Becoming an Engineer: Considerations and Personal Experiences

[lolololo]

elias hellou photos

 

[Petradog]

I intern in IT for a financial company.

Do something you're happy with and interested in. Losing either will make the decision not as good.

Honestly I love physics so much more than IT, but I find IT easier, because it takes considerably less skill to work with, and I don't think I'm going to discover anything very important in physics. But I'm just 18 I'm not quite there yet.

 

[renob]

can I get a job making bombs if I go into nuclear engineering? I've always been fascinated by atomic bombs.

 

[Dr.D]

With regard to the idea of talking to engineers and/or shadowing an engineer for a day, this can be good and this can be bad. The problem is that the information gained is very specific to what that particular engineer does, so it may or may not reflect what your later experience will be.

I recall talking to an engineer while I was a student and asking how much he used calculus. He said, "What?" He never used calculus of any sort. That bothered me a bit because I like math a lot. Well, in my own life as an engineer I have used calculus and a lot of other mathematics extensively, but I never did the sort of engineering that man did.

In answer to renob, a nuclear engineering degree will be exactly zero qualification for making atomic bombs.

 

[alexgmcm]

Hmm, I applied for Physics at decent UK Unis, and am happy with my choice as I don't really like practical work *that* much although I will aim towards applied physics.. but I hated Design Tech at school which is apparently what engineering is similar to.

As we don't have a major/minor system in the UK, would I be able to do an MEng or PhD in Engineering with a BSc or MPhys in Physics if I found that it interested me more?

 

[kbaumen]

Hmm, I applied for Physics at decent UK Unis, and am happy with my choice as I don't really like practical work *that* much although I will aim towards applied physics.. but I hated Design Tech at school which is apparently what engineering is similar to.

As we don't have a major/minor system in the UK, would I be able to do an MEng or PhD in Engineering with a BSc or MPhys in Physics if I found that it interested me more?

You can apply to MEng right after high school. I am finishing high school this spring and just received a conditional offer to MEng in Electrical and Mechanical engineering at Strathclyde (Glasgow). I'm thrilled. Can't wait to get to study there. I still have exams to pass but I know the grades I'm supposed to achieve and so I know on what to concentrate.

 

[alexgmcm]

You can apply to MEng right after high school. I am finishing high school this spring and just received a conditional offer to MEng in Electrical and Mechanical engineering at Strathclyde (Glasgow). I'm thrilled. Can't wait to get to study there. I still have exams to pass but I know the grades I'm supposed to achieve and so I know on what to concentrate.

I'm sorry I wasn't clear.. The MEng course you specify is a four-year course with an integrated masters year as its final year. An MEng can also be a one-year masters course for those who have done a BEng.

I am curious as to whether I can study an MEng or a PhD in Engineering after getting an MPhys or BSc in Physics as I would have covered much of the maths and PhDs are often open to a variety of applicants so I can only assume that Masters degrees are the same?

Does anyone know?

 

[Brilliant!]

I'd like to thank everyone here for all of the time they've spared so that this place can be such a huge database for aspiring engineers. Thanks to you, I've been able to decide on which degree to pursue. I'm going for my Bachelors in MechEng, with hopes of getting into a great graduate program in either Aerospace or Nuclear eng. For the first time in my life, I've made a school/career decision that was based on the question "What do I want to do" instead of "How much money will I make?" That being said, the practical questions have to come up at some point, and they finally have.

Now that I've decided on what I'm doing, it's time for me to learn how the job markets for these degrees are. Let's assume I've got a masters degree in either Aerospace or Nuclear eng from a school like MIT (since this is my plan), and the recession is over. How competitive is the job market and how quickly does one regularly find a job after school? Also, how often are students in internship programs that promise full-time positions after graduation?

