How flexible are monashs degrees?

[spectroscopy]

Hi guys !!
i was just curious about something with monash's degrees and flexibility.
hypothetically speaking say you were in the arts scholars program, and in all your electives you finished enough subjects for a major in say physics, could you say to the faculty "hey guys, can i get a double degree in arts and science cos i pretty much did the whole double degree" or are they like "nah your electives dont get officialised(poor english i know)"
if you cant do that are there any other loopholes around such a problem?
thanks

[Lasercookie]

Completing that Arts degree with a major in physics by using your electives wouldn't count as a double degree. The BA requires 144 credit points, whilst the BA/BSc requires 192 credit points. If you take those 48 units of electives that the Monash BA allows, that'd be counted within those 144 credit points, not in addition to it.

For the latter part of the question, a Monash student will probably be able to provide the answer, but this paragraph from the handbook might be of interest

Of the total 144 points required, 96 points must be in the structure outlined in steps (a.) to (c.), and the remaining 48 points may be taken from disciplines in the Faculty of Arts or from disciplines outside the faculty. This means students can study a second major from the Arts faculty* or a major (equivalent) from another faculty. A major from a faculty other than Arts usually requires the permission of that faculty.

I'm guessing that last sentence is what would be needed for it to show up on your certificate / wherever your majors are listed.

edit: http://www.monash.edu.au/pubs/handbooks/courses/1638.html the BA Arts Scholars handbook page has the same quote too.

[m.Chemia]

Hi guys !!
i was just curious about something with monash's degrees and flexibility.
hypothetically speaking say you were in the arts scholars program, and in all your electives you finished enough subjects for a major in say physics, could you say to the faculty "hey guys, can i get a double degree in arts and science cos i pretty much did the whole double degree" or are they like "nah your electives dont get officialised(poor english i know)"
if you cant do that are there any other loopholes around such a problem?
thanks

All your majors completed will be list on your official transcript, (unlike UoM) even for physics major when doing the Bachelor of Arts. However, while you will have multiple majors, you won't have a "double degree" because a double degree normally requires 192 credit points (=32 units). But completing Bachelor of Arts of Scholar Program, you won't have enough credit points, not to mention the requirements for the double degree (eg, number of majors/minors in each degree, number of 1st/2nd/3rd units etc.)

Also, I know you are only giving an example, but one is not likely to be able to finish a physics major; apart from the 8 units for physics major, most of the 2nd/3rd physics units also have prerequisites of 3 or 4 maths units. On the other hand, completing a maths major or chemistry major is most likely possible.

[spectroscopy]

All your majors completed will be list on your official transcript, (unlike UoM) even for physics major when doing the Bachelor of Arts. However, while you will have multiple majors, you won't have a "double degree" because a double degree normally requires 192 credit points (=32 units). But completing Bachelor of Arts of Scholar Program, you won't have enough credit points, not to mention the requirements for the double degree (eg, number of majors/minors in each degree, number of 1st/2nd/3rd units etc.)

Also, I know you are only giving an example, but one is not likely to be able to finish a physics major; apart from the 8 units for physics major, most of the 2nd/3rd physics units also have prerequisites of 3 or 4 maths units. On the other hand, completing a maths major or chemistry major is most likely possible.

first - thanks for your help both of you
so it wouldnt work with physics but the idea overall is doable
just to confirm - so it wouldnt be a double degree, but employers, or for prospective masters admissions, people will look at your transcript and say "yep requirement = major in a quantitative discipline, bob has a b.a but one of his majors is math(for example) we can accept him"

[m.Chemia]

first - thanks for your help both of you
so it wouldnt work with physics but the idea overall is doable
just to confirm - so it wouldnt be a double degree, but employers, or for prospective masters admissions, people will look at your transcript and say "yep requirement = major in a quantitative discipline, bob has a b.a but one of his majors is math(for example) we can accept him"

Theoretically that could work, but it is really up to the employers or masters admission people. After all, what you have is an "Arts degree". Why not just do an actual double degrees then? It is only one year longer anyway. Or a Science degree with an arts major? (Might not be possible though depending on your majors; BSc has more requirement.)

[ShortBlackChick]

No what he would have is an 'Arts degree with a ________(Arts) Major and a Maths Major'. As long as he has a specialisation in that field would it make a difference what the course was? In BA you have space for 8 elective units, which if used wisely, can make up a major from another faculty.

[slothpomba]

Just to be clear a double degree quite literally means you are doing/have two separate degrees; some things are cut out to help them gel together better but it basically boils down to that.

An Arts degree with two majors will be exactly that, a single degree with two majors (funnily enough). Monash degrees do tend to be quite flexible (although recently in arts majors there have been moves to make it more structured/restrictive, bringing it closer to UoM with capstone subjects, etc). You definitely could do any major that you can complete in 8 subjects. You could pull of something like physiology that neatly fits into 8, i'm not so sure about physics like the others have pointed out with the math requirements.