In the United States, as in many European countries, combined education is gaining more and more popularity, which allows a student to study at several universities within the framework of one program, expand or deepen his specialization at his university, and receive a second specialty or even a degree. The undoubted advantage of such programs is the savings in finances and time spent on education.
After completing a joint degree program, which necessarily includes one or two semesters at a foreign partner university, you will receive a diploma jointly issued by universities of both countries – for example, the United States and Holland, France or Germany.
The advantage of joint degree programs, in addition to a prestigious diploma, is the opportunity to undergo a paid internship in the United States, gaining both professional experience and compensation for tuition fees. In addition, the cost of living in another country can be much lower than in the United States.
Other advantages include the opportunity to learn and actively use several languages, to be in an international environment and to acquire useful contacts, to plunge into the culture and life of several countries.
The resulting professional and life experience will certainly be useful for a career.
- The disadvantage of such programs is that it takes time to adapt to life in a new country, learning in another foreign language and general stress can affect the quality of studies.
- Earn two diplomas in the same time as you would get one
Double / dual degree programs can be taken at two different universities or within the same university. You can choose between two options:
- Two diplomas at different educational levels: bachelor + master, master + doctor. Degrees are awarded almost simultaneously or with a short time interval because education, for example, in a master’s degree, begins when the bachelor’s degree has not yet been completed.
- Two diplomas of the same level, but in different subject areas. The simultaneous obtaining of diplomas with the assignment of professional, MD / DEd, etc., and research, PhD, degrees is especially popular among graduate students. A similar practice is also widespread in American graduate and undergraduate studies in the United States.
Get a dual specialization
Double / dual major programs are ideal for those looking to pursue a career or conduct research at the intersection of two subject areas. For example, to be a specialist in the creation of medical technology, you need both technical education and knowledge of medicine. A unique specialist will be a lawyer with the knowledge and skills of a top manager, a designer-marketer, and a political scientist-linguist, etc.