Is it possible to do a double degree, then drop one degree later? (1 Viewer)

[sinophile]

Is it possible to do a double degree, then drop one degree later? I'm having difficulty choosing between Engineering and Science. So I was thinking of signing up for a double degree, then seeing which one I have a greater aptitude for (or else just sticking with the double degree).

Another question, are double degrees more expensive than a single degree? Do you have to pay for the two degrees in full?

 

[Freakstyler09]

Is it possible to do a double degree, then drop one degree later? I'm having difficulty choosing between Engineering and Science. So I was thinking of signing up for a double degree, then seeing which one I have a greater aptitude for (or else just sticking with the double degree).

Another question, are double degrees more expensive than a single degree? Do you have to pay for the two degrees in full?

I would probably keep them both if I were u, better job prospects in the future.

 

[goony]

Yes definitely possible. You can also carry over some units from one to the other as electives too depending on your faculty so you probably won't lose any time from either degree.

A combined/double degree is usually 1-2 years longer than a single degree so it will cost more than a single degree. It usually won't cost the same as two separate single degrees though, since in a combined/double degree you can share electives between the two degrees.

 

[sinophile]

Yes definitely possible. You can also carry over some units from one to the other as electives too depending on your faculty so you probably won't lose any time from either degree.

A combined/double degree is usually 1-2 years longer than a single degree so it will cost more than a single degree. It usually won't cost the same as two separate single degrees though, since in a combined/double degree you can share electives between the two degrees.

Thanks for the reply.

I was wondering, would 1 year of a double degree end up costing more than 1 year of a single degree?

 

[chewy123]

^^ Possibly, but I'd think unlikely.
For example, when you do a science course 1st year, then decides to drop science, and cannot transfer the science course into your engineering degree, then you would have done an extra unnecessary course. But at UNSW (not sure about other unis) most single degrees allows you to have some free options, so you could just treat that science course as a free option and all will be fine.

 

[sinophile]

^^ Possibly, but I'd think unlikely.
For example, when you do a science course 1st year, then decides to drop science, and cannot transfer the science course into your engineering degree, then you would have done an extra unnecessary course. But at UNSW (not sure about other unis) most single degrees allows you to have some free options, so you could just treat that science course as a free option and all will be fine.

Uh, sorry.. What do you mean by 'free option'? I've never heard that term before.

 

[chewy123]

When you can choose any course you want that's unrelated to you degree.

 

[sinophile]

When you can choose any course you want that's unrelated to you degree.

oh I see. But i thoguht only UNSW had general education.

Anyway, if I pass off part of my science as my 'free option', will I end up with some units of study which don't count as my free option?

 

[Survivor39]

I was wondering, would 1 year of a double degree end up costing more than 1 year of a single degree?

No.

A combined/double degree doesn't mean you do "double" amount of work as compared with students in a single degree. Almost everyone do the same number of units (like the HSC). You do 4 subjects per semester (24 units) and each subject will cost you x amount.

To put simply, in a double degree e.g. Eng/Sc, you do 2 Engineering subjects and 2 science subjects (or 1 and 3, 3 and 1, doesn't matter). In a single science degee you do 4 science subjects. In a single engineering degee you do 4 engineering subjects. So the cost PER YEAR is the same.

Because some subjects may overlap e.g. first year maths, and the fact that you don't do as many subjects in each of the combined degree, the length of the combined degree (5 years for Eng/Sc) is less than that of the length of 2 seperate single degrees (3 yr science + 4 year Engineering = 7 years).

I hope this makes sense.

 

[sinophile]

I see. Well that explains lots of things.

Hmm, never knew that. Guess I better do some more reading, it seems like I know very little.

 

[sinophile]

Unfortunately, I have another question. If I decide to drop one of the degrees in the middle of the year, do I get a refund or partial refund on the money I payed for that degree?

 

[bio_nut]

You pay by semester.

 

[sinophile]

I see. Well that leaves me some flexiblity.

 

[GINN]

you can revert back to a single degree from a double degree at unsw but if you already completed subjects you pay for them in the end anyway.

 

[sinophile]

if you drop after a certain date i think you lose your money...i.e. you still have to pay hecs on it (because hecs is organised by courses, not by degrees per se). I think that date is the census date, but I'm not sure.

...Whats the census date? What is a census date?

 

[Survivor39]

It's the last date you can drop a course before they charge you.

Just an example, if you enrolled in a subject in semester 1 and you don't like it after 2 weeks, you can drop it before that census date and they will not charge you for that subject and you will not receive an "Absent Fail". After this date, you will be charged and you will have to keep going or you will fail it.

 

[sinophile]

The government website says teh census date is this:

"
Provider sets census dates

Your provider will set the census date for each unit of study. Your provider is required to publish census dates by 1 April for units with a census date in the same year between 1 July and 31 December and by 1 October for units with a census date in the following year between 1 January and 30 June of that year. You should check the census date for your units with your provider."

Is this true? Can anyone confirm this? It seems really late to set the census date after april. Thats sort of like learning two months worth of a degree for free.