While the differences between pursuing an online degree and a traditional degree vary considerably, earning both kinds of degrees simultaneously can be an entire new game with underlying benefits and disadvantages. Though most people choose to focus on either an online education or a traditional education, those looking to get ahead quickly and focus on their studies may choose to pursue both online and traditional degrees to speed up the process.
Although there are no general guidelines which limit individuals from pursuing both online and traditional degrees at once, you will want to check with your current institutions and advisors before deciding to enroll in both. In fact, the best place to start planning for this venture is with the advisors of the institutions hosting your studies. Before spending the time, money and effort planning to earn both an online degree and a traditional degree at once, you will first want to figure out if this is a feasible plan that is actually permitted. Because there is no general rule regarding the earning of online and traditional degrees, the permission to pursue both simultaneously may vary from institution to institution. This approval is crucial to pursuing both degrees at the same time.
After receiving approval by your advisors and sponsoring institutions, the next step is planning for your duel education. Though this is an unconventional approach to earning degrees, this can be a great option for individuals who have the means of completing multiple degrees at the same time. To begin planning you will want to figure out your individual limits and constraints to see if they correlate with the work and resources that go into earning both degrees. By laying out preliminary goals and plans, you can determine if pursuing an online degree and a traditional degree at the same time is right for you. You may find that some of your classes may overlap and that you can transfer credits from one degree toward your other degree. This can save you time and money, but you must verify with each institution to learn if this is possible for your particular situation, and whether any classes you take qualify.
Like any school or institution, pursuing multiple degrees can be expensive. From textbooks to tuition, the money put into an upper level education has a wide variety of expenses. With the high costs of an individual college experience, you can only imagine how the costs increase when you pursue two degrees at the same time. Above all else, you will want to figure out if pursuing both degrees is within your monetary budget. Without the money to obtain the proper resources, your degrees can go to waste if you don’t give them the full money they deserve. Evaluate and plan monetarily for your simultaneous degrees to be sure you can maintain your duel educations.
Just like cost, time is another major issue when picking an institution that’s right for your individual needs. Both traditional and online educations require time and energy to be successful in your academics. With two degrees in the picture, the time, like the cost, multiplies. Because it is a time-consuming process to earn one degree, you will need to anticipate an extra-full schedule for your coursework and exams when pursuing two degrees at the same time. For example, while you may be accustomed to taking five exams, you may have to adjust to taking ten exams, due to the doubled number of classes.
Time is also important relative to cost. If you are pursuing two degrees and funding your own education expenses, you may have little time to hold a job that can help pay for your schooling and degrees. This is key when planning for online and traditional degrees, as you must allocate enough money and time to manage your work while obtaining your degrees. Without a balance between time and cost, you may find it difficult to pursuing both an online and traditional degree at the same time.
While pursuing an individual degree, whether online or traditionally, is challenging in itself, the task of preparing to do both comes with many more difficulties. This is not to say that it can’t be done. Pursuing both requires extra planning and consideration. Be sure to evaluate your options and resources before you jump into earning both degrees at once. Just like an individual degree, the better prepared you are for the challenges and commitments ahead, the better you will be able to handle what’s to come. Take the time to consider your options and figure out if earning two degrees makes sense for you!