 

[Duct Sock]

There is a forum for everything! I am happy to find this. I am 31 years old. H.S. diploma, nothing more than Algebra II. For the past 13 years I have worked at a public drinking water treatment plant. I worked in mechanical type work for 9+ years and was able to transfer to the engineering dept. as an Engineering Tech. to the present. I have seen a number of expansions, upgrades, complete demo's, entire plant constructions, etc. I am very mechanical minded. I have worked with 4-6 different civil & structural engineers. I feel like I could be a Civil Engineer.

With my lack of math knowledge, is this a dream?

I am a disciplined person. There is generous tuition reimbursement / flexible scheduling. I could work p/t and school f/t. It will most likely be 5-7 years before the next 'major' construction project begins. I am looking for honest answers.

 

[Dr.D]

Duct Sock, sure it can be done, but it will not be a cake walk. A lot depends on how many other obligations you have to deal with as well. If you can handle it all, by all means, go for it.

 

[Duct Sock]

Thank you.

 

[djeitnstine]

Now that I've decided on what I'm doing, it's time for me to learn how the job markets for these degrees are. Let's assume I've got a masters degree in either Aerospace or Nuclear eng from a school like MIT (since this is my plan), and the recession is over. How competitive is the job market and how quickly does one regularly find a job after school? Also, how often are students in internship programs that promise full-time positions after graduation?

Well a little about me, I'm a Junior AE student regularly checking up on the job market. Also my school Embry-Riddle has a 95% job rate and these successful students are mainly qualified only with a BSc in AE - I think MIT has similar numbers - also I have yet to check the MScAE/MAE numbers. The market is fine, you will always be able to find a job once: there is a military, people want to fly commercially, we want to head to space and once cars are being made. Also, there is a shortage of AE's in the market because many of them are old and retiring. I could go on and on but you get the point =].

Although it is *relatively* easy to get a job it still IS competitive. MScAE/MSAE would get you very far...just about every other place a BScAE can't =].

Also after school how quickly you find a job depends on a lot of things such as: where you apply, what you want to do, what you're qualified for, what the market is looking for etc...

 

[walasaka]

Hi! Sorry to revive an old thread, although it seems that it's been alive for years anyway with intermittent activity.

Anyway, my situation is this: I study in Austria, where getting into university isn't a problem at all and the courses are basically free (at the moment I pay 17 euros a semester uni fees). I'm nearing the end of my 2nd year in international development (mix of economics, philosophy, sociology, politics and history), which I mistakenly took for a degree that would really motivate and interest me - turns out it's mostly a BS degree people do when they don't know what to study. One day in a particularly dull class I had an epiphany: I need to get out of humanities. After quite a lot of research and asking people, I've now narrowed it down to my two finalists: civil or electrical engineering.

Problem: I was pretty lazy in high school and dropped most sciences when I was 16, and I also did the lowest level of maths possible. Up until then though I always had excellent marks in those subjects. I've always had a fascination with the way things - especially electronics - work, but not being that good at understanding the way these things worked I never even thought about becoming an engineer, apart from maybe working on an oil rig because I absolutely LOVE scuba diving and I was told it was one of the few jobs you can do and survive off as a diver.

Nothing came of that dream and I did social sciences. My god is it dull, I am sick of looking at useless philosophical / social / economic theories. I'm sick of the endless pointless search for definitions. More importantly I've realized that I just don't move in those circles and most of the people I have things in common with are studying some form of engineering (or IT, but I don't want to do that). They've all given me some pretty decent advice but I'm a person who can never have enough ideas/options/pointers, so I'd like to ask a few things:

1.a) Do you think it's possible for me to catch up on the maths and physics I missed in my last two years of high school over the summer if I work hard at it? It's been 3 years since I did any at all (had to take a gap year, we have military service), 5 since I did any physics.
1.b) If so, which areas of maths and physics should I concentrate on and up to what level?
2. Are there any engineering jobs where I can work in developing countries that don't involve oil rigs?
3. I'm pretty hyped up about doing this - it feels right. It's like I'm getting my life back in order after wasting two years. Am I dillusional?

