Why I'm a Double Degree

Getting one degree in four years is hard enough. So naturally, I decided to do two degrees. My Barnard friends are almost always shocked when I tell them this. “How many classes do you have to take?” they ask me, somewhat incredulous. (Five or six a semester, is the answer). But at the end of the day, even though it’s more work, even though it means running up and down Broadway a few times every day, even though it means completing two core curriculums and two majors, it’s totally worth it. I love being a Double Degree.

The Double Degree program is a dual bachelor’s program between Barnard College and the Jewish Theological Seminary (JTS) where students complete a full bachelor’s degree at each school. Being a part of the Double Degree Program at Barnard and JTS means that you are a student at both Barnard College and JTS. At Barnard, you are a student just like any other, with full access to all of Barnard and the broader Columbia University. At JTS, you join Joint Program students (students who are enrolled at Columbia and JTS) and JTS graduate students in courses on Jewish studies. You select a major at each school, complete both schools’ core curriculums, and get to participate in the really strong and vibrant communities at both as well. After four years (sometimes 5 years), you’ll walk out with two degrees.

I am a first-year Double Degree, studying Women’s and Gender Studies at Barnard and Talmud and Rabbinics at JTS. This can seem like an oxymoron sometimes — I study ancient texts written exclusively by men in one class and then contemporary queer and feminist theory in the next. But I actually love the overlap. I’m taking a JTS course this semester called Gender in the Talmud, where we read Talmud (those ancient texts) through the lens of queer and feminist theory, and it’s been so powerful to delve into Jewish texts in that way. More often than not, I bring what I learn at one school into classrooms at the other, and that’s a really special and powerful experience.

One of the things that make the Double Degree program really special is all the communities you get to be a part of. The JTS community is really tight-knit, and it’s so easy to get to know people there and form strong friendships. The Barnard community is also amazing, and it feels like a home to me in so many ways. I have close friends across all of Barnard, Columbia, and JTS, and across years as well - most of my best friends are older than me!

But most importantly, you get to be a part of the Double Degree community. It’s a small community, but it’s a really strong and beautiful one. When I arrived on campus, I instantly connected with some of the older double degrees who helped me settle in and thrive in my first semester. They took me under their wing, gave me the advice I needed to succeed, made me home-cooked meals, and helped me feel at home. Last semester, I had a problem figuring out my courses, but after ten minutes of chatting with another Double Degree, my problem was solved. I’ve only been around for a semester and a half, but I already feel like I’m at home and forging really powerful friendships and communities. 

-Alyx Bernstein