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Can I pursue more than 3 majors at the same time? Or should i just settle for a double major?

Is there a way to be able to major in multiple things (3 or more at the same time).?
Or should I just settle for a double major in Law (earn a Juris Doctor Degree) and Computer science (Computer Software Engineering)? #attorney #computer-software #computer #lawyer

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Thank you comment icon Focus..why 3 degrees? What do you plan to do. Michael Mann
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Jenna’s Answer

In the US, you have to have an undergraduate degree before you can be accepted to law school. You should probably work with your college adviser to plan your degree(s)- what are your interests, and is a multiple major the best way to accomplish what your goals are? You might be better off taking classes or getting minor, or some other form of certification. You might not need to get something as formal as a degree to get the additional training and/or education that would satisfy your academic/career interests, and you might change your mind along the way. Take a lot of different classes and explore your interests, and then you can decide on your major(s) when you have a better idea of your situation.
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Michael’s Answer

Hi Christopher,


It is possible, but you would really need to weigh the pros and cons to determine if its practical. I'm currently an attorney, but taught elementary school earning a masters degree before law school.


In undegrad, I double majored in Law & Society and Sociology. I was interested in both and the classes/ requirements complimented each other. Overall I'm happy with my decision. In today's world, diversifying your educational portfolio is key. Mastering multiple disciplines gives me the ability to speak language, work in different industries and market myself as a unique candidate for desired roles.


Fortunately or unfortunately, work experience is just as important as having a degree to remain competitive.


Rather than picking up a third major, consider using the time to pick up an internship to gain experience in the field while your are in school. This may prove to be more a worthwhile. Especially if upon further review you discover that two or three majors will keep you in undergrad longer than 4 years.


It's also worth noting that you can go to law school with any major so long as you have a decent GPA and LSAT score. Most law schools appreciate candidates who come from different disciplines. You could focus on computer science in undergrad and still earn your JD giving you three ability to tap into both fields.


Hope this helps!


All the best,

Michael



Michael recommends the following next steps:

Check out legal internships for undergrads in your area.
If you decide to double major, meet with a counselor and draft a plan to take classes that satisfy both discipline requirements at the same time.
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Jared’s Answer, CareerVillage.org Team

Topline: It's possible but exceptionally rare to major in three unrelated fields without experiencing a huge reduction in your GPA, lower non-academic accomplishments such as extracurriculars or work experience, or a significant delay in when you can graduate. Two unrelated fields is hard enough, so use caution when attempting to go beyond two.

Why it's hard: the course requirements for a major are often quite significant. Trying to satisfy the prerequisites for very different departments may require such a huge number of credits that you have to plan very carefully multiple semesters in advance to be sure that you will meet the degree granting requirements in time to graduate. Furthermore, depending on your school, the majors you have selected could be very challenging to achieve. For example CS courses often require significant homework assignments, labs, group projects, and very challenging tests. Same is true for pre-law. The same of trying to make in three subjects is that you might spread yourself too thin and end up a mile wide but only an inch deep, which would be really problematic for your career!

What's the benefit of more than two? Are you sure you need more than two? What would your third be? If your primary reason for wanting to major in three subjects is that you have more than two interests, you could just consider taking classes that expose you to your various interests without necessarily declaring multiple majors. For example I graduated with a degree in business but throughout College I took several courses that were unrelated to my major but which interested me including courses on philosophy, Cinema, politics, and more.

Special warming: The college and/or department you are enrolled with may have very strict degree granting requirements that could limit your options. Be sure to investigate the limits imposed by the registrar, the various departments, Dean's office, and more. The sooner you know the requirements and limits the better.

Exceptions to the rule: if you select multiple majors that are closely tied to each other and share a significant amount of degree requirements, it might be much easier to multi-major.

Source: Second hand experience. Several of my classmates did double majors and a couple attempted triple majors for a while. None of them graduated with a triple major that I know of, but I have heard of it, and had a colleague once at McKinsey who had done a triple major in college at UPenn. Personally, I graduated with only one official major ("business management").
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Jimmy’s Answer

3 majors... wow, that's gonna be challenging, considering all the advance hours of study you will be exposed too. Nevertheless considering your up to that challenge, it's probably going to depend on the University you attend. Honestly, I've never heard of anyone having a triple major... a double yes, because it would take the place of your minor. However once you have earn your first degree, it is so easy to acquire the next once, because you'd only need to take the advance hours in that area of study, provided your first degree isn't to far removed from the original degree.
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