Getting a second bachelor's degree

[shadeofgreen]

I recently decided I was going to go back to school for a degree in journalism. I graduated from college with a BS in 2003, but in a completely unrelated field and I kind of wish I'd double majored.

I know there's a lot of reasons not to do this, but I'm feeling committed and going with it. Or I was, until someone asked me if I would actually be able to transfer my credits from my previous college education. After all, I've already used those credits toward one degree.

I honestly hadn't thought about that.

So, does anyone know how that works? Can I use credits from one degree program that I've already sucessfully completed toward a new degree? I'm thinking mostly in terms of core classes (though I did get a journalism minor when I went to school before...)

Sorry if this thread is in the wrong place...

[wordsmith]

I'm not sure. I do know that if you're looking to work in journalism, you don't necessarily need a degree in it (at least, not print journalism, can't speak to TV/radio). My entire editorial staff is composed of English majors. My buddy who is my counterpart at a semi-rival paper has a Physics degree, but always liked to write. My brother is a freelance journalist and has a degree in English. One of my friends from undergrad went to grad school for journalism, but only because he was a Peace Corps Fellow, and the PC paid for it...when he started, he had a degree in English and French. Another undergrad buddy who was the editor of the college paper, and went on to work in newspapers post-graduation, and his degree was in history and poli-sci.

[dacrunkest]

What is your current degree? Like WS said it may allow you to do what you want without shelling out the extra money for another degree. Also, if you are dead set on going back to school, you may want to check out the graduate programs for journalism - that way instead of getting another bachelors, you are upgrading to a higher degree. However, I don't know how many journalists have a Masters in Journalism, so I will defer the experts on this one...

I am not sure what they teach in j-school...I think that most writers probably have the talent coming in, but what do I know.

[wordsmith]

What is your current degree? Like WS said it may allow you to do what you want without shelling out the extra money for another degree. Also, if you are dead set on going back to school, you may want to check out the graduate programs for journalism - that way instead of getting another bachelors, you are upgrading to a higher degree. However, I don't know how many journalists have a Masters in Journalism, so I will defer the experts on this one...

They're not that commonly obtained within the field, because they don't really do much for your earning power to offset the cost of obtaining them. I know people who have them, but they're not generally considered necessary, and don't have the same earning power payoff, generally speaking, that continued degrees in other fields have.

Journalists both with and without journalism degrees will across the board agree that the bulk of your learning is on-the-job, not that specialized training ever hurts.

[cheshrcarol]

I would highly advise against this. You probably won't make enough money to justify the 2nd degree and experience/writing ability is the most important factor in the field. You'd be best off trying to write for a local community news type paper and learning from that. Or, if you insist on taking classes, just take them individually. Getting a 2nd BA will likely require you to take several unrelated classes that will be a waste of $$$.

BTW, I have a BA in journalism and while I learned a ton of valuable information, including how to construct a news article, it's not the only way to go for a job in the field.

[capella]

I second what Carol said. My degree is in journalism and I wish I had studied something else. I don't even really use my specialized training anymore. Experience matters so much more than any degree you have. If you want to be in print journalism then you need to start building clips. Period. The degree is useless paper and a waste of money you will definitely not be earning back in this field. I highly suspect that you will regret it if you do go for the degree.

[NewMrs.]

I recently decided I was going to go back to school for a degree in journalism. I graduated from college with a BS in 2003, but in a completely unrelated field and I kind of wish I'd double majored.

I know there's a lot of reasons not to do this, but I'm feeling committed and going with it. Or I was, until someone asked me if I would actually be able to transfer my credits from my previous college education. After all, I've already used those credits toward one degree.

I honestly hadn't thought about that.

So, does anyone know how that works? Can I use credits from one degree program that I've already sucessfully completed toward a new degree? I'm thinking mostly in terms of core classes (though I did get a journalism minor when I went to school before...)

Sorry if this thread is in the wrong place...


One of my friend's got a bachelor's degree in Music Education, then decided that she didn't really want to be a music teacher. She enrolled at a different college to get a second bachelor's degree, this time in Music Therapy. This particular school had a Music Therapy program designed specifically for people who already had one bachelor's degree. The program was designed so that the students would go to college full-time for an additional 3 or 4 semesters, then they would do an internship for a semester, and then they could apply for professional certification. So this program took my friend an additional two years on top of the four years that she had spent for her first bachelor's degree.

