Is it possible to have two bachelor degrees

It can be a time that's both exciting and daunting. In many cases, your years of work experience in one field will not mean much to an employer hiring you for an entirely different line of work. Employers may view career switchers with a critical eye, asking questions like: Will they like the work?

Do they know what it takes to do this job well? For your next employer, a second degree is powerful, tangible proof of your knowledge in and commitment to the field. By teaching you specific, immediately useful skills you need, it makes you more attractive to employers—and less of a risk than a job applicant without a degree. It may even prevent you from having to start over at the bottom and work your way up. Over time, some degrees can grow less important or outdated.

It can hurt you in terms of shrinking opportunities, lower pay, tougher competition for the best jobs, or even layoffs. Consider a traditional degree in computing, which has grown outdated, while a related specific degree in cybersecurity is now in high demand. A second bachelor's degree in a similar, thriving industry can help you deftly squeeze your way out of a shrinking field—and apply some of that knowledge toward new opportunities with growth potential.

TIP: Before you go back for that second, related degree, consider the importance of transferred credit from your prior degree. A person working in data processing may already have taken most of the fundamental coursework general education requirements and perhaps most of the advanced math courses required for a second degree.

Planning ahead with your higher education counselor can save you time, effort, and cost. A promotion feels great because it says you've mastered your previous role and you're ready for more responsibility. But sometimes getting that promotion moves you away from your existing talents and experience—and throws you into an arena of entirely new skills. A common example is nurses who are promoted into administration. Whereas they once managed patient care, now they manage budgets and human resources issues.

They're still in the same field and with the same employer, but it's a whole new set of demanding commitments. When finding yourself in a new position with new and different responsibilities, a second bachelor's degree can help in terms of:. Fast tracking - You could learn on the job, but a degree will fast track your knowledge into an area like finance, economics, or accounting.

And that keeps you looking like the right person to promote. Specialization - A business degree holder might need to specialize in marketing. A communications degree holder might need to specialize in public relations. Perhaps a registered nurse wants to enroll in an RN-to-BSN program to access a whole new cache of well-paying jobs.

Have you been doing something as a part of your job, say bookkeeping, but you never really studied it? It happens all the time. You just learned it on the job.

You're good at it. And you've been doing it for years. Getting a second degree can take an area that you already know very well and boost your career standing, giving you legitimate credentials to prove your knowledge.

TIP: Since you already have a lot of experience in the area, there's a chance you can "test out" of some of your coursework. Some schools offer guidance on CLEP college-level entrance proficiency exams, which can save you time and effort so you can get your degree faster. The truth is that every person's goals, time availability, and career situation are different. Sometimes a bachelor's degree is the smart option to charge up your career choices. Also, it can allow professionals to switch career paths or earn college credit for skills they developed in an area other than their first degree discipline.

When considering pursuing a second bachelor's degree, professionals can review this guide to learn what to expect. Featured or trusted partner programs and all school search, finder, or match results are for schools that compensate us.

This compensation does not influence our school rankings, resource guides, or other editorially-independent information published on this site. Explore programs of your interests with the high-quality standards and flexibility you need to take your career to the next level. Many professionals pursue a second bachelor's degree in place of a master's or to acquire credits in a particular skill area.

Due to industry changes, professionals might find themselves in a career that challenges them to develop new skills to keep up with the demands of their career. Professionals may find themselves complacent in their career, facing the desire to switch paths. In many cases, switching careers might require professionals to earn a degree they do not currently possess, compelling them to go back to school. Earning a second bachelor's degree allows professionals to stand apart from their coworkers, and it can give them a leg up for promotions, especially since a second degree adds more skills, knowledge, and experience to their resume.

Earning a master's degree can get expensive, so many professionals choose to pursue a second bachelor's degree as a way to expand their education without paying the higher tuition costs of a master's program.

Professionals typically develop new skills over their career that they did not study during their first bachelor's program.

In these situations, they earn a second bachelor's degree to give them tangible credit for skills they can use to their advantage. Some students opt for a second bachelor's degree while others decide to pursue a master's. Students should review their goals to determine the best option as they continue their education. Unhappy in Current Career Path: Professionals who are unhappy with their current career can go back to school to pursue a bachelor's degree in a different discipline, opening up new career opportunities.

Fewer Obstacles When Entering the Program: Master's programs feature more admission requirements than bachelor's programs, so earning a second bachelor's degree allows students easier access to continuing their education.

Diversity in Education and Skills: Earning another bachelor's degree allows students to expand their skills and knowledge in another area, adding diversity to their resume. More Advanced in a Particular Area: Earning a master's degree allows students to pursue an advanced level of a subject, thus deepening their skills and knowledge.

Use Education Right Away: Master's graduates can use their education right after graduation, pursuing careers that require an advanced degree and specialized skill set.

Pursue Higher Salary Opportunities: Holding a master's degree allows professionals to pursue higher positions within their field or company. Students do not always choose to pursue a second degree at the same school they attended for their first degree. The original school may not offer the program they want to pursue; it may feature high tuition rates, or the student simply may want to start anew somewhere else.

Returning students opting for a different school should pay attention to these factors:. Graduates with completed a degree may qualify for a block transfer: that is, your new school acknowledges you have finished a degree, so it may check off your general education GE requirements. A block transfer is not guaranteed though. For example, if a student graduated with an English degree and transferred to a new program in biology that strictly needs specific biology-based GE courses, she may have to fulfill those GE requirements before moving on.

Before enrolling in a new school, meet with your academic advisor to see if you qualify for a block transfer, and determine steps you can take to get ahead of course requirements at your new school. Students can review the following information derived from The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System IPEDS outlining the five degree areas with the most returning students who identify as full-time, non-first-time students at four-year universities.

Students can review the guide below for each subject to learn more. Students pursuing their second college degree experience fewer financial aid options than first-time bachelor's students.

Because they have already earned a degree, returning students' eligibility lies mostly with work-study, scholarships, and loans. Students pursuing their second bachelor's degree can try to obtain federal Stafford loans, but they should keep in mind that their lifetime limit for these loans is based on their total time spent as an undergraduate.

Students who opt for a master's degree would realize a new lifetime limit. Students can use any leftover loan balance they have from their previous bachelor's degree program. In a field like nursing or computer science, you may find that to progress in your career, you need specific, specialized skills. You want to enter a leadership position. Some departments require you to have a degree in a related field, while others may be more flexible.

Many institutions may require applicants to take the GRE and submit test scores with their applications. The following points regarding the transfer of credits are relevant for many institutions: Transferring credits within the same state educational system can be fairly simple.

Many institutions impose a limit on the amount of time that has elapsed between the completion of the first degree and enrollment for the second for credit transfer eligibility. Some schools have formal interstate articulation agreements that enable the transfer of credits. Explore Your Options, and Go Back for a Second Degree The idea of going back for a second degree, or a third degree, often prompts much discussion.

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