Can You Triple Major? How To Triple Major in College

Choosing a major and a minor or even a double major is a fairly common experience for high school students. Pairing more than one undergrad area of study can have advantages when you hit the job market due to expanded learning opportunities. Some students wonder if it is possible to triple major and expand their learning even further. It is possible to triple major in college, but it isn't an easy task.

Is It Possible To Get a Triple Major in College?

It is possible to triple major, but it is extremely rare. For some universities, less than 1% of their total student body is actively pursuing triple majors. Although many schools have set plans for double majors, triple majors are fairly rare, and triple major requirements vary greatly.

What Is a Triple Major?

A triple major is an undergraduate degree program that includes the full course load of three areas of study. At graduation, the student receives a single bachelor's degree with three concentrations listed on it. Unlike a dual degree program that includes two different degrees as opposed to multiple majors.

The number of courses required to complete a triple major will vary based on the individual major requirements and how much overlap there is. Some degrees will have similar prerequisites, meaning students won't have to take the same course three times, such as introductory English.

How Does a Triple Major Program Work?

A triple major works by combining three areas of study into a single degree program. The programs are almost always related, such as:

• engineering
• physics
• mathematics

The programs are also at least complementary, such as:

• education
• Spanish
• French

When a graduate completes a triple major, they still only receive a single bachelor's degree, such as a Bachelor of Science with three concentrations listed instead of one or two. Even though there is only one degree, the credit hours required to complete each major must still be completed. An average bachelor's degree program will consist of 120 credit hours, including electives and courses related to your specialization. You also will need to complete each major with a qualifying GPA.

How To Earn a Triple Major in College

Although there will be different specific requirements for different universities, there are several general principles that can help you earn a triple major, regardless of school or chosen majors.

Understand the Graduation Requirements for Each Major

Different majors have different graduation requirements. Some degree programs include capstone projects, others have internship requirements, and more. To complete your triple major, the individual graduation requirements of each major must be met. Speak with an academic advisor at your school to see if there are any overlapping requirements and which requirements are unique to make sure that you make a proper academic plan.

Manage Your Time

A single major is time-consuming enough, but a triple major will leave you with even less time to yourself. Set aside adequate time for coursework each week and try to group classes when possible to avoid overwhelming yourself with too many classes spread out throughout the week. College is a time when people can meet new friends and even network before starting their careers, which is why it's important to maintain free time for a social life and extracurricular activities.

Use Free Electives To Complete a Third Major

A free elective is an elective that can be filled by any course. Some schools have elective requirements to promote general education. When you're filling out your schedule, make sure to fill up your free elective slots with courses from your three majors. Some degree programs have overlapping required courses, but they also have unique courses. Establishing these courses as free electives for your other majors will help you satisfy the requirements for all three programs in the same time frame.

Consult With an Academic Advisor

Although it's always a good idea to speak with your academic advisor before starting any degree program, it should be one of the first steps you take when trying to complete a triple major. If you plan to complete your triple major within the standard time frame of a bachelor's degree, you will need to plan from freshman year to senior year as early as possible. An academic advisor will be able to help you plan your course load and assign courses across your majors to satisfy elective and general education requirements.

Choose Complementary Degrees

Undertaking a triple major should only be done to satisfy career or education goals, as the program is often difficult to complete. For students considering a triple major, the overall burden and worth of the degree program can be impacted by choosing complementary degrees.

For example, choosing a business, a social science (like political science or economics), and a foreign language could be a good plan for a student looking to work in international business. Conversely, choosing a chemistry, humanities, and math major will be less applicable to each other and future career prospects.

Choosing degrees that are too unrelated can also lead to having to take more individual classes as there will be less overlap.

Take Summer Classes

Some schools also offer summer courses which will allow you to add school time without having to delay your graduation date. Taking even a reduced courseload during the summer semester can help you get closer to fulfilling your graduation requirements, without having to delay graduation.

How Many Majors Can You Do at Once?

Most schools don't officially have a cap on the number of majors that you can complete at once, it's not recommended to take on too many. Although double majors can have many benefits for graduates as they enter graduate school or the job market, there will be diminishing returns when you start a triple or quadruple major program.

The credit requirements for additional majors will eventually be more than a person can take on in a semester and you might have to delay graduation to satisfy all the individual major requirements. Additionally, delaying graduation and taking more courses will increase tuition costs and financial aid needs.

Unless you are pursuing a career that will expressly benefit from more than a double major, you should probably stop with fewer majors.

How Rare Is a Triple Major?

Triple majors are extremely rare, with fewer than 1% of students at some universities pursuing a triple major program. Even though expanding your education plan to include additional majors might seem like a great idea, the additional amount of work is often a deterrent to many students.

Is a Triple Major Worth It?

Although a triple major does have expanded learning opportunities compared to a single or double major, choosing a specialty for grad school after earning a double major will often be more beneficial for students when they are looking to join the workforce.