Joint Degree and Multiple-Country Programmes
For students who want to explore the world by studying abroad, a joint degree programme is a great option. In a joint degree programme, students spend part of their time at one university, and part of their time at another, often splitting the time evenly between the institutions. Other global programmes allow students to travel even more widely, splitting their time between multiple campuses and countries. These options provide students with global experience that looks great on their CV, widens their perspective, and gives them firsthand knowledge of multiple cultures.
Joint degree programmes with US universities
There are several excellent joint degree programmes with US universities.
Columbia University
has various options, including those with
Sciences Po
(located in Paris),
Trinity College Dublin
,
City U Hong Kong
, and
Tel Aviv University.
In these programmes, students spend the first two years of their degree abroad, then finish their second two years at Columbia. The Sciences Po programme is a great fit for students who want the benefits of a large research university like Columbia, but would benefit from beginning their studies at a smaller college like Sciences Po. In the Tel Aviv programme, students choose
one of eight academic tracks
at
TAU
, including Jewish and Israel Studies and Digital Culture and Communication, before moving on to Columbia.
UC Berkeley
also has its
own joint degree programme
with Sciences Po. Just as in the Columbia programme, students spend their first two years at Sciences Po, then their final two years at UC Berkeley. After completing the undergraduate programme, students are guaranteed admission to a Master’s degree at Sciences Po. Orientation programmes are offered at both universities when students begin, helping them adapt to the culture of each university.
A great option for students who are uncertain whether they want to study in the UK or in the US is the
St Andrews and William and Mary
joint degree programme. Particularly, this programme suits students attracted to both the broad, liberal arts studies of the US and the specialised, subject-focused study of the UK. This way, students can explore their chosen subject in depth, as well as build a broad base of knowledge that will help them no matter what career they choose. Joint degrees on offer include economics, English, history, international relations, classical studies and film studies.
Northeastern University has a
unique programme
in which students can split their time between the institution’s campuses in Boston and London. They will be able to study in two different countries through the same university, and receive a UK degree from Northeastern London and a US degree from Northeastern University. Students can choose to spend their first year abroad and the rest of the time in Boston, or to spend two years at each institution.
For students interested in studying international relations in east Asia, the
American University and Ritsumeikan University (RU)
in Japan programme could be a great option. Students spend two years at each institution in their Bachelor of Arts in Global International Relations (GIR) programme, and can choose the university where they would prefer to begin their studies.
Joint law programmes
Often, students who want to study law are put off studying in the US, since law is studied at the graduate level there, and many US law programmes typically prepare students to practise law in particular US states. But a joint degree programme at the undergraduate level can both give students a knowledge of US law, and set them up for a successful law career in the UK or elsewhere. Northwestern University has a
Bachelor of Laws programme
with IE in Madrid. This programme offers the option to do a LLM (four years) or a JD (five years), in which students will study in the US starting in the fourth year, finishing with an understanding of civil and common law, and the US legal system. UK universities
LSE
and
UCL
have joint law programmes with Columbia, and KCL has
joint law programmes with several US and global universities
, with options to elect programmes before and after enrolment.
Global programmes
For students who want to travel even more widely, some colleges offer global study programmes with more options. For example, the
World Bachelor of Business
programme allows students to move between
USC
in Los Angeles in the first year,
HKUST
in Hong Kong in the second, and
Bocconi
in Milan in the third. Then, students may choose the university where they would like to spend their final year. At
Forward College
, students spend their first year in Lisbon, their second in Paris, and their third in Berlin.
Minerva University
offers a truly global experience with rotation through residence halls in in San Francisco, Seoul, Hyderabad, Berlin, Buenos Aires, London, Taipei, and fully online instruction. For those interested in business, ESCP’s
Bachelor in Management
is a great opportunity. It gives students the option to choose a different urban campus (Berlin, London, Paris, Madrid, or Turin) for each year of the three-year degree.
What are the benefits
?
The opportunity for students to travel, experience a new culture, and immerse themselves in a different language as they complete their education is a life-enriching experience. Furthermore, the chance to network and take up internships and carry out research on a global scale is great preparation for a future career in an increasingly globalised world.
For advice on joint degree programmes, as well as general college choice and advice on US applications, get in touch with UES! You can set up a free call with a senior member of our counselling team by following this link:
www.ueseducation.com/free-call
.