Dual Degree Options That Are Available For Engineering Students

Kiyana had a very scientific and logical mind. It seemed just right for her to pursue a degree in engineering, however she really loved pure physics and wanted to study the subject too! She cleared the IIT entrance, but still could not drop her love for Physics. After some research, she settled into a dual degree course in Engineering Physics at a prestigious university in India. This helped her satisfy her deep interest in Physics as well as plan for a career in engineering.

Dual degree programmes are becoming popular in India and abroad. These are courses that allow students to specialise in either two distinct or related subjects and earn two degrees or are integrated programmes that include the master’s degree along with bachelor’s degree. These programmes are more course intensive, need more credits and usually take an extra one or two years to complete. The dual degree is a good option if you are interested in multiple areas, it is also a good option if you want to optimise time and finances on completing a postgraduate degree along with your undergraduate studies. Most dual degrees for engineering students in India are a combination of undergraduate and postgraduate programmes. This article shares different dual degree options available for engineering students and some details that will help you take the right decision on the same.

Indian Institutes of Technology

The premier IIT institutions located in different parts of India offer many dual degree programmes. Offered in select engineering and sciences disciplines, these programmes earn a student an undergraduate and a master’s degree after five years of study. Entrance to the programme is through the Joint Engineering Entrance (JEE). The institutional leaders feel that students who opt for dual degrees are more skilled and have better employment prospects when they graduate. Additionally, the post graduate semesters are often focussed on research and innovation and inculcate a different mindset and skill in engineering graduates who may be interested in research and development too.

Most of the IITs offer a dual degree in computer science and engineering. Students need to have a minimum score/GPA to qualify for the post graduate semesters. They receive both a BTech and an MTech degree in five years, thus saving a year as compared with a separate post graduate degree.

Some more details of the different institutions under the IITs and their dual degree courses are shared below.

Also check - 5 Engineering Jobs That Will Never Be Automated

IIT Delhi: It offers a dual degree programme in Computer Science and Engineering (CSE) offering both a BTech and MTech degree to the students over a period of five years. Students complete the same curriculum as a BTech in CSE and then pursue a research project for the subsequent semesters. Only twenty students are enrolled every year, and this helps build research and innovation acumen in the students.

IIT Bombay: Students can opt for a dual degree (BTech and MTech) and pursue a five-year course at IIT Bombay. The BTech degree is of the department that is allotted to the student and the MTech degree is a specialisation within the parent department. The departments offering dual degrees include Environmental Science and Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Energy Science and Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Metallurgical Engineering and Materials Science and Physics. So, a student is awarded a BTech degree of the parent department (e.g., Mechanical Engineering) and an MTech degree that is a specialisation of the parent department (e.g., Thermal and Fluids Engineering).

IIT Madras: It offers dual degrees in many departments and disciplines. Some of these include Aerospace Engineering, Ocean Engineering, Chemical Engineering etc. For example, the Department of Ocean Engineering offers a BTech in Naval Architecture and Ocean Engineering with an option to pursue a dual degree in either Ocean Engineering or Applied Mechanics. The other departments also offer course specific dual degrees based on the parent specialisation.

IIT Kanpur: IIT Kanpur offers dual BTech and MTech degrees in many specialisations such as Aerospace Engineering, Computer Science and Engineering, Electrical Engineering. Mechanical Engineering. Civil engineering etc.

IIT Kharagpur: IIT Kharagpur offers interdisciplinary dual degree programmes. This provides a student integrated knowledge on more than one subject thus increasing the breadth of knowledge and employability. In the interdisciplinary dual degree programmes, students can opt for subjects like Financial Engineering, Engineering Entrepreneurship, Quality Engineering, Engineering design etc. IIT Kharagpur is also planning to offer a Transdisciplinary Programme in Petroleum Engineering (TPPE) soon. These are M. Tech degrees that a student can opt for after they complete their B. Tech in any discipline.

The fees for the IITs are 2.5 lakhs per year (approximately). Hostel and accommodation are additional costs. For more information, please do visit the respective websites.

IIT BHU: This IIT started a 5-year MTech programme in engineering physics to impart knowledge of various core technical disciplines without compromising the basic physics and mathematics courses. The course includes physics, mathematics, electronics engineering, electrical engineering and material science along with labs in programming, communication, CAD, electrical machines, power systems, etc. Students also undergo industrial training or summer internship and gain practical working experience.

The fee for each semester is INR 1 to 1.25 lakhs at IIT BHU. Hostel and accommodation are additional costs.