You may want to search for colleges in your area that offer bachelor's degree programs designed for people who already have one bachelor's degree.

[shadeofgreen]

I thought about grad school after I graduated from college (for grad school's sake, I admit, not because I thought an advanced degree would get me an amazing new job) but there isn't a journalism or related graduate program here. I could go somewhere else, but I was trying to take advantage of in-state tuition.

Part of my motivation for going back to school was that I figured it would give me contacts for networking and access to internships in the field that are only open to current students with related majors.

I have some published articles from a couple of summers covering horse shows for a regional horse magazine. I also have a few pieces from college journalism classes. I've applied at local newspapers with discouraging results, and it seems there are a lot of internship opportunities out there for students that would be a good stepping stone.

Also, I kind of just miss being a student. Is that a good reason? Maybe not, but there it is.

I think I just threadjacked my own thread.

[capella]

A journalism degree won't necessarily get you more contacts or any contacts that will pan out. Have you considered freelancing? If you already have some clips you might be able to get some bites if you go in looking to freelance. Did you try local weekly community papers or perhaps an alternative paper? Major papers would probably not be a good place to start. The more rural you get the more likely you are to get a shot at something. I still disagree that going back to school will benefit you in the long run. Journalism is not a financial goldmine and more college debt will become an issue.

[wordsmith]

Also, I kind of just miss being a student. Is that a good reason? Maybe not, but there it is.

This is def. true of me, but I personally decided it wasn't a good enough reason to accrue more educational debt on its own. Believe me, I'd be a permastudent in a heartbeat in a world with unlimited resources. I take cheapie community college classes when I feel starved for being a student (film class was fun.).

[cameralady]

This is def. true of me, but I personally decided it wasn't a good enough reason to accrue more educational debt on its own. Believe me, I'd be a permastudent in a heartbeat in a world with unlimited resources. I take cheapie community college classes when I feel starved for being a student (film class was fun.).

I agree with this whole-heartedly. Going to school for school's sake is fun, but at some point, the return you get on the investment (especially if you are paying out of pocket or taking out loans) may not be justified by the cost of the program.

There are a number of alumni from my alma mater's student newspaper (which was very good, by the way) who managed to get into the business after graduation-and my school didn't even have a journalism major.

ETA: If you must go the second-bachelor's route, see if you can find a postbac program that only requires you to take major credits (and not those seemingly random general requirements).

[wordsmith]

There are a number of alumni from my alma mater's student newspaper (which was very good, by the way) who managed to get into the business after graduation-and my school didn't even have a journalism major.


Same...we had a school paper (which I DIDN'T write for except for occasional letters to the editor), but no journalism program.

[weary]

I recently decided I was going to go back to school for a degree in journalism. I graduated from college with a BS in 2003, but in a completely unrelated field and I kind of wish I'd double majored.

I know there's a lot of reasons not to do this, but I'm feeling committed and going with it. Or I was, until someone asked me if I would actually be able to transfer my credits from my previous college education. After all, I've already used those credits toward one degree.

I honestly hadn't thought about that.

So, does anyone know how that works? Can I use credits from one degree program that I've already sucessfully completed toward a new degree? I'm thinking mostly in terms of core classes (though I did get a journalism minor when I went to school before...)

Sorry if this thread is in the wrong place...

i didn't read the replies so sorry if someone already answered your question, but i just wanted to say that yes, you can use your gen ed/core courses (for the most part) towards a second bachelors. just look up whatever schools you are applying to policies on transfer credits. you would pretty much apply like a transfer student. this what i'm looking into right now (although not journalism) and what i've been told repeatedly by the schools i've contacted.

[shadeofgreen]

I take cheapie community college classes when I feel starved for being a student (film class was fun.).
I'm taking photo class right now and it's been kind of helpful. Class is pretty much just darkroom time rather than structured instruction, so it's more of a creative outlet than an intellectual endeavor. I did look into classes at the nearby community college and didn't find much that piqued my interest (except that I suddenly had the momentary desire to become a carpenter. At least that associate's degree would be useful even if it never became a job.)