Right, thanks in advance for any answers!

 

[TheAnalogKid83]

1.a) Do you think it's possible for me to catch up on the maths and physics I missed in my last two years of high school over the summer if I work hard at it? It's been 3 years since I did any at all (had to take a gap year, we have military service), 5 since I did any physics.
1.b) If so, which areas of maths and physics should I concentrate on and up to what level?
2. Are there any engineering jobs where I can work in developing countries that don't involve oil rigs?
3. I'm pretty hyped up about doing this - it feels right. It's like I'm getting my life back in order after wasting two years. Am I dillusional?

1a. yes, if you have a natural ability or have learned how to study well since being in college
1b. start with calculus, where you have issues in algebra and trig you need to go back and fill in those holes. Do an entire calculus book. Next move on to differential equations and linear algebra. If you get calculus hammered down, you can cover diff eq and linear algebra as extra courses during the school semester if it is too difficult to teach yourself.
2. Yes, civil and electrical can find work almost anywhere really.
3. No, its a good thing that you want a challenge. Just go at it with all seriousness and you will succeed, aptitude was a minor part of success from what I saw with others. Its about drive and willing to put your studies as a top priority.

It sounds like civil might be a better bet if you don't want to wait and learn ALL the math. You will still need to complete calculus courses officially in most curriculum, but if you can learn it on your own before you go back to classes, you will be able to catch up with the rest of your courses more easily. Civil is much less rigorous in mathematics.

Civil will also get you more in the field of what you were previously studying than EE would. Civil engineers have to work a lot with the community, governments, and they must do a lot more interaction with other businesses and people I think in general (there are exceptions). My friend works for a construction company and he has to deal with sub-contractors, engineers, city inspectors, Environmental Protection Agency, and other groups. He is aware of a lot of the laws for his particular project.

Now, if electronics interests you, and you have the time and energy, I would always suggest EE because it is more rigorous, more challenging, and has a wider range of applications and opportunities. I wouldn't go into EE for money, as you can make a lot as a civil too if you get the right job. If you want to open your mind to the world, and learn things past the practical, then EE is also a better choice as you get into more theories, physics, and mathematics in your course work and curriculum.

I did EE, and it took me 5 years. I'm glad I stuck with it and struggled (I had self-discipline issues, not aptitude problems) instead of going to something easier like civil, because I ended up resolving my issues and learning a lot of really cool stuff at the same time. I also have experienced working in the private industry for 2 years and an internship and there are a lot of issues with that, especially concerning compensation (this might be different in Europe). My EE degree has given me a lot of opportunities though, and I've been accepted into a physics grad program in Europe, which says a lot coming in as an American EE.

I've quit my job recently and have been preparing for grad school ever since, and I'm at my computer studying a lot, so if you try to pick up calculus or another subject and have questions feel free to ask me. <personal email removed>

 

[feely]

Hello.

I would like to ask a question that I haven't seen before.

How easy is it to go from, say a BEng in electrical/electronic engineering to a MSc say in physics?

This is the situation I find myself in. I have been in contact with a few uni's here in the UK, and the people that have replied to me seem to think that it would be ok. But I wonder about the actualy differences in the work. I mean, I would be encountering stuff in the physics course that I wouldn't have come across in the engineering classes.

Now I am taking some extra physics courses with the open university, to try and strengthen up y physics understading, but I still wonder how an engineering student would fare out in a physics course.

Thanks for any advice.

Sean

 

[HeyHeyHey]

I have a question. I'm pretty good at math and science, but I'm absolutely horrible at understanding how things work and assembling things together. Am I cut out to be an engineer? (Please be honest)

 

[llauren84]

Does Engineering have a lot of memorization involved? I only say this, because the toughest class that I took at my college is General Biology (the second semester of it only). The part that really killed me was memorizing phyla and classes, etc. I have no patience for memorizing what can be looked up if you ever need it, in my opinion. It just really frustrated me. I need to know what I am getting into. I know it is mainly problem solving, but how much memorization is actually involved. The thing I like about math is that you don't really need to memorize much, since mostly it builds on itself and you can derive many things or use a calculator.

