Dual degrees

The College of Liberal Arts & Sciences offers several vehicles through which students may pursue multiple majors, including double majors and dual degrees.

Students in LAS Specialized Curricula for whom multiple majors are not otherwise an option and undergraduates in other colleges at the University of Illinois who wish to add a LAS degree program must follow the procedure for completing a dual degree.

Please note: Students in LAS pursuing an additional degree program in a University of Illinois college other than LAS must apply directly to that college for dual-degree candidacy.

LAS students in Science and Letters curricula are expected to declare multiple majors and minors. There is no limit on the numbers of major/minor programs that an LAS Science and Letters student may declare. On occasion, a Science and Letters undergraduate may have specific graduate school, research, or career plans which provide a compelling academic reason for completion of a dual degree instead of additional majors or minors, but these cases are rare.

LAS rules for dual degrees

Overview

• Students seeking dual degree candidacy must complete the full application process, including securing appropriate advising and being approved at the departmental and college levels according to the required schedule. Part of the planning process involves meeting with the advisors in each of the proposed majors to determine appropriate class choices and to assess whether a second degree is an appropriate path in achieving educational goals.
• Students must complete all of the requirements specified for both degree programs as well as an additional 30 hours above those required for the degree with the highest number of total required hours.
• All LAS general education requirements must be fulfilled, including non-primary language.
• Students desiring to complete a dual degree must earn at least 12 hours of distinct, advanced level coursework in the LAS major discipline. Careful planning is important because the courses used as distinct advanced coursework in the LAS major cannot be used in meeting another degree program's requirements.
• Curricular combinations with significant course overlap are not allowed. Examples include: chemistry/biochemistry, chemical engineering/biochemistry, chemistry/chemical engineering, biochemistry/integrative biology, biochemistry/molecular and cellular biology, and CS+X/CS+X.
• Students must also review the university rules governing dual degrees, which can be found in §3: 801 in the Student Code.

GPA requirement

Students must meet eligibility standards of the two colleges and the individual programs. An Illinois GPA of 3.00 will be required of all students at the time of application for a dual degree in LAS.

Residency requirement

University regulations on dual degrees require that the 30 additional hours for the dual degree must be completed on the Urbana campus.

All dual degree candidates in the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences must be enrolled in LAS for a minimum of two semesters. Any student who has not completed two semesters of residency in LAS prior to applying for the dual degree must submit their completed application and planning form no later than one month prior to their final two fall/spring terms before graduation. Absolutely no exceptions to the LAS residency rule are allowed.

Maximum terms of eligibility

All candidates for LAS degrees are accorded a maximum of 10 semesters of total university enrollment to complete their degrees. This includes semesters completed at other institutions.

Timing in completion of dual degree

Students can complete the requirements for either or both degrees whenever they are able, but they must graduate from both degree programs in the same semester. 

Procedures and deadlines

Submission deadlines

• For students planning to complete undergraduate degrees in eight semesters, we recommend you submit all application materials to the college no later than the fifth term of enrollment. However, submission is required for review no later than the student's seventh term.
• For students planning to complete undergraduate degrees in 10 semesters, we recommend you submit all application materials to the college no later than seventh term of enrollment. Submission is required no later than the student's ninth term.

Obtaining and completing the application

Please contact Tenaya Reifsteck to request the link for the virtual information session and dual degree form.

Approval of application

Students who are approved for a dual degree will have both degree programs entered into Banner for the effective term.