Double Majoring

The fact that you are double majoring will create more lengthy graduation requirements.  Also, your ability to take higher loads of credits also matters if you want to graduate in 4 years.  If you notice that you've only been taking 12-15 credits, I suggest bumping that up to 17 or even 18 credits.  18 credits seems like a lot, but if you choose wisely, it is not as bad as it could be.  Sometimes 3 really hard classes in the same quarter is worse than 2 hard and 2 easier classes.

Further more, try and take classes that will satisfy both GUR's and your major requirements.  And lastly, I would try and stay up in Bellingham for a summer and take a couple classes.  I don't know about poli sci, but english classes are always offered in the summer and if you haven't enjoyed a summer up here yet, it is really beautiful!  You should do it before you are done here.

As for the easier part of you question: I don't really know what you deem as "easy."  So that is hard to answer.  You will have LOTS of reading for both majors, but if you like that, and can read several books at a time and be fine, then you won't have a hard time.  It might be even easier for you to do that than to memorize tons of material.

The difficult thing in my opinion is if you are doing English lit, or creative writing...these have different requirements and creative writing is great, but a lot of...well....creative writing on your part at home.

Hope this helps.  But, overall, if you want to double major, then DO IT!  Make the most out of college and dont let brick walls stop you.. Those are for other people!

If you still have GURs, a good idea would be to take classes that are both GURs and required for the majors. English 202 or 203 is required for English, and it is also a BCOM. PLSCI 250 is a social science GUR and a pre-req for the major.

 Hi! I am double majoring in Environmental Economics and Environmental Planning, which are both Huxley majors. 

Is it stressful? Yes. Very. However it really isn't that bad as long as you start planning wayyyy in advance. I am a transfer student, which has made it even more difficult, but I should still be able to graduate at the same time (spring next year) even with two degrees instead of one.

Important things to remember... up to half of your credits for each degree can overlap (aka can be used for both degrees), in most cases that means 42 credits. For example, requirements for one of the degrees can be used as the electives for the other. Pre-reqs for the major don't count in the 42. 

It leads to very stressful quarters, because you aren't just trying to get into classes for one major (which allows more room for elevtives) but two. Plan our your next few quarters way in advance so you know what you can and can't take, and what quarter everything is offered.

Hope that helps!

I am a psychology and sociology major and will be graduating in the spring.  I agree with all the previously posted sentiments, but I would like to add that one of my only regrets about double majoring is all the classes I haven't been able to take within my major(s).  For instance, there may be classes you don't need for your major but might be interested in.  These classes will invariably fall by the wayside if you double major.  Also, if you want to strengthen your knowledge of the discipline, it is harder if you are only taking the minimum courses required by the major.  I will say though, I have done more than I ever thought I would do here at Western so I can't complain!

Graduating in four years does seem like a pipe dream.  If you can afford to, I would recommend five or four+ years so that you don't have to take over 15 credits per quarter.  If GPA is your objective also, it becomes a bit harder once you pass the 15-credit threshold. 

Good luck on your decision and in your studies!

wuotils: I am a freshman this year and have taken 15+ credits every quarter and I should finish this year with 53 credits (about 8 ahead). Right now I am also working on plans to stay in Bellingham to take summer courses but it really depends on the living situation and the possiblitiy of financial aid. I'm paying for EVERYTHING though loans so it really depends. I will have a summer job but not enough to pay for tuition as well as living expenses (not to mention saving money for next year).

Stephanie: I have taken PLSC 250 for my SSC requirement but have already completed my A/BCOM requirements. Plus, I can't register for ENG 202 or 203 until I have sophomore standing. sucks. I don't know how many more classes will count for both GURs and towards a major but ill definitely take a look. Thanks.

leducj: Yeah I am a little worried about keeping up my GPA if I double major. I took 17 credits this quarter and am coming away with a 3.7ish I hope... So I don't think it is going to be the credit load as much as how hard my major courses are. We'll see I guess.

Thanks for everyones advice!

Hey Jamin, I would suggest not burning yourself out. Take your time if you can afford to.

Yeah. I definitely don't want to burn myself out. I do think that I will be able to handle it though. If not I can just major in political science and do an english minor or something. I have a lot of options.

calm down jamin, just do political science so u can still party with us and have a life

Don't listen to the nay-sayers. Double-majoring doesn't mean you won't have a life. The funny thing is this: the harder you work and the more involved you are, the more you'll find you're able to do because in the process you're developing good work  habits and leadership skills that allow you succeed in all these areas.

Myself, I double majored in polisci and history and I'm graduating this spring *on time*. I even studied abroad for a quarter. I didn't have to take 17+ credits every quarter either. That would put you well over 200 credits graduating, and the only reason you'd need that is if you planned your degree really inefficiently or something. Summer quarter is a good outlet to prevent this from happening. I didn't ever do summer session, so occasionally I had to take 17 credit quarters.

My advice is this: if you're really passionate about both majors, I say go for it. Double-majoring teaches you problem-solving, task management and other skills that you might not get focusing on just one major. Other benefits include having access to the faculty of two departments, which comes in handy for independent study (which you should also do) and letters of reccommendation, as well as access to more departmental scholarships. You will also learn how to work professionally in two different fields, if you so desire. And it does look good on grad school apps.

The only downside is that perhaps if you know you want to be a political scientist there are certain classes you just won't be able to take. But by the end of it all you'll be just as prepared as probably 90% of incoming polisci grad students...so it's not the biggest problem.

The only thing you need to do is plan -- and keep up the grades -- and you'll do fine! Since you're a Freshman, you might consider majoring in a hard science instead of 1 social science, one humanities (I wish I had done this!); but it all depends on what you want to do. Good luck!

eliot

Burn yourself out.  Why not?  I do it all the time.

Anyways, I was actually going to advise you to take ENG 202 Spring quarter, if they still have sections open.  I know it says "Prerequisite: Sophomore" but that really doesn't mean anything.  I took ENG 202 spring quarter of my freshman year, and I only had about 15 credits from Fall quarter and 14 credits from winter quarter backing up my freshman status.  I learned that trick from my roommate that year, a double English/Philosophy major, who also took 202 his freshman year.  There's some kind of loophole.  If there are any sections of it still open, try it out.

Double-majoring isn't burning yourself out.  A lot of people are doing it these days.  And you won't be burned out as long as you're planning ahead.  You can do it on 15 credits a quarter if you gots planz.

Hey, I don't have advice on double majors, but I need some advice. I want to double-major in Biology and Geology; B.S. in Biology and B.A. in Geology. Anyone think this is possible? Too crazy?