How do colleges know if you're doing multiple degrees at the same time ?

[alzee]

Right, if you ran a private college you can do whatever you want. But if you are running a taxpayer supported college, you have to think about spreading the resource out to benefit as many people as possible. Most of the cost of educating a student is borne by the taxpayers, not the students. Every student pursuing a second, third, or fourth bachelor's degree is taking a spot away from a first time college student.

Using "the taxpayers" is a bit over the top -- it's not as though they're being consulted for their opinion on the matter, and as is obvious here, not all taxpayers are on the same page.

[mednat]

I'm not sure I see the utility in 3 undergraduate degrees. Most people think two is excessive. I have to say I think encouraging someone to get 3 undergrad degrees is not doing a service to the student. It would make much more sense in most cases for the student to pursue graduate level education at that point.

[alzee]

I'm not sure I see the utility in 3 undergraduate degrees. Most people think two is excessive. I have to say I think encouraging someone to get 3 undergrad degrees is not doing a service to the student. It would make much more sense in most cases for the student to pursue graduate level education at that point.

The issue here is all that "most people", "most cases", etc. In some cases, a 2nd, 3rd, or 4th degree may be exactly what the student wants or needs. If the person is changing career fields and a degree in that field is required, not allowing it simply because they already have a degree or two in other fields is where the disservice comes in.

In the end, for me it just boils down to a general dislike of arbitrary restrictions like this. If the student wants a 3rd or 23rd degree, and can afford it, they should be allowed to pursue it. Their reasons are their own and should not be subject to approval by anyone else. If a particular school wants to fill slots in order of how many degrees the student already has, and this results in the many-degree-students that apply not getting accepted, that's fine.

[davewill]

... Part of the motivation might be to keep you from double dipping too many credits.

That would be so evil.....:toetap:

Let's take it to an extreme. Let's say they were willing to award you any degree you had the units for, regardless of when you earned them or whether they were used for a previous degree. You could rack up 10 different Bachelor's degrees that did not necessarily reflect much additional effort over 1 or 2 degrees, just by careful choices of courses and degrees. Especially if you get them from different schools. People looking at your credentials would expect that each degree represented a significant effort, when it did not.

I see a problem in that.

[alzee]

Let's take it to an extreme. Let's say they were willing to award you any degree you had the units for, regardless of when you earned them or whether they were used for a previous degree. You could rack up 10 different Bachelor's degrees that did not necessarily reflect much additional effort over 1 or 2 degrees, just by careful choices of courses and degrees. Especially if you get them from different schools. People looking at your credentials would expect that each degree represented a significant effort, when it did not.

I see a problem in that.

So degrees don't represent knowledge, they represent effort? This is something many of us have believed for quite some time..

[davewill]

So degrees don't represent knowledge, they represent effort? This is something many of us have believed for quite some time..

Of course they represent BOTH. They always have. Did anyone think differently?

[alzee]

Of course they represent BOTH. They always have. Did anyone think differently?

Honestly? I've never believed they're representative of either.

[davewill]

Honestly? I've never believed they're representative of either.

That explains a lot about your attitude towards multiple degrees.

[mednat]

The issue here is all that "most people", "most cases", etc. In some cases, a 2nd, 3rd, or 4th degree may be exactly what the student wants or needs. If the person is changing career fields and a degree in that field is required, not allowing it simply because they already have a degree or two in other fields is where the disservice comes in.

In the end, for me it just boils down to a general dislike of arbitrary restrictions like this. If the student wants a 3rd or 23rd degree, and can afford it, they should be allowed to pursue it. Their reasons are their own and should not be subject to approval by anyone else. If a particular school wants to fill slots in order of how many degrees the student already has, and this results in the many-degree-students that apply not getting accepted, that's fine.

I understand what you're saying, and I agree in principal, but most schools want about 30 additional credits for each additional degree. This is essentially a similar amount of credits for a graduate degree. Perhaps a few pre-req classes may be needed, but I see far more utility in the graduate degree. One can make the argument (and I have and currently do) that a CBE degree is significantly cheaper and not equal in cost to most graduate degrees.

I'm sure if a compelling reason were to be presented exemptions and waivers would be possible, however there are very few professions I've seen that require an undergraduate degree in a specific subject, because our undergraduate degrees are not mean't to prepare a student to be an expert in their field.

To each his own. I'm sure there are tons of schools that have no issue with issuing a 3rd/4th/5th undergrad, especially when you look globally. But to get annoyed at an institution for not encouraging this is a bit silly. The traditional american academic model is setup to advance a student from a broad understanding, to a specific understanding in a subject and finally to expand the understanding of a subject. In the UK system of more focused undergrad degrees I think you'll find schools have no issue with multiple degrees, because they are focused on a subject.

[Life Long Learning]

Stop talking freedom.hilarious Rules are rules.

If I ran a college I would allow as many as people wanted. There's people out there who aspire to excel in many areas of life, not in just 1, or 2.