MILK IT FOR ALL IT'S WORTH

[dutchpink]

Talking with Laura prompted me to look into dual degrees at UMass again, and where I'd thought you needed the two majors plus 60 credits, you need the two majors plus 30. Basically, if I just stay all four years I can take it easy as a senior, get degrees in Spanish and Linguistics, and still take French.

Hahaha. Hah. Ha.

TAKE IT IN THE FACE,

Comments

[aspasia02]

I feel somewhat like your advisor again..

yay!! congrats. It's totally worth doing, and not many people end up with the credits to hack it under 6 years.

[dutchpink]

Hey, speaking of being my advisor- do you know much about doing this? There is no information whatsoever on the website aside from one confusing little paragraph.

[aspasia02]

I don't know much, but my senior year boyfriend did it, so I have bits and pieces. To the best of my knowledge you just take the extra credits and file paperwork with Whitmore once you've done it, or to put off graduation if you need extra time. Sort of like declaring a minor, I think it's done mostly after the fact. Not many people do it, which is probaby why you're having a hard time finding anything.

What did the paragraph say?

[dutchpink]

It just said that there was paperwork to file and that "all credits must be earned while in residency at UMass Amherst." So that may mean that even though my Spain trip will have two classes counting toward my Spanish major, the 6 credits won't help. Which is BULLSHIT. Plus, 3 of my credits are from AP Psych in high school, and I'm assuming that those wouldn't count either. So I would need two more 21 credit semesters to do it in 4 years, which is okay, but trickier than I'd thought initially. I wrote them a letter to ask about it, but man what crap if those credits don't count.

[aspasia02]

*frowns*

Well, it may not be a total indicator, but if it makes you feel any better, my ex did it after having been a transfer student. He took an extra year, but I can't imagine that his credits from UCIrvine didn't factor in there somewhere.

But that is a bit frustrating. I hope they don't screw you on that. I mean... if you earn the credits, you earn the credits. Don't penalize someone who has actually done the work.

[dutchpink]

Yeah seriously- it's like you sign up to do a shitload more work so they make it as hard as possible. Even if the NINE weird credits I'll have (Spain, AP credit) disappear, I'm fine with taking 21 credits more than once. This semester I'm doing that but I only technically have 6 classes, not 7. One is just worth double but it's fucking elementary French so I doubt I'll even notice the difference. Frankly I think if I can take 17 credits and do marching band or 18 and theatre I'll be okay. :P Oi, what a pain in the butt, eh?

[dutchpink]

I just found this:

1) A minimum of 120 credits (128-136 for Engineering majors), at least 45 of which must be earned in residence. For this purpose, residence credits are defined as being credits earned for work done while registered on the Amherst campus of the University of Massachusetts or while enrolled in one of the University's formal exchange programs. In addition, students generally must complete their final year in residence, residence in this sense meaning continuous enrollment and regular attendance in classes conducted on the Amherst campus.

Well, that makes it sound like if I lost anything it would just be those 3 AP credits and maybe even that wouldn't happen. Sweet. :)

[aspasia02]

I'm not sure about the AP credits, but for Spain it looks like you're all set. Congrats!