The Indian Institutes of Technology and their affiliated universities are coveted institutions, and you may face a lot of competition in securing admission. There are many engineering colleges in India that offer good quality education. A few more such institutes and their dual degree programs are briefly described below.

Birla Institute of Technology and Sciences (BITS)

BITS has campuses in Goa, Pilani, Dubai and Hyderabad. The main campus is in Pilani.

The Dubai campus has a flexible educational structure where a student can opt for a dual degree program if they secure a CGPA of 7.0 and above. All the admitted students are given an opportunity to take up a Dual Degree based on their performance in the first year of the programme. A student who has been allotted Chemical Engineering can choose Computer Science as their dual degree. The dual degree requires one additional year of study and course work at the institute. The advantage of such a flexible structure is that students can pursue multiple disciplines and enhance their understanding as well as employment prospects. For more information, you can visit the college website.

The Goa campus also offers dual degrees that are completed over a period of 5 to 5.5 years. The unique offering in this campus is a combination of engineering and science degrees. The most common combination is a degree from among the science (Biology, Chemistry, Economics and Finance, Mathematics, Physics) programmes and from among the engineering (Chemical, Civil, EEE, ECE, E&I, Mechanical, Computer Science) programmes. Admission to a second degree in engineering (offered in the concerned campus) is through a competitive process that is based on the performance in the first year.

NIT (National Institute of Technology)

There are many NIT campuses in India, however dual degrees are offered only by a few. These include NIT Hamirpur and NIT Rourkela. They both offer a Dual Degree in Computer Science and Engineering [BTech + MTech] (five years) programme.

The fee structure for NITs is set by the government and ranges from Rs 45,000 - 65,000 per semester or year based on the location and degree. You need to check with the specific institution you take admission in.

Vellore Institute of Technology

If you are a student who has taken PCM (Physics, Chemistry & Maths) in their Class 12 exam and secured more than 65 per cent aggregate, you can apply directly for the Integrated MTech degree course offered by VIT. Admission is based on merit and marks secured. The range of courses offered by the different campuses are shared below:

VIT VELLORE: Software Engineering, Computer Science & Engineering, Data Science

VIT CHENNAI: Software Engineering, Computer Science and Engineering (Business Analytics)

VIT AP: Software Engineering, Computer Science and Engineering

VIT BHOPAL: Artificial Intelligence, Cyber Security, Computational and Data Science)

For more information, you can visit the official website of the college.

Amity University

A range of integrated degrees are offered by Amity University campuses located in Gurugram and Noida. These are listed below for your reference.

Gurugram Campus: Five-year integrated BTech + MTech courses are offered in the disciplines of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, Data Sciences, Network and Cyber Security etc.

Noida Campus: Five-year integrated BTech + MTech/ MBA courses are offered in the disciplines of Automobile Engineering and Electric Vehicle Technology, Civil Engineering and MBA, Computer Science and Engineering and MBA, Electronics and Communication Engineering and MBA, Mechanical Engineering and MBA, Mechanical Engineering and Automobile Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Defence Technology etc.

The combination of engineering and MBA degrees offers the competitive advantage of a technical degree alongside management and people skills.

Apart from the above, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar offers a MTech. (Mechatronics Engineering) dual degree programme. Additionally, Bennett University, Greater Noida offers an Integrated Biotechnology course too.

Private institution fees range from INR 1.5 to 2 lacs per semester of study. Campuses that are abroad like BITS, Dubai will charge significantly more. Overall, an engineering degree in India requires a budget of Rs. 3 to 4 lacs approximately for tuition for every year of study. Hostel and other charges are additional.

Dual Degree programmes are a great value-add for students who want to directly opt for a post graduate degree in a specialisation of their choice. They also allow students to specialise in multiple streams if they don’t get a specialisation of their choice. Overall, while the lure of engineering degrees is high, some specialisations like computer science and electronics offer more employment opportunities. Hence, students get a chance to complete a dual specialisation and either enhance their employment prospects or gain managerial skills.

As an engineering aspirant, you have a variety of different courses to choose from. Students and parents are requested to research the current information related to degrees of their choice as institutions do vary in their course offerings over time.

Wish you the very best in your engineering career!

The author is a Career and Life Coach who works with teens, adults and returning professionals to help them find joy and alignment in their careers and lives. After working for over two decades, she founded LifeVidya in 2019 and has worked with hundreds of students, professionals, and women. She can be reached at www.lifevidya.in.

Also check - Cultivating A Green Career: Explore Careers In Environment Sciences