Do you know that now it is possible to earn two degrees simultaneously? Yes, you heard it right! A dual degree program allows students to pursue two academic degrees together by amalgamating the two fields of any level - bachelor’s, master’s or diploma course. For instance, if you study a Master of Arts (MA) in Psychology and a Master of Business Administration (MBA), you will get two graduate degrees concurrently, i.e., MA and MBA. Isn’t it exciting?
Combined degree, double degree and joint degree are other names for a dual degree program. Keep reading this guide to know the benefits of dual degree programs, Indian and international colleges offering double degree courses, and other exciting information.

Key Highlights

• Benefits of a dual degree program
• Integrated dual degree: An overview
• Latest UGC guidelines for dual degree programs
• Indian colleges offering dual degree course
• Dual degrees abroad
• Study abroad universities offering dual degree course

Benefits of a dual degree program

Here are the reasons that make a dual degree program a student-friendly format worth studying:

• Dual degree programs broaden your knowledge and skill sets.
• These programs strengthen your job prospects and offer several choices in terms of potential career paths in various industries and sectors.
• If you pursue two degrees, let’s say MBA and MCom, in a traditional format, you will earn both degrees in 6 years (3 years of MBA and 3 years of MCom). But you will save a lot of time and money by opting for a dual degree program, as it will allow you to complete both degrees in four or five years.

Integrated dual degree: An overview

When you study one graduate and one post-graduate degree simultaneously, it is known as an integrated dual degree. Some of the best combinations of the integrated dual degree are BTech + MTech and BTech + MBA, to name a few. The dual degree program is popular among education enthusiasts as instead of finishing a bachelor’s degree and then applying for the master’s, they can pursue 2 degrees simultaneously.

Latest UGC guidelines for dual degree programs

The provision of the dual degree program was first announced in 2012 and modified in 2016, but the Indian Government granted permission in April 2022. The latest developments shared by the University Grants Commission (UGC) under the dual degree program in India are as follows:

1. Students can pursue two degrees in three ways:
   • both in physical mode,
   • one degree in physical mode and another in Open and Distance Learning (ODL) or online mode, and
   • both in online mode
2. When pursuing two full-time academic programs in a physical mode, ensure that the class timings don’t overlap.
3. You can study these degrees from either the same university or two different universities.
4. Diploma or degree programs must be from UGC-recognised institutions.

Note: Kindly remember that the dual degree program does not apply to PhD students. Moreover, these programs are not compulsory but optional for education enthusiasts.

Indian colleges offering a dual degree course

You can pursue a double degree program from the following Indian institutions:

• Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University, Delhi
• Christ University, Bangalore
• Birla Institute of Technology and Science (BITS), Pilani
• Indian Institute of Management (IIM), Indore
• Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Kanpur
• Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT), Vellore
• Lovely Professional University (LPU), Jalandhar

Do not give up on your dream of studying double degree master’s or double degree bachelor’s in India due to financial worries; apply for a student loan in India and complete two degrees without liquidating your family’s savings.

Dual degrees abroad

You can even pursue a dual degree program from abroad in which you study two academic fields to earn two separate degrees simultaneously. Do not confuse a double major program with a dual degree program. These are two different programs. In the former, you will study two related fields and earn a single degree; in the latter, you will study two separate fields to earn two different degrees.

Study abroad university offering dual degrees

Some of the popular international universities offering dual degree programs are as follows:

• Yale School of Management, the USA
• Trinity College Dublin, Ireland
• University of Chicago, the USA
• University of Portsmouth, the UK
• University of Toronto, Canada
• University of Sydney, Australia

If you are interested in pursuing a dual degree program but are facing financial challenges, Avanse Financial Services will help you. We offer an education loan with multiple benefits like 100% finance, quick sanctions and flexible repayment solutions. To know more in detail about our loan and education loan rate of interest, connect with us today!