 

[RaStevey]

llauren, if you don't like memorizing, i would say that you will like engineering, since it is more about understanding a certain concept and applying it to different problems/situations, than just memorizing thousands a facts (i hate that).

One of our lectures said that you still have to memorize the basic facts, because it will look a bit unproffesional if you pitch up at work with all your textbooks "just in case you need to look up somenthing", but then we said, that's why we have laptops and the internet.

 

[Silentbob888]

Probably should have read this thread a long time ago. This may be long winded, and if that's the case, sorry in advance.

I will continue to read each page of this thread, but at this point it kind of looks like each person's situation is different, so I'll put mine out there and hope for some feedback.

Currently I am a part time student in my late 20's. I started 2 years ago and this is my pathetic resume thus far:

Eng 101/102
Math 108, 143, 144, 170 (calc 1, barely passed with a C, probably should have gotten a D, rumor has it that this class has a roughly 65% failure rate, so maybe that's why I squeaked through? A lot of the people in my class were there for the 2nd/3rd time)
Macroecon
Psych 101

The past 2 years I've worked full time nights and taken 2 classes per semester. I pay for my tuition as I go, trying very hard to avoid loans up until the end. Next summer I will start milking credits as well. Hoping to have this done by my early 30's.

I dropped out of HS, so I basically had a 10 year break between classes. Growing up I was very mathmatically inclined, so I decided to try and shoot for a computer engineering degree. Problem is, I'm by no means an egghead. Had I continued from HS straight to college, maybe. But at this point and after a ton of pot, I'm really questioning wether or not this is a realistic goal. Will it be possible to work full time and take extremely hard classes and still try to maintain some form of a life?

I really do love solving problems. I have yet to do any real engineering classes or science for that matter, so I don't know if I'm truly barking up the wrong tree. A lot of the posts here have suggested not doing it for the money. But honestly with the economy and job availability of the past five plus years, it seems like getting a degree that most cannot obtain, basically guarentees you a life of work and being well compensated for it.
I've been the jack of all trades at every single job that I've been at, but without a degree, there's no real chance of being fairly compensated.

As you can see I'm only taking classes that will transfer easily to another degree if that has to happen. Because I'm paying out of pocket, I do not want to pay for too many extra classes if I don't have to.

What classes should I be looking forward to, to really find out if I'm cut out for it or not? I'm thinking Calc 2 in a few weeks will probably be one of them, but what else? Just trying to find the best "turn back now" point or ideally the "you are golden" point. Oh yah, regarding calc 2, I really really enjoyed math up until calc 1. There's some stuff that was very interesting to me, but then some just seemed above and beyond me. This class was where memorization killed me. Prof didn't let us use calculators in class for anything. Every formula had to be memorized. This is extremely difficult for me. I know I need to cut back on the chronic, but still, I know when I'm out in the "real world" since I've been there for awhile, that I will have tools and whatever else I need available to me at the drop of a dime.

My backup degree would probably be ITM or possibly CM. I'm very proficient at computers, been building and upgrading for 15 years now, but you still can't get paid for that unless you have a degree. Problem is, seems like other than business, the next most popular degree is in computers. Sure, there will be jobs for most of them forever, but will they pay anything worthwhile? I'm still guessing that ITM will max at 45-65k/year?

Probably should leave it at that. If there's anything else I may have mistakenly left out, let me know. Thanks again for any feedback given.

