Multiply your opportunities with a UNSW double degree
Get more choice, more career opportunities and more knowledge with a double degree at UNSW.
Despite the name, a double degree doesn’t mean double the time or workload.
Uni is a time for growth and exploration and we’re here to help you find a path that is uniquely yours. Double degrees allow you to combine your interests and carve out a career path that is connected to your personal passions. Stand out when you graduate and boost your employability with the added perspective of a second discipline and specialist skillset that will set you apart.
Available across all six faculties
Complete an extra degree in as little as one extra year
Over 100 double degree options to choose from
- Undergraduate
- Undergraduate through to postgraduate
- Postgraduate
Combine your interests and carve a unique career path connected to your talents and passions. Undergraduate double degrees allow you to focus on two areas of expertise, either from similar disciplines in the same faculty or two contrasting but complementary fields.
With a double degree, you'll choose from complementary or contrasting degrees to give you sought-after knowledge and skills. You'll get to look at topics from multiple perspectives, building a richer understanding than the two degrees alone.
In a competitive graduate job market, employers are looking for the unexpected – graduates that can bring unique skill sets and approach problems in new ways. With two recognised degrees, you'll have the edge over other graduates when looking for work.
Why study an undergraduate double degree?
We know each of our students has unique potential and different interests and doesn’t always fit in a neat box (or single degree!). This means our students choose double degrees for a range of reasons that help them reach their goals. Hear from some of our students to find out why they chose their second degree.
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Double degrees are a great way to dive deeper into topics that complement your specialisation. Two degrees that are closely aligned in a field or industry, such as a Bachelor of Social Work (Honours)/Social Sciences, can allow you to gain an all-around perspective and highly specialised skills.
For example, if you’re studying a Bachelor of Commerce/Bachelor of Computer Science, you’ll be gaining in-depth theoretical and practical expertise in computer systems and tools while grounding your understanding of business principles in the Bachelor of Commerce.
“I chose to study a double degree because my future career goal is to work in the mineral mining industry. I’ve been able to learn all about processing equipment design and optimisation as part of my Chemical Engineering degree and about mineral structures and physical landforms in my Geography degree. It’s a perfect combination of skills to take into a graduate role in the mining industry.”
Adam Halmy, Bachelor of Engineering/Bachelor of Advanced Science (Honours)
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A broad education doesn’t mean losing detail. It adds to your understanding and allows for cross-disciplinary learning where what you learn in one degree will bolster your other. You may be very clear about what you want to learn and what you want to achieve. For those passionate about an issue, double degrees offer an opportunity to gain a deeper understanding.
For example, a double degree in Bachelor of Law and Bachelor of Science will allow you to study today’s environmental challenges from two distinct perspectives. You'll gain a nuanced understanding of the challenges, the interdependencies, the compromises and, ultimately, the opportunities to make a difference.
Our Bachelor of Education (Secondary) and Bachelor of Laws (LLB) programs enable you to shape a field of knowledge to your wider interests and that is why they’re only offered as double degrees. It means our graduates can pursue their passion as a practising teacher or lawyer but benefit from pairing their skills with the wider knowledge and context of a complementary field and profession.
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If you’ve got a passion that you’re not willing to give up, or you want to add an edge to your skill set and stand out in the career market, double degrees are a great way to use your time at university to your advantage.
Double degrees allow you to expand your understanding of two study areas at the same time, so you can explore your passions while gaining recognised qualifications.
Your passions might seem worlds apart, but bringing them together is where innovation happens. At UNSW, we encourage and nurture new ideas through initiatives at our Michael Crouch Innovation Centre, Founders Program, hackathons and more.
At UNSW, we recognise that the most unique challenges need unique answers. We’re here to encourage you to follow your passion and put it towards a purpose that will make a difference. Put your interests to work in a double degree that will encourage you to explore and develop your original thinking, skills and experiences.
“I’ve never wanted to do just a single degree, it’s more of a liberal education that I’ve wanted. Anywhere else, I have to do a major and minor system. What I was looking for in my degree was being able to study not just engineering but accounting, economics, management – things that would broaden my thinking. Since a child, I’ve always been called a jack of all trades. I thought I should capitalise on the fact that I can learn different things instead of just going into one area of study.”
