Should your child consider a conjoint?

As a parent, you want to make the best educational investment for your child's future. With conjoint degrees continuing to be a popular option, you might wonder if this path offers better career prospects than traditional bachelor’s degrees. While conjoint programmes can offer advantages, they're not right for everyone – and there may be better alternatives.

What is a conjoint programme?

With a conjoint, students can study two bachelor's degrees simultaneously, typically completing both in four to five years instead of six years if they study them as separate programmes. Students graduate with two distinct qualifications, for example a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Business, meeting full requirements for both degrees.

Sometimes people talk about conjoints when they actually mean double degrees. This is similar as it also refers to studying two bachelor’s degrees, but in a double degree there is less opportunity to share courses between the two degrees, meaning it takes longer to complete. Law is a popular option for double degrees.

_{A Bachelor of Arts in Creative Writing studied alongside a Bachelor of Business is just one example of a conjoint programme}

The benefits and challenges of doing a conjoint

Benefits include:

• Distinctive skillsets in two areas – which can offer greater career flexibility
• Can be a competitive advantage in the job market
• Intellectual satisfaction from studying diverse subjects

However, there are also some challenges:

• Time commitment: 4 or 5 years instead of 3 years
• Financial cost: Additional tuition fees, accommodation costs and delayed financial independence
• Academic pressure: An increased workload and maintaining grades across two disciplines
• Limited combinations: Only allows combining subjects from two bachelor’s degree (for example business and arts)
• Not suitable for all degrees: Highly structured degrees with strict professional and accreditation requirements (like architecture, construction, health science, medical laboratory science and teaching) can’t be combined with another degree

Is a conjoint programme right for your child?

While conjoint degrees offer advantages, they're not suitable for everyone and aren’t available for all degrees, so this really depends on your child and their future goals.

Questions to discuss with your child

• What are their interests and career aspirations?
• Do they prefer depth of knowledge in one area or breadth across multiple fields?
• Would their dream career benefit from broader knowledge?
• How have they handled challenging workloads in the past?
• Are they comfortable being at university longer or would they prefer to start their career?
• If they’re considering postgraduate study in the future, would an honours or master’s degree be a more efficient way to achieve their long-term goal?

Is there another way?

If your child is studying at AUT, they could also choose a flexible degree – a great way to develop diverse skills but in less time than with a conjoint. While these don’t equip students with two full degrees, they do give them a good understanding of diverse areas that can support their future career.

Students still specialise in an area by choosing a major (the main subject they study), and can pick one or two other subjects they want to focus on by selecting either a second major or minor(s). These programmes offer greater flexibility as students can include subjects from a wider range of areas across AUT*. For example, your child could combine software development with accounting, environmental science with analytics, or event management with marketing and public relations. It’s a great way to develop complementary skills for their future career, without adding any extra study time.

_{*Although this still does not work with highly structured degrees with strict professional and accreditation requirements.}

Why choose AUT’s flexible approach?

• Faster: 3 years to complete instead of 4 or 5, so your child can start their career sooner
• More flexible: Choose from subjects across the entire university, not just predetermined combinations
• Less expensive: Only pay tuition fees and study costs for 3 years, not longer
• More personalised: Tailor the degree to your child's specific interests and career goals

_{Computer and information sciences could be studied alongside communication studies as part of a flexible degree}

AUT programmes with flexible options:

• Bachelor of Arts (13 majors + choice of subjects across AUT)
• Bachelor of Business (8 majors + choice of subjects across AUT)
• Bachelor of Communication Studies (6 majors + choice of subjects across AUT)
• Bachelor of Computer and Information Sciences (5 majors + choice of subjects across AUT)
• Bachelor of Design Te Tohu Paetahi mō te Hoahoa (6 majors + choice of subjects across AUT)
• Bachelor of International Hospitality Management (1 major + choice of subjects across AUT)
• Bachelor of Science (8 majors + choice of subjects across AUT)
• Bachelor of Sport, Exercise and Health (3 majors + choice of subjects across AUT)
• Bachelor of Visual Arts Te Tohu Paetahi mō Toi Ataata (2 majors + choice of subjects across AUT)

Not sure how this could work for your child? Try AUT's degree builder tool to explore different combinations and see what their three years of study could look like.

The bottom line

Standard bachelor’s degrees, conjoints or AUT’s flexible degrees can all lead to successful career outcomes – the key is choosing the option that best matches your child's interests, learning style and long-term goals. All of these options also open up similar postgraduate study opportunities if this is something your child is interested in.

If you're still unsure, consider booking a course counselling consultation with AUT's future student advisors who can help explore options and make an informed decision based on your child's specific situation.

Whatever path your child chooses, your support and understanding of their decision will be crucial to their success.