FAQs for Double Dawgs

College of Family and Consumer Sciences

January 31, 2018

  1. What is the Double Dawgs program?

The Double Dawgs program allows undergraduate students to accelerate their progress toward a master’s degree by taking graduate-level coursework during the junior and/or senior yearsof their undergraduate studies, then completing 1 year of graduate school to graduate with a Master’s degree.

Each approved Double Dawgs program is different in regards to when a student takes the graduate level courses as an undergraduate. Check with your program guidelines or pathway advisor.

  1. What is the benefit of the Double Dawgs program?

Qualified students will save time and money by earning a master’s degree in one year instead of two and enter the workforce with a more advanced complement of knowledge and skills.

  1. How many different Double Dawg programs are there in the College of Family and Consumer Sciences?

Currently, there are 31approved Double Dawg programs in FACS. Click the following links for additional information about the content and application requirements for each program:

FDN

FHCE

HDFS

TMI

  1. Can any student participate in the Double Dawgs program?

Double Dawg programs are specific to undergraduate and graduate majors, therefore program requirements vary. Please contact the pathway advisor of your desired program for more information.

  1. Which is better to pursue, a Double Dawg with a thesis or one with a non-thesis?

The thesis option prepares you for research and puts you in line for pursuing a PhD. The non-thesis option provides you with more course work and prepares you for professional or industry careers. The degree appears on your transcript, not whether it is a thesis or non-thesis program.

  1. If I start in a Double Dawgs program with a thesis and want to change to a non-thesis program, is that possible?

It would depend on the pathway and the policies established by the Double Dawgs pathway department.

  1. How do I apply to be in a Double Dawgs program?

Contact the Double Dawgs pathway advisor for the program you are interested in and the advisor will guide you through the application process.Visit departmental websites to find out more information. Can we link them here?

  1. How many graduate credit hourscourses can I take as an undergraduate student?

You can take up to 12 hours of graduate level courses as an undergraduate student that count toward both your undergraduate and graduate degree program requirements.

  1. How will I get access to register for graduate-level courses?

Once you are accepted into a Double Dawgs program, you will be provided with the necessary override to register for your graduate level courses.

  1. Can I take study abroad courses at the graduate level in the Double Dawgs program?

Most departments offer graduate credit for study abroad programs, talk with the pathway advisor.

  1. What happens if I begin taking graduate courses and decide I do not want to continue with the graduate degree?

The graduate level courses approved for your Double Dawgs pathway will satisfy your undergraduate requirements, and your undergraduate graduation will not be delayed.

  1. Am I guaranteed admission into the graduate program if I am accepted into a Double Dawg program?

Students apply to the graduate program separate from the Double Dawgs pathway. Each Double Dawgs program has its own requirements for graduate admission, so please review the department specific website for additional information. Your Double Dawgs pathway advisor will guide you through the process.

  1. When will I become a graduate student?

You will become a graduate student when you are admitted to the graduate program, typically the semester after earning your bachelor’s degree.

  1. Can I withhold graduating with my undergraduate degree while in the Double Dawgs programs?

You must complete all undergraduate coursework (including P.E.) and graduate with your undergraduate degree, before entering graduate school for the last year of your Double Dawgs program.

  1. If I have not graduated with my bachelor’s degree yet, can I continue to use HOPE to pay for tuition?

Beyond the 12 hours of graduate courses that you take as an undergraduate, you must be in the graduate program to complete the Double Dawgs program with a Master’s degree and HOPE/Zell Miller does not pay for graduate tuition.

  1. Will completing a Double Dawgs program affect tuition?

Undergraduate students in Double Dawgs program pay the undergraduate tuition. Once they enter the graduate portion of their Double Dawgs program, they pay graduate tuition.

  1. Will Hope pay for graduate school.

Hope/Zell Miller does not pay for graduate school tuition. Students may apply for financial aid to complete their graduate degree. See a financial aid advisor to learn about student financial aid.

  1. I’ve already graduated with an undergraduate degree. Is it possible for me to return to UGA for a 2nd undergraduate degree and apply to a Double Dawg program?

You would benefit by applying directly to a Master’s program rather than getting a 2nd undergraduate degree.

  1. If I transfer to UGA from another college/university, how much of my prior coursework will count for the Double Dawgs pathway?

This will depend on the number of credits that transfer into UGA and which can be applied to your major at UGA. Talk with the pathway advisor.

  1. If I am a transfer student, does the 5 years include only my time at UGA?

No, it would include your time at other institutions as well as UGA. Students can take longer than 5 years to complete the Double Dawgs program.

  1. Do I have to take the GRE?

Most of the pathways do require scores from the GRE. Talk with the pathway advisor or review the requirements on each department’s website.

  1. Do I have to pay the application fee for Graduate School? Yes
  1. Is it better to get two undergraduate degrees or one undergraduate degree and a Master’s degree.

The master’s degree gives you advanced coursework in a field rather than more undergraduate courses.