 

[llauren84]

Silentbob, your name gives away your habits. =) I have a similar story to yours. I used to smoke and I recently gave up all juvenile (in my case these things seem juvenile now because they limited me so much...others may or may not be limited by such things) habits like pot and staying out very late several times per week. I did return to school this year, Fall 2008. I continued with Calc2, not having taken calc1 since 2002. Let me tell you something it is not easy to take such a huge break from math but if I can do that, anything is possible. I passed calc2 with a A. The grades were curved, but either way, I was still at the top of my class. I studied so hard. I was relearning calc1 at the same time as learning call2. I didn't work though and went to school full time. Calc three came so much easier. I literally missed 11 classes. They were 1 hour classes ...so I missed 11 hours of the class per week (20% of the total hours in the semester) ans still managed an A-. I'm not saying do this, because I did have to teach it myself. I just didn't want to go to class on a Thursday when it was my only class and it takes 1hour to get there. 2hr commute for 1hr class...ehhh...maybe you can see my reasoning. Okay, I wrote a lot but the point is that returning to college is not easy when you have been away from the setting. You should try another calculus class and see how that goes and maybe even some physics. Keep in mind that you are paying for these classes, so the more you put into them the more you get out. So if you study and do your homework, you are sure to get better grades than if you don't.

 

[Dembadon]

I know I need to cut back on the chronic, but still, I know when I'm out in the "real world" since I've been there for awhile, that I will have tools and whatever else I need available to me at the drop of a dime.

It is my advice that you cut weed out of your life completely if you are serious about a professional career. If you are going to rely on sources other than your brain when working in the 'real world', you will find it very difficult to be proficient at your job. The "just Google it" mentality will not always be an option; e.g. when you are making a presentation for management. It will look very silly if you need to pull out your laptop during your presentation to Google something you should have retained from your studies.

I am in no way trying to discourage you from pursuing the engineering profession; I just want to make sure you have realistic expectations. Working full time while going to school is challenging enough. If you are serious about your future, stop smoking dope. The negative effects that accompany such a habit will only hinder your progress.

-Robert

 

[LadyKnuckles]

Well, I'm new to the forums and (must say, great forum you guys have here) I am in a bit of a dilemma here.

I have read many of the comments in this thread and some have lead me to have my usual doubts about engineering and technology. I'm attending the University of Houston in Houston Texas, USA declaring my choice major of study in Computer Engineering Technology. I have always wanted to take a field of study such as this as long as I have been intriuged by how things worked in the world.

My dilemma, I'm not very good at math due to me not having the best teachers growing up, yet I always tried. Science, it always depended on the lab that we would do in school. I guess I always liked science. But anyways, I have researched on many things that engineers do and I always wanted to be in a group where we would build something magnificent that many people could benefit from. Yet math always held me back.

I am always interested about learning in my leisure and when I'm busy doing other things. I just want to know that I too can be successful at engineering technology if I tried really hard and focus alot. I know that because I am not like many others that are good at math, I guess I just want to find a computer engineer that also started off rocky and with hard work, understanding the information given he or she too became the engineer that they always wanted to be.

I know the teachings will be difficult, I knew this when I started loving how things are created in the world to help others. I ready to start ripping my face off trying to perfect my math skills and appreciate the things I will be doing once I get the degree.


I guess I just need a step in the right direction. I hope this is it. So Should I become an engineer, I believe I can. Been catching up in math all summer I better.

 

[note360]

I am in a similar situation. However, let's look at it a different way. This is college, its almost a blank slate if you let it be. You may need to work harder, but in all honesty you can be what you want to be. There are really unnecessary pressures added onto high school students. Also, really bad math teachers... Especially in middle school where I think it is most crucial. As a result I am slow as hell as math... however, i find I am still faster than most in my classes.

 

[LadyKnuckles]

Well that makes me feel much better about the situation. I already knew as soon as i feel in love with Technology and Engineering, that I was going to have problems mathematically and scientifically. It's not the high school pressure, its the pressure going on about me not at least making a C+. But yeah, like you said, I do need to work harder. As long as I can at least set short term goals for my ultimate long term goal, I should be fine right?

