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Home » Subjects » Faculty Curriculum Committees » Committee on Curricula (CoC)

The Transition from Two Degrees to Double Majors

See also:

• Eligibility and Deadlines: A Guide for Students
• Comparison: Two Degrees vs. Double Majors (PDF)
• Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Double Majors

In April 2008, the Faculty approved a proposal from the Committee on the Undergraduate Program (CUP) to replace the Program for Two Bachelor's Degrees with a double major option within the framework of a single SB degree. As such, the option of earning a second SB is available only to students who entered MIT during the 2007-08 academic year or earlier. The double major option is available to all students who plan to graduate in June 2010 or later.

Why the change?

During the many discussions that took place concerning the proposal, a consensus emerged concerning the educational advantages of replacing the second SB program with double majors. The review committees, which included both faculty and students, concluded:

• That multi-disciplinary education has never been more important, especially as more subjects and fields of study are becoming interdisciplinary in nature. MIT's graduates increasingly face real-world problems whose solutions draw on multiple disciplines, and many new fields of inquiry lie at the intersection of traditional fields of study.
• That the 90-unit requirement for a second SB has only indirect educational value because there are no clear academic guidelines for those units. The committees also felt strongly that inequities based on high school background, such as the absence of substantial AP credit, should not present an obstacle to a student's exploration of multi-disciplinary opportunities.
• That "two degrees" is not a good description of the current requirement since students do not repeat General Institute Requirements, or any other general graduation requirements, in pursuing the second degree. Thus, the concept of "double major" more accurately reflects the educational content and purpose of the program.

What's the difference between two degrees and a double major?

See also: chart comparing two degrees and double majors (PDF)

The double major program has much in common with the two-degree program that is being discontinued:

• Both programs require a GPA of 4.0 or higher to apply.
• Students may combine any programs, and each department must approve the student's plan.
• Students are assigned advisors in both programs.
• Students are audited for completion of General Institute Requirements (GIRs) only on the primary major.
• Students may pursue up to two minors, but the minors may not be in the area of either major. In addition, minors are not allowed in either field of composite degrees, which combine two different fields, such as the SB in Mathematics with Computer Science, the SB in Humanities and Science, and the SB in Humanities and Engineering.
  
• Students are expected to complete their program of study in four or five years.

However, there are also key differences between the structure and requirements of the two programs. Specifically,

• Students earning two SBs may complete the degrees at separate times. By contrast, students pursuing a double major earn a single degree. Therefore, the requirements for both programs must be completed together for a double major degree to be awarded.
• Students pursuing two SB degrees must complete at least 270 units of credit beyond the General Institute Requirements (GIRs). In the double major program, students are not required to complete the additional 90 units. Therefore, students will be audited for the 180-198 units beyond the GIRs as required by their primary major.

In addition, there are also differences in eligibility.

• Because the second SB program is being phased out, students must have entered MIT during the 2007-08 academic year or earlier to pursue this option. Consult guidelines for students for detailed information about the options that are available to you.
• To petition for a second SB, a student must have completed two semesters of work in a department with a declared major. Thus, most students are eligible after completing their sophomore year. To apply for a double major, a student who entered MIT as a freshman must have completed three semesters of work at MIT, including at least one semester in a department with a declared major. Therefore, most students will be eligible to apply for a double major after their third semester. (Transfer students seeking a double major must complete two semesters of work at MIT, including at least one semester in a department with a declared major.)