Mohona Chakraborty, Bachelor of Engineering (Hons)/Bachelor of Commerce
Often known as a ‘vertical’ double degree, these programs combine a bachelor’s and master’s degree to provide advanced specialist knowledge. Offered in areas of Engineering and Medicine & Health, these double degrees prepare you for accreditation in your chosen profession sooner.
Why study an undergraduate and postgraduate double degree combination?
By studying these unique combinations, you'll be set up with a qualification package that provides a clear path from undergraduate to postgraduate study from the beginning. You'll graduate with two recognised qualifications that complement and build upon each other, opening opportunities for research, practical work-integrated learning and industry recognition.
By choosing a postgraduate double degree, you'll have the choice to study a range of disciplines suited to your career ambitions. Many programs will enable you to graduate with two master's degrees after just three years, or if you qualify for advanced standing in specific programs, you'll be able to complete both degrees in as little as a year and a half.
You'll graduate with two independently recognised degrees that offer in-depth knowledge with integrated skills across two distinct yet complementary areas.
Why study a postgraduate double degree?
Postgraduate double degree programs will prepare you to meet industry demand and advance your career. Combinations have been designed to efficiently provide you with critical technical skills and leading-edge knowledge in two complex disciplines that will enhance your career and leadership prospects.
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By completing the core courses of each degree at the same time, you can complete two qualifications in less time than if you studied them back-to-back. In most cases, a double degree only takes one to two years longer than a single degree.
Two degrees doesn’t mean double the workload. Each year you’ll complete the same number of units as a single degree, eight courses across three terms, or the part time equivalent if you choose flexible study options. Plus, you’ll have more diversity in the courses you’re studying, with different topics to help keep you engaged. This allows you to mix up your study schedule, assignment time and exam preparation.
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Whether you're just starting out in your career or advancing it, you’ll have an extra dimension of industry knowledge and skills that will appeal to employers. Double degrees open up the career options you'll have available when you graduate, as you'll stand out to employers as a graduate with a diverse and in-depth level of practical knowledge and skills. You’ll benefit from work-integrated learning placements and internships, where you’ll gain professional development and industry experience that you can then apply to different fields.
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A double degree, also referred to as a dual or combined degree, allows you to study two degrees at the same time. Double degrees at UNSW are available in all six faculties and combine programs from the same faculty for in-depth study in an area of interest or across two completely different faculties so you can follow your passions and broaden your knowledge. We have double degrees available in undergraduate, postgraduate or combination programs.
At graduation, you'll receive two certificates recognising the two qualifications you've earned.
Some of our most popular double degrees include:
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By combining two single degrees into a double degree, you’ll study focused courses in each program, allowing you to complete two degrees in less time^. See how this works in the example below, which shows which core courses you would complete in the sample double degree compared to the electives and other courses in two single degrees.
Undergraduate double degree example:
*Excluded courses completed in the single degree program only.
^Undergraduate double degrees vary in length, ranging from 4-6.7 years, depending on which programs are combined. Postgraduate double degrees can be completed in as little at 1.5 years depending on whether you qualify for advanced standing. -
A double degree will cost you more than studying a single degree alone, but you’ll be gaining an additional qualification and increase your career opportunities. Double degrees cost less than studying the same two degrees separately as single programs one after the other. This is due to fees being calculated by the courses (also known as units of credit (UOC)) you complete, which in a double degree can be as little as one additional year's course load.
Daunted by the length of a double degree?
Studying two degrees at once does require you to commit to extra time at uni, but it’ll help you launch into a career with two qualifications. Double degrees allow you to graduate a lot quicker than two separate degrees in as little as one or two additional years. But, if you’re driven to fast-track your degree, UNSW’s three-term calendar allows you to take nine courses per year and with an optional Summer Term so you can graduate sooner. Find out how to make your studies work for you with the flexibility and study options of UNSW 3+.
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Discover your perfect combination at UNSW and learn more about their entry requirements for domestic students and international students, course structure, key features and more.