Weary, thanks for answering my question! :haha: I tried calling the admissions office today and I happened to call right at 4:30, which is their closing time. I'm two days from the preferred application date. I'm already on a roll with this thing. :rolleyes:

[weary]

shade, your welcome. don't worry about it! the school's not going anywhere! ;)

the school's i've looked at have dates ranging from diff strict ones to completely rolling admissions, and others in between. if you really want to do it, you'll find a way. poke around on their website in the transfer student sections as much as you can too.

good luck!

[fuzmiq]

i am considering getting a second bachelor's in a language which is what i wanted to do first anyway. I am all about getting the second bachelor's if it is not gonna set you into a bigger world of debt.

[skyesque]

here are a few more thoughts to add. i'm currently going through this process -- i already have my journalism degree and want to get a degree in spanish -- though it was a no-brainer for me because credits are free for me (i work for a university).

• sometimes rather than getting a second degree, you can just "add a major" to your existing degree. this is what i'm doing. it's saving me from having to get a lot of gen eds that i don't need.

• i agree with previous posters about transfer credits. most university web sites have these easily accessible, and probably at least a few of your journalism classes will transfer.

• i agree with previous posters about j-school. journalism school really won't teach you as much as having real-life experience will. and real-life experience -- especially if you really want to be a journalist and not just a college student -- is way more fun, anyway. if you want to just be a student, why not go for a degree that will help you financially -- maybe some kind of business degree? this could complement your journalism skills while giving you the ability to diversify your knowledge base.

[shadeofgreen]

In case anyone's curious, I did get in touch with the office of admissions, and they waive core requirements for students who have already completed a bachelor's degree. And if I have classes that relate to my intended major (which I should, since I did get a journalism minor) they will tranfer as well. Obviously this makes the whole thing a lot easier for me.

[dave134]

Just wanted to say I am doing this right now. I started in May and will finish this December. Journalism may require experience more than education, though, so you should consider that. I kinda had to go back if I wanted to do what I wanted to do. Let me know if you have any questions. Also, I will say I'm not quite 25 yet and I still feel like college "kids" are rather immature and I'm lonely here, but it's a very small town so YMMV.

[fuzmiq]

i am 25 and have to agree that the college "kids" at my school are in a different world than me. i hang out with noone from school. all my friends are my age or older and from outside school.

[NewMrs.]

i am 25 and have to agree that the college "kids" at my school are in a different world than me. i hang out with noone from school. all my friends are my age or older and from outside school.


That reminds me of this story written by David Sedaris where he gets a gig teaching creative writing at an art school. He mentions that there is one older woman in his class who recently got divorced and is his only non-traditional student. He then defines "non-traditional student" as "one whose social life does not revolve around the college cafetaria."

[Kitty]

I definitely think that getting a second degree in journalism is a bad idea. If you're a fairly good writer, you should be able to get a gig at a really small paper and you could build up samples from there. Your ability and your samples are going to speak a lot louder than a degree.

[capella]

I definitely think that getting a second degree in journalism is a bad idea. If you're a fairly good writer, you should be able to get a gig at a really small paper and you could build up samples from there. Your ability and your samples are going to speak a lot louder than a degree.
I think the OP has made up her mind (his? I assume it's her). Getting another degree is even more of a waste since you already have the minor. I don't understand why you're so bent on spending more money for a degree that will do little or nothing to help you on your career path. I'm all for going to school. I liked it so much I never really left... just changed roles. And while I would LOVE to be getting my MA in English Literature..... I know that in the long run that won't help me further anything. So I'm going for my M.Ed., which I know will help me in my career. I would seriously rethink this unless for some reason you have lots of time and money at your disposal.

[nikorock28]

I think the OP has made up her mind (his? I assume it's her). Getting another degree is even more of a waste since you already have the minor. I don't understand why you're so bent on spending more money for a degree that will do little or nothing to help you on your career path. I'm all for going to school. I liked it so much I never really left... just changed roles. And while I would LOVE to be getting my MA in English Literature..... I know that in the long run that won't help me further anything. So I'm going for my M.Ed., which I know will help me in my career. I would seriously rethink this unless for some reason you have lots of time and money at your disposal.

