Dual degrees in Australia – an unbeatable advantage to your CV!

Dual degrees are university programs designed for you to reach your ambitions of having a group of various skills and qualifications in a variety of fields at a shorter time span. Read on to know about dual degrees in Australia.

What does it mean to have a dual degree?

Dual degrees are programs that award two degrees instead of one, enabling you to specialise in twin qualifications by investing lesser amount of time and money than pursuing two degrees separately. This means, you can design your educational qualification with a double degree without doubling the time!

What makes it even more fruitful is that you can achieve this by studying in Australia which is globally known for its world-class universities, high standard of education, wide range of courses, and strong industry links and research collaborations.

What is this concept of dual degrees?

Dual degrees may either be a double degree or combined. The meaning of a double degree and a combined degree is slightly different, though you will graduate with two degrees in both cases.

• A double degree

  requires you to complete two separate qualifications – one after the other. And this means, you need to complete the requirement of the first degree before commencing the second.

• A combined degree

  on the other hand has an integrated structure. It gives you the flexibility to choose another area of specialisation, a second major. The overlapping components of two degrees are taught together simultaneously and the separate units of each are individually managed.

Why a dual degree?

Ever thought about studying business while keeping your passion for music alive? Or let’s say how about combining a Bachelor of Biotechnology with Bachelor of Law? Combining two undergraduate degrees gives you an edge over other applicants when applying for a job. You can also combine qualifications for two different Master’s programs or sometimes a Bachelor with a Master’s.

Candidates who enjoy multidisciplinary skills and have diverse learning experiences are in higher demand than others in the job market.

Most popular dual degree programs in Australia

A wide range of study areas can be explored in one degree. Here are some of the most common examples that you can find at Australian universities:

Leading Australian universities offering dual degrees

There are many Australian universities that offer these unique program combinations to devise your dual degrees at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels. Some of these include:

• Australian National University

• University of Sydney

• University of New South Wales

• University of Western Australia

• Monash University

• University of Queensland

• University of Adelaide

• RMIT University

• Macquarie University

• Curtin University

• University of Newcastle

• Deakin University

• La Trobe University

• University of Wollongong

• University of Technology, Sydney

• University of South Australia

• Swinburne University of Technology

• Queensland University of Technology

• Victoria University

• Australian Catholic University

What are the entry requirements?

For a dual degree program, you need to meet the entry requirements for both programs. In order to take admission in an undergraduate program in Australia, you need a Senior Secondary qualification. The entry requirements however can vary depending on the program of choice. For instance, the entry requirement for Engineering (Honours) programs are generally higher than a Business or Information and Communications Technology programs.

Scholarships for dual degrees

A dual degree may be a little expensive than the traditional degrees as it is a combination of two disciplines. Good news is, Australia offers many scholarships, grants and bursaries to support you financially during your course of study.

These scholarships are offered at both levels – institutional and governmental. The grants and bursaries vary from 10% to 25% reduction in the annual tuition fee and often range up to complete duration of the program.

Institutions also offer scholarships up to 30-50% of the tuition fee and if you are a high achiever, you may also land up a 100% tuition fee waiver! The scholarships and grants are often merit-based and vary across faculties.

Work-integrated learning in dual degrees

As a part of the dual degree programs, work-integrated learning is a great way to gain what it takes to land a job in your field of study while earning credits towards your program.

Available as 6 to 12 months of professional placement, the program can include an industry-based project, professional placement under the supervision of an academic supervisor, industry study tour, or student exchange program with international exchange partners, etc.

Benefits of dual degree

A flexible degree opens a world of new possibilities. It lets you choose your primary field of study and try other disciplines that suit your goal or taste and helps explore your passion. A flexible dual degree typically needs to be completed within 4 years of academic study (Medicine and Pharmacy courses can take longer) against the typical 3-year single degree programs in Australia.

A combined integrated Bachelor’s and Master’s degree takes 5 academic years of study while a double Master’s programs can be completed between 2 to 2.5 years with credit exemption as a possibility when you have studied from a cognate discipline at your undergraduate.

The best advantage of pursuing a dual degree is that it’s easier to make contacts with academics, students and professionals from different countries within both programs. This helps flourish your networking skills, enlarge your network, and also enhances your job opportunities as employers target candidates with interdisciplinary knowledge and adaptability skills.

Inspired to pursue a dual degree in Australia? Get in touch with our IDP certified education counsellors who can help you in making the right course decision for you!