3 Reasons You Should Consider a Second Bachelor’s Degree

Have you always dreamed of pursuing a completely different field than your current one? Are you looking to re-enter the workforce after many years away? Do you have areas in which you need to gain more knowledge to grow personally or professionally?

If you answered yes to any of these questions and you already have an undergraduate degree, you have several options for additional education – a master’s degree, a post-baccalaureate certificate or a second bachelor’s degree.

Each of these options can be a good choice, depending on your goals. Here are three reasons a second bachelor’s degree may be right for you.

1) Career Change or Advancement

Many fields change rapidly, and a second degree can help you keep up with changes and advance in your current field. For example, many communication professionals need digital media skills or the ability to analyze data in order to advance in the field. A second degree in communication, graphic design or business can be a good option for obtaining these skills needed for advancement.

Or, you may feel drawn to a completely different career, either because you feel stuck in your current career or you’re ready to pursue a lifelong interest that you put on hold. Former advertising executive Cullen Moser, ‘07, earned a second degree that allowed her transition into a successful new career in interior design. And after Emily Johnson, ’16, became interested in coding, she earned a second degree in computer science, which prepared her for her current career as a software engineer

2) Re-entering the Workforce

If you took some time away from your career to support your family, a second bachelor’s degree can be a great option for refreshing your skills to re-enter the workforce.

Read how Annie Poslusny,’19, a former elementary school French teacher and full-time mom, designed her own course of study for a second degree at Meredith to pursue her dream of becoming a museum curator.

3) Gain Graduate School Acceptance

A second bachelor’s degree can help prepare you for an advanced degree in several ways. If your first degree is unrelated to the field in which you wish to pursue a master’s degree, a second degree can increase your chance for acceptance. Alternatively, if you graduated with a less than stellar GPA, a second bachelor’s degree could help you strengthen your graduate school applications.

There are many excellent reasons to pursue a second bachelor’s degree. Talk with an academic advisor or admissions counselor at the institution you’re considering to help determine whether a second bachelor’s degree is the best fit for reaching your educational and professional goals.

If a second bachelor’s degree sounds right for you, you’ll find a supportive and welcoming environment at Meredith, where a number of women pursue second degrees each year. Meredith waives general education requirements for students who hold a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution, making it easier and faster to pursue a second degree. Second degree students can choose from more than 80 majors, many of which can be completed in two years or less.