Prohibition on Duplicate Degrees

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Policy Number:
UW-1015
Responsible Office:
Data, Academic Planning & Institutional Research

University Policy

Rationale/​Purpose:

This policy prohibits students from earning more than one degree-major in the same discipline and degree level (i.e., bachelor's, master's, doctoral).

Definitions:
Academic Plan Code
A code representing a formally approved academic offering such as a major (e.g., ABE 038 Biological Systems Engineering, BS), minor, or certificate within an academic career and program. This code corresponds to the degree-major in which a student is enrolled and awarded.
Academic Program
An area of study that leads to a degree/major, certificate, minor or named option.
Degree-Major
Combination of the degree and the major, represented in the academic plan code, that signifies a credential that has been authorized for UW-Madison by the UW System Board of Regents.
Named Option
A formally documented sub-major (sub-plan) within an academic major program, e.g., MS038BS, Machinery Systems Engineering is a sub-plan under the major ABE 038 Biological Systems Engineering, BS.
Scope:

All degree-seeking students at UW-Madison.

Policy:

A degree-major is authorized with a single set of learning outcomes and a distinct curriculum. A student who fulfills degree requirements by meeting these learning outcomes will, upon graduation, earn one degree. A student may not enroll in more than one named option under the same academic plan code.

A student who seeks additional coursework in the same discipline upon graduation must enroll as a special/non-degree student.

The University of Wisconsin-Madison will not, in any circumstance, award the same degree-major to the same student more than once as this is inconsistent with the conditions under which programs are authorized by the UW System Board of Regents.

The UW-Madison diploma includes the degree earned and any applicable degree-level honors earned through the Honors program. All degrees, majors, minors, certificates and honors appear on the official transcript.

Related UW-Madison Policies:
Related UW–Madison Documents, Web Pages, or Other Resources:

Policy Administration

Approval Authority:
Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs
Policy Manager:
Vice Provost for Data, Academic Planning & Institutional Research
Contact:
Associate Director, Data, Academic Planning & Institutional Research -- Michelle Young, MEYOUNG@WISC.EDU, (608) 262-2143
Effective Date:
11-01-2007
Revised Dates:

10-18-2021, 05-24-2023, 05-30-2024

Retrieved:
01-17-2025 10:00:25