major toward a Sociology dual major; similarly, a Crime and Justice Studies major may apply limited SOC course credits used for the Crime and Justice Studies major toward a Sociology minor.