Trinity sophomore Daniel Shatz recognizes the interdisciplinary aspects of medicine, and he's taking courses to ensure that he becomes a well-rounded physician. To balance the medical business with the art of doctoring, Shatz plans to major in both chemistry and economics. At Duke, he is not alone.
According to the 1998 senior survey, about one in three Duke undergraduates completed two majors. This number outdoes many of Duke's counterparts, said Assistant Dean of Trinity College Norman Keul, who oversees pre-major advising.
Indeed, Stanford University has a 14 percent double major rate among undergraduates, while the University of Pennsylvania boasts 16 percent. This discrepancy has raised questions about whether Duke students are exceptionally driven or if a Duke double major is exceptionally easy to achieve.
For example, Shatz said that once he was on his way to completing his pre-med requirements on top of his economics major, a chemistry degree became just a small jump-and a few courses-away.
"It seems like a practical thing to do, especially since you've already done half the work," he said.
Like Shatz, many students find that their original academic tracks overlap in different departments. In certain fields, students find that many of their courses can count toward more than one major.
For example, majors in comparative area studies are required to concentrate in specific global regions; this entails coursework in regional languages, as well as in relevant humanities and social sciences. About 70 percent of CAS majors are actually double majors.
"It is relatively easy for CAS majors to pick up another major, as many courses can count for both," said Martin Lewis, associate research professor of CAS. "Most of [them] have CAS as their first major, and do a second major in a language or a social science."
However, other schools do not make it quite as simple to pick up extra majors.
Stanford, for example, has a strict policy that does not allow double majors to take any overlapping courses.
"Students who double major often end up graduating after five years," said Paddy McGowan, director of institutional research at Stanford. "This seems to deter several students from double majoring."
At the University of Pennsylvania, rules regarding double majors are much more flexible, requiring a minimum of 18 courses without more than four that overlap.
Indeed, certain policies at Penn encourage students to double major. The romance languages department, for example, lowers the number of required courses for students who also major in another department.
Regardless of convenience, some students opt for double majors because their interests are equally divided.
"One of the reasons is that Duke offers a great variety of courses and programs, and students find themselves equally attracted to more than one subject," said Bob Thompson, dean of undergraduate affairs.
Shatz, the economics and chemistry major, noted that a background in economics would enable him to manage insurance issues more effectively. "It's not just medicine," Shatz explained. "These days there's a lot more you have to know in order to provide the best care to patients."
At Penn, administrators note that double majors can have added benefits for students in certain fields. "Many companies view students who double major as individuals who are not only intelligent, but who also have enough focus and determination to major in two fields," said Beth Hagoravsky, associate director for student affairs at Penn's Wharton School. "They interpret that as evidence that these individuals will be hard workers."
Because Stanford's requirements for double majoring are more rigorous, administrators agree that double majoring should be the choice for only the most committed students.
"I tell students that if they really do have an equal interest in two areas, they should consider a double major," said Susan Zare, Stanford's senior academic adviser. "Even then they should realize that they are making a choice between breadth and depth."
The question of breadth versus depth concerns Duke administrators, too. Keul said that by double majoring, students give themselves fewer slots for elective classes.
"The more you tie yourself to a major, the more you restrict yourself in taking advantage of other opportunities," Keul said.
Another driving force behind Duke's large number of double majors is competition for prestigious slots in the job world.
Keul said many students are concerned with packing their credentials, and therefore rob themselves of the well-rounded college experiences achieved through taking courses in a variety of fields.
"Many students are insecure about the future, and they feel that they need to cover all the bases," he said.
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