Recommendation from the Undergraduate Studies Committee (Fred Hofstetter, Chair) for the following recommendations concerning double degrees

WHEREAS, students earning two concurrent degrees will have

met the requirements for both degrees, including all college requirements even when the degrees are from different colleges, and

WHEREAS, a policy revision in 2011 was intended to apply to currently matriculated students who were simultaneously pursuing two baccalaureate degrees, however, the unintended consequence allows former students to earn a second degree after degree conferral of the first degree with as little as three additional credits and

WHEREAS, the current policy does not require any of the additional courses taken for the second degree to be taken at the University of Delaware nor does it limit how long after the initial graduation students may earn a second degree using coursework from the first degree and

WHEREAS, most peer institutions discourage or do not permit a second baccalaureate degree and promote earning a graduate degree and

WHEREAS, the peer institutions that do permit students to earn a second baccalaureate degree require earning an additional thirty credits for the second degree

WHEREAS, to ensure the rigor and integrity of a University of Delaware degree, be it therefore

RESOLVED, that the University will revise the current policy for earning a second degree to add the following: Once a student graduates with a baccalaureate degree, to be eligible for a second degree, the student must earn at least 30 additional credits from the University of Delaware beyond the number of credits required for the first degree. As always, students are not permitted to return to complete an additional major, minor or concentration without completing an additional degree.