Miami University was the leader in the number of double majors at Ohio public universities from 2003-07, with 9.5 percent of students receiving a second major in the same degree area, according to the Miami Office of Institutional Research.
The study reflected that 1,791 of 18,860 total Miami student graduates between the years 2003 and 2007 received a second major.
Meanwhile Ohio State University totaled 7 percent, Ohio University had 6.7 percent and Bowling Green State University had 8.9 percent.
Provost Jeffrey Herbst credited Miami students' curiosity and the institution for the high percentage above other Ohio schools.
"I would point to two things: the intellectual curiosity of Miami students, not content being involved in only one, and an institutional structure that is flexible enough to allow for two majors or two minors," Herbst said.
Having students with double majors is a positive for Miami, according to Herbst.
"I think it's a good thing," Herbst said. "It's a way of students customizing their program of study, they can do what they're interested in."
According to Denise Krallman, director of institutional research, the most recent numbers from 2008-09 have not yet been submitted to the federal government but show a lower percentage of students with double majors.
According to the 2008-09 data, numbers of students with double majors in the school of business have decreased by nearly half, starting at 88 students in 2004-05 and down to 45 in 2008-09.
Dave Sauter, university registrar, found it interesting that Miami's 9.5 percent holds, but without a majority of the school of business students.
Sauter said numbers are lower in the school of business because the Business Advisory Council wanted students with a good liberal education background to have just one major. This restriction was implemented starting in 2003 and is not limited for those business students with a grade point average of 3.5 or above, according to Michael Curme, associate dean and professor in the school of business.
The most popular majors with the 266 Miami undergraduates (7.4 percent) who were awarded a double major in 2008-09 according to the Office of Institutional Research are political science with 61 students, journalism with 49 students, history with 37 students, English (creative writing and literature) with 31 students, and accountancy with 29 students.
Of these five majors, journalism is the only major that requires a second, according to Carol Jones, associate registrar. There are three co-majors: environmental principles and practices, environmental science and interactive media studies. Jones said these majors are offered under any degree, whereas a journalism major would be awarded a BA and a BS if the second major were outside the college of arts and sciences.
For sophomore Hannah Sanders, double majoring in English literature and integrated English and language arts education, the provost's suggestion is accurate.
"I just wanted to (double major) because I didn't know if I wanted to be an English teacher or go into publishing or not," Sanders said. "I'm just keeping my options open basically."
Senior Laura Siedlecki, journalism and Spanish major, was required by Miami to add a second major to her first, journalism, and said she will be graduating in spring 2010 without trouble. Siedlecki said she took five total courses for her Miami Plan credits during summer sessions.
"I took a lot of Miami plan things in the summer so that I could focus on my major classes," Siedlecki said. "I was kind of behind so I'm practically graduating in two years with my double major."
Sauter said that Miami students and Miami's continued emphasis on a good liberal education allows for a higher percentage of students with double majors in a degree.
"(Students) come here to do well, do well in a major, (have the) ability and interest to do a second major, minors," Sauter said. "It's that 'go beyond, to do more, while taking care of yourself,' kind of culture. You're motivated by your major, but also because it'll set you apart down the road a little bit. It's what we do."
