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Add or Remove Dual Degree Program

The procedure to request to Add or Remove a Dual Bachelor’s Degree Program is similar to the inter-school transfer procedure. The same policies and deadlines are used to add, and each school separately reviews the student’s application. A declared dual degree program can be dropped at any time.

Applications

2023-24 Deadlines

Deadlines to Add or Remove a Dual Degree Program
Term First day to apply Last day to submit completed request (through step 3 below)
Fall 2023 Sept. 19, 2023 12 pm (noon), October 13, 2023
Winter 2024 Jan. 3, 2024 12 pm (noon) January 26, 2024
Spring 2024 March 26, 2024 12 pm (noon) April 19, 2024

Approved dual-degree programs

The Undergraduate Catalog should be consulted for further details.

  • Bienen Bachelor of Music/McCormick Bachelor of Science
  • Bienen Bachelor of Arts in Music/McCormick Bachelor of Science
  • Bienen Bachelor of Music/Medill Bachelor of Science in Journalism
  • Bienen Bachelor of Music/SESP Bachelor of Science in Education
  • Bienen Bachelor of Arts in Music/SESP Bachelor of Science in Education
  • Bienen Bachelor of Music/SoC Bachelor of Arts in Communication
  • Bienen Bachelor of Music/SoC Bachelor of Science in Communication
  • Bienen Bachelor of Arts in Music/Soc Bachelor of Arts in Communication
  • Bienen Bachelor of Arts in Music/SoC Bachelor of Science in Communication
  • SoC Bachelor of Arts in Communication/McCormick Bachelor of Science
  • SoC Bachelor of Science in Communication/McCormick Bachelor of Science
  • Weinberg Bachelor of Arts/Bienen Bachelor of Music
  • Weinberg Bachelor of Arts/McCormick Bachelor of Science

Policies

  • Approval of the addition of a dual-degree program is contingent upon satisfactory performance in the current school. If a student is on academic probation at the end of the term, probation may continue in the new school.
  • The program addition is not in effect until final grades are posted and any pending charges of academic dishonesty have been resolved.
  • Approved dual-degree program additions take effect at the beginning of the following quarter. Students may initiate the addition of a dual-degree program in the first week of a Fall, Winter or Spring term to be effective the following term; steps 1, 2 and 3 of the “Procedures” listed below must be completed  by the Wednesday of the fifth week of the term. Quarter-specific deadlines are listed below.  Students will be notified of a decision in time to plan for registration for the upcoming term.
  • The deadlines below are relevant for currently enrolled students wishing to ADD a dual-degree program.  Currently enrolled students are allowed to drop a declared dual-bachelor’s degree program at any time, so no deadline is established.

Procedures for requesting to ADD a dual-degree program

  1. Complete and submit the online Application to Add or Remove a Dual Bachelor’s Degree Program. You and your current school receive an email confirming the successful submission of your application.
  2. Obtain acknowledgement of your request from your current Undergraduate school to add the new program per the procedure below. When this is complete, your proposed school receives an email from your current school acknowledging your desire to add a dual-degree program. Please note: The schools listed below are only those that offer currently approved dual-degree programs.
    Procedure for Acknowledging Dual-Degree Application
    Undergraduate school Procedure for acknowledging dual-degree application

    Bienen School of Music

    McCormick School of Engineering

    Medill School of Journalism, Media, & Integrated Marketing Communications

    • Contacts you for a brief conversation to discuss addition of dual degree.
    • Submits acknowledgement of your request to add dual degree via the online form.

    Weinberg College of Arts & Sciences (WCAS)

    School of Communication

    School of Education and Social Policy

    • Submits acknowledgement of your request to add dual degree via the online form.
  3. Obtain approval of addition of dual degree by proposed new Undergraduate school per the procedure below. When this is complete, your proposed new school submits an online approval or denial of your request to add a dual-degree program.
Added school’s procedure for approving or denying dual-degree application
Undergraduate school & contact information Added school’s procedure for approving or denying dual-degree application

School of Education & Social Policy (SESP)
Office of Student Affairs
SESPSAO@northwestern.edu

  1. You must attend a mandatory information session (info sessions take place at the SESP offices every weekday at 3:30 p.m.)
Bienen School of Music
Office of Student Affairs
musiclife@northwestern.edu
847-491-3141
  1. You must audition and be accepted into Bienen School of Music. Admission into the Bachelor of Music programs is only available for a Spring application/Fall acceptance. Other programs are available in all terms.

