Second Degree

Welcome Second Degree Students!

Second degree students have already completed a bachelor's degree at an accredited college or university and now willing to invest a substantial amount of time, money and effort to complete another BA or BS degree in a  major area entirely different from their previous major

Before you apply, you should know that a second bachelor’s degree is not a highly regarded credential, and that undergraduate study beyond the first degree is sometimes interpreted as redundant or as a sign that the student is unable or unwilling to take on the challenge of graduate school. In other words,  if you have the preparation to move on to graduate work, you should.  Many master’s programs do not require completion of an undergraduate major in the same field of study.  If you are planning to apply to graduate or professional school but need to complete some undergraduate prerequisites first, you may be better off completing them as a nonmatriculating student.  Second-degree students enrolled in other Rutgers-New Brunswick schools are not eligible to transfer into SAS.

 

You should not consider a second degree if:

  • Your Rutgers GPA is below 2.500, the minimum requirement for admission.
  • You are interested in completing a Second Degree in a major that you already hold a BA or BS in.
  • You have not yet completed your first bachelor’s degree.
  • You want to raise your first degree GPA.
  • You want to take just a few courses toward applying for graduate school. Many master’s programs do not require completion of an undergraduate major in the same field of study. Sometimes, they require undergraduate prerequisites which can be achieved as a  Nonmatriculating Student.
  • You are unable to attend classes at the Rutgers New Brunswick campus. Second Degree students must take all their classes at the New Brunswick campus.

You might consider a second degree if:

  • It has been many years since you earned your first degree and you are considering a career change for which you have limited or no academic background.
  • Your first degree is from a professional program, such as those offered by the Schools of Pharmacy, Engineering or Biological & Environmental Sciences, and your new interest is in a arts and sciences discipline.
  • Your proposed academic plan will require completion of a minimum of 30 new credits.

Requirements for Admission as a Second Degree:

  • Minimum 2.500 cumulative GPA  in your first bachelor’s degree.
  • Official transcripts  are necessary as proof of your first degree and must be submitted before a candidate can be accepted as a Second Degree student.
  • Official WES Evaluations  (or companies similar to the World Education Service, Inc-WES) are needed for all students who hold International degrees. Students may also be asked to submit course evaluations, if necessary. These International Degree evaluations will provide US equivalencies for course credits, years of study, and degree. If the evaluation declares your international degree as not equivalent to a four-year, US Bachelor's degree, you will not be accepted as a Second Degree student, but instead you will be admitted as an undergraduate transfer student through Undergraduate Admissions.
  • Intended major already selected must be distinctly different from your first degree.  (Undecided students are not accepted into the Second Degree programs. Students who are undecided should study on a  nonmatriculating  basis until they decide on a major program of study.) If you eventually apply for matriculating, second degree study, the E-prefixes from the nonmatriculating courses will be removed and all earned grades and credits will be calculated into the grade point average, even if the courses are not required for the second degree.
  • Second Degree students are NOT required to complete a minor

Earning a second degree from the School of Arts & Sciences represents a substantial commitment whether your first degree is from a unit of Rutgers or another institution. If you have considered ALL of your options and have determined that a second bachelor’s degree is needed to achieve your professional objectives, then this is the right path for you.


The Seven Steps to Complete an SAS Second Degree

Second degree candidates must complete the following requirements:


Registration

Students register via WebReg.

  • Newly-admitted second degree students may register in August for the fall semester and in mid-January for the spring semester.
  • Continuing second degree students register as students with senior status ("on 90-Degree Credit Registration Day"). See the registration calendar for more information.

If you intend to take a course which requires a pre-requisite, you may be required to take a placement test. Students with international bachelor's degrees are required to take the English placement test.

Your acceptance into the program does not guarantee that the courses you need will be available to you. If a class is closed, there are two options: 1) you can choose a different class; or 2) you can try to get into the class that is closed by contacting the individual department. Procedures for special permission vary considerably, so be sure to check the department’s webpage first.


If you have further questions, please email us to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Office for Nontraditional Students and Special Populations
Ruth Adams Building, Room 103
131 George Street
New Brunswick, NJ 08901

The Nontraditional Students and Special Populations team is located in the Douglass Advising Center. Deans and staff can be reached by email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..


Nontraditional Students and Special Populations Staff

Nontraditional Group

  • Milagros Arroyo
    Assistant Dean and Director
  • This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
    Assistant Dean
  • Curtis Chan
    Assistant Dean
  • Diane DeLauro
    Assistant Dean
  • Shaheen Fatima
    Assistant Dean

See an SAS Dean for General Advising