I know nothing about journalism, but I believe the posters on this thread. How much of an advantage is having a major in journalism as opposed to a minor in journalism? Also, don't many people land jobs in journalism who don't even have a journalism background (ie. a degree in English, comparative literature, language, etc.)? Just wondering. Getting a second degree to network seems like a poor reason to me.

If you decide to go back you have to fully realize the cost associated with it. Lets say it takes you 1.5 yrs full-time to complete the degree. I have no idea how much this will cost tuition-wise, but I will assume $15,000. This means going back to school will cost you $15,000 PLUS the cost of working full-time for those 1.5 years. To me, that is a huge price to pay. Also, if you take out loans for that $15,000, the real cost will be much more due to interest.

[playingbyheart]

I thought about grad school after I graduated from college (for grad school's sake, I admit, not because I thought an advanced degree would get me an amazing new job) but there isn't a journalism or related graduate program here. I could go somewhere else, but I was trying to take advantage of in-state tuition.

Part of my motivation for going back to school was that I figured it would give me contacts for networking and access to internships in the field that are only open to current students with related majors.

I have some published articles from a couple of summers covering horse shows for a regional horse magazine. I also have a few pieces from college journalism classes. I've applied at local newspapers with discouraging results, and it seems there are a lot of internship opportunities out there for students that would be a good stepping stone.

Also, I kind of just miss being a student. Is that a good reason? Maybe not, but there it is.

I think I just threadjacked my own thread.

"I just miss being a student" is a bad reason to go back to school. Getting an additional education is a better reason. Instead of getting a second bachelors, can you enroll in journalism classes without being a full-time student? Ie, can you just take a few basic news writing courses to obtain the education without having to waste all the time & money on a second bachelors?

There are some fields where a second bachelor's makes sense... like if you majored in history and suddenly want to become a brain surgeon. But for journalism, the most important "experience" is field experience. The best idea of all is to get an internship at a local newspaper. You might have to work for free, but that's still cheaper than the cost of a second bachelor's. good luck!

[cameralady]

"I just miss being a student" is a bad reason to go back to school. Getting an additional education is a better reason.
I think the typical undergraduate student experience is something that can only be experienced once. Once that period has passed, it's nearly impossible to go back too that.

Getting additional education for the sake of learning is a noble motivation, but it only makes sense when you can pay for it, and whether the education is worth the investment.

[shadeofgreen]

It's fairly inexpensive at the school I applied to since I'm an in-state resident. My parents have offered to help with the expenses should I end up back in school whether as an undergrad or grad student.

I'm not looking to recapture my undergraduate glory days. I think I was misinterpreted earlier in the thread. I'll be going part time and living off campus; the appeal of being a student for me lies with the prospect of learning something and getting started on a new path. It's not about the toga parties.

Everyone's input has been noted, and will likely be ignored. Thanks to the people (person?) who attempted to help me with the question I actually did ask.

[wordsmith]

Well, whatever. I'm not really out anything by letting you know that you in no way need a journalism degree to work in journalism, so I guess being ignored is really no skin off my butt.

[texasgirl]

Everyone's input has been noted, and will likely be ignored. Thanks to the people (person?) who attempted to help me with the question I actually did ask.
Well, as a working journalist, I can tell you that I learned 99% of my journalism skills from working at a newspaper, not from my degree. Even though I have a bachelor's and master's in journalism, I started out at a small community paper making just over $20K. I'm leaving my paper now to teach high school, and my publisher just posted my job online. The requirements? A high school diploma and clips. Sad, b/c I like to think that they'll hire someone with at least a bachelor's, but there it is. Just want to give you fair warning before you spend time and money that could probably be better invested in your career. Good luck no matter what you decide to do, though :)

[Kitty]

Actually, a degree in journalism will probably be a bigger selling point to almost any job other than a journalism job.

[capella]

It's fairly inexpensive at the school I applied to since I'm an in-state resident. My parents have offered to help with the expenses should I end up back in school whether as an undergrad or grad student.

I'm not looking to recapture my undergraduate glory days. I think I was misinterpreted earlier in the thread. I'll be going part time and living off campus; the appeal of being a student for me lies with the prospect of learning something and getting started on a new path. It's not about the toga parties.