  2. After audition and admission, you receive an email with an official letter of acceptance.

  3. Follow instructions contained in your letter of acceptance (e.g., contact appropriate dean regarding required meeting).
McCormick School of Engineering
Undergraduate Engineering Office
h-bacon@northwestern.edu
847-491-7379
  1. You must schedule a mandatory 30-minute meeting to verify reasons for adding a dual degree and to create a preliminary course audit and plan.

  2. You must sign McCormick’s academic integrity agreement as well as an agreement to complete all courses with a grade of C or better.
Medill School of Journalism, Media, & Integrated Marketing Communications
Medill Undergraduate Journalism Program
847-467-2095
  1. You must successfully complete JOUR 201-1. Contact Medill Student Life to be added to the course waitlist for an upcoming term.

  2. Once the course has been completed and you are applying to transfer schools, you must schedule a mandatory meeting with the director of the undergraduate program to review your dual-degree application.
School of CommunicationStudent Resource Center
dear-soc@northwestern.edu
847-491-7214
  1. You must schedule a mandatory meeting with a School of Communication Advisor. You must call the telephone number at left to schedule a mandatory meeting with a School of Communication adviser.
Weinberg College of Arts & Sciences (WCAS)
Office of Undergraduate Studies and Advising
1908 Sheridan Road
847-491-8916
  1. You must schedule a mandatory meeting with a WCAS College Advisor.
  1. Once all of the above steps for your proposed new school have been followed, you receive notification from your proposed new school approving or denying your request to add a dual-degree program.
  2. As noted above, the addition is NOT in effect until final grades from the current term are posted and any pending charges of academic dishonesty have been resolved.

Procedures for requesting to REMOVE a declared dual-degree program

  1. Complete and submit the online Application to Remove a Dual Bachelor’s Degree Program. You and the school whose program you are removing receive an email confirming the successful submission of your request.
  2. Obtain acknowledgement of request to drop program by school you are leaving per the procedure below. Please note: The schools listed below are only those that offer currently approved dual-degree programs.
Procedure for Acknowledging Dual-Degree Application
Undergraduate school Procedure for acknowledging dual-degree application

Bienen School of Music

McCormick School of Engineering

Medill School of Journalism Media, & Integrated Marketing Communications

  • Contacts you for a brief conversation to discuss removal of dual degree.
  • Submits acknowledgement of your request to drop dual degree via the online application.

Weinberg College of Arts & Sciences (WCAS)

School of Communication

School of Education and Social Policy

  • Submits acknowledgement of your request to drop dual degree via the online application.

Procedures for requesting to CHANGE one program in a currently declared dual-degree program

  1. Complete and submit the online Application to Add a Dual Bachelor’s Degree Program. You and the school whose program you are requesting to remove receive an email confirming the successful submission of your application.
  2. Obtain acknowledgement of request to remove program by school you are leaving per the procedure named in the “School’s Procedure for Acknowledging Removing a Dual-Degree Program” table above. When this is complete, the proposed new school receives an email from the school you are leaving acknowledging your desire to drop the other program.
  3. Obtain approval of addition of new dual-degree program by proposed new Undergraduate school per the procedure named in the “Added School’s Procedure for Approving or Denying Dual-Degree Application” table above. When this is complete, your proposed new school submits an online approval or denial of your request to add a dual-degree program.
  4. Once all of the above steps for your proposed new school have been followed, you receive notification from your proposed new school approving or denying your request to add a dual-degree program.
  5. As noted above, the change of program is NOT in effect until final grades from the current term are posted and any pending charges of academic dishonesty have been resolved.