Everyone's input has been noted, and will likely be ignored. Thanks to the people (person?) who attempted to help me with the question I actually did ask.
It's your money so whatever. I think it is rather foolish to ignore what people are telling you, but you know, like words said... no skin off my butt.

[AshleyJordan]

Why not try for a Master's in journalism, then?

[nikorock28]

Threadjack question: If you have already committed to going back to school, doesn't it make sense that you know EXACTLY how many of your prior college courses can be considered credit towards the second degree? I mean, that seems like a big piece of the puzzle to me. I don't see how you can commit to obtaining a second degree without knowing this vital piece of information. Just wondering is all. I am not attacking the OP.

[shadeofgreen]

Well, I'm not committed. I've pretty well made up my mind, but I've only applied at this point...haven't enrolled yet or even been accepted.

I'll find out how many of my credits will transfer before I enroll so that I can find out how long it's going to take, etc. But honestly I don't feel like I need to have an exact number at this point. I know that I don't have to take any classes that are not related to the major, and I want to take those classes that are for the major. I'm going back to school to take classes, after all...

As for the ignoring advice bit, I didn't mean it in the plugging my ears and singing "I can't hear you!" sort of way. I just mean it as a matter of fact. If I had wanted to know what everyone here thought about getting a second bachelor's degree I certainly would have asked.

[weary]

Threadjack question: If you have already committed to going back to school, doesn't it make sense that you know EXACTLY how many of your prior college courses can be considered credit towards the second degree? I mean, that seems like a big piece of the puzzle to me. I don't see how you can commit to obtaining a second degree without knowing this vital piece of information. Just wondering is all. I am not attacking the OP.
it really varies by school though. i'm doing this research now...but i'm really anal and like organizing information. on top of that it would make me crazy not knowing how much i could apply to each school/program i'm looking into. i'm weird like that...i require a ton of information. yes, it's a big piece of the puzzle, but most ppl don't want to go into infomation overload (i do this to myself quite a bit), and just want a general idea before they apply. i don't think there's anything wrong with that approach, so long as they know something and aren't going in blind.

as for the whole don't-go-back-to-school-for-journalism issue...i actually agree with what other posters have said (especially when you consider that some of them work IN the field and have firsthand knowledge). i didn't say it b/c i can empathize with the OP on getting a bunch of sh*t when you say you're going to get a second bachelor degree (in any field) instead of a masters...and it's not what he asked about. not saying you guys are being shitty (b/c i don't think you are), but i guess i'm sensitive to it b/c ppl IRL have been to me.

[wordsmith]

For the record, my response would have been the same had it been a master's in journalism that was being discussed rather than a bachelor's. But, neither here nor there.

[weary]

For the record, my response would have been the same had it been a master's in journalism that was being discussed rather than a bachelor's. But, neither here nor there.
yeah, i get that. and agree. like i said...i'm just sensitive to the second bachelor's issue.

[capella]

For the record, my response would have been the same had it been a master's in journalism that was being discussed rather than a bachelor's. But, neither here nor there.
Mine too. I've seen enough of that field to know experience will get you much more than a degree. I doubt my old newspaper bosses even cared that I had a degree. It was a token really. They were much more interested in my clips and the results of the editing tests I had to take to get to the second interview. It's just not a field that pays enough to require advanced education. What is your major in your first degree? I honestly just wanted to give you solid advice based on my experience in that particular field. The extra degree isn't going to help you.

[jenny_k]

i didn't read the replies so sorry if someone already answered your question, but i just wanted to say that yes, you can use your gen ed/core courses (for the most part) towards a second bachelors. just look up whatever schools you are applying to policies on transfer credits. you would pretty much apply like a transfer student. this what i'm looking into right now (although not journalism) and what i've been told repeatedly by the schools i've contacted.


also agreed. a friend of mine graduated in public relations and a year later realized she wanted to go into nursing. all of her gen ed clases transferred and she only had to complete the major classes. she is graduating this summer, taking her a total of 1.5 yrs. im going back as well because i wish to get licensed as a teacher. so i have to take those professional teaching classes and do student teaching and such. i was an economics graduate and want to teach social studies, so i will have alot that will transfer.
in journalism, given i dont know much about it, i would guess that its more about experience and perhaps freelance work. but if you feel that those classes will enhance your skills and make you a better candidate, then go for it!!!!