 

[epicbattle]

Here is a question for you guys. I have a Liberal Arts degree. I started on this path when I was young and stupid. Not that their is anything wrong with Liberal Arts. I'm very good at math, and have an obsession with Robotics. I have built three very simple Robots thanks to sites like Letsmakerobots, or societyofrobots. I am now 23. But I believe that I missed my calling. Engineering in general is fascinating and rewarding. Should I sink in thousands of dollars, and destroy myself with all the time and hard work it would require to go back to school for an EE degree? I don't have a GOOD job. I'm a waiter. I make enough to "live". Am I stuck for life? Has anyone ever heard of someone going back after they have already gotten a degree for Engineering? My family and friends think I am crazy. It's probably true, but I want to hear you guys say it.

 

[fourierAlarm]

epicbattle, a year ago I was in pretty much the same situation you are describing. I graduated form college with a BA in philosophy and no particular career plans, so I ended up working at one of the college bookstores in town. I moved up to assistant manager, but the hours were ridiculous and the salary was barely enough to live on. After two years , I decided I could either 1) try to become general manager of a bookstore, or 2) go back to college and get some kind of decent career.

Since 1) seemed about like getting a root canal every day for the rest of my life, I enrolled this spring for a second bachelor's in Computer Engineering. I wanted to do something involving math and science, but also be able to pay back all the loans, and since I already knew some programming, CpE was the way to go. The CpE program at my school is only different from EE by about 3-6 classes, depending on electives, and I plan to finish in May 2012. So, if you decide to go back for EE, plan on taking at least three years to finish. If you can, go to the same school where you got your first undergrad, or a school that will transfer all your credits, so you can avoid having to retake gen ed classes like English and History.

I was pretty much terrified about taking years out of my life (I'm about to turn 25) and borrowing vast sums to go do this, but after 1 semester + summer school, I am really happy I decided to go for it. Your family may think you're crazy, but I figure you can spend your 20's wising you were an engineer, or dammit, you can go become an engineer. Yes, I think there is some uncertainty about the jobs outlook in this field, but that's true of many careers these days. Just about everyone in our generation is going to have to deal with the fact that a secure job for life with one company doesn't really exist anymore. On the bright side, the research I have seen all shows that the starting salaries for new engineers are still very good (http://www.career.arizona.edu/webresources/?nacesurvey" ).

Robotics is a fascinating field, and although we don't per se have a "robotics indsutry" where you go build terminators or something (yet!) there are lots of applications of robotics/ai principles that are being commercialized, like computer vision for vehicle navigation, or speech recognition, which you run into when you call just about any customer service line.

Hope this gives you a few things to think about!

 

[kote]

Here is a question for you guys. I have a Liberal Arts degree. I started on this path when I was young and stupid. Not that their is anything wrong with Liberal Arts. I'm very good at math, and have an obsession with Robotics. I have built three very simple Robots thanks to sites like Letsmakerobots, or societyofrobots. I am now 23. But I believe that I missed my calling. Engineering in general is fascinating and rewarding. Should I sink in thousands of dollars, and destroy myself with all the time and hard work it would require to go back to school for an EE degree? I don't have a GOOD job. I'm a waiter. I make enough to "live". Am I stuck for life? Has anyone ever heard of someone going back after they have already gotten a degree for Engineering? My family and friends think I am crazy. It's probably true, but I want to hear you guys say it.

You don't have to tell me, but think about how well you did in your philosophy degree. Can you show that you took analytical courses and did well? How do you expect that your GRE would look?

If you have a good gpa and generally did well, you can probably think about getting a masters degree as a career changer. You may have trouble directly in engineering, but with some night classes in math, for example, you might be able to go straight to an applied math masters program and get a job doing technical analysis with the engineers. Talk to some schools. See what they'd need you to do. Mostly they want committed students with a basic level of knowledge and a real passion for the field.

During an info session I attended for UCONN's math PhD program I remember them telling us about an English major who went straight to the PhD program after being out of school for a few years. You could try for a PhD even. If you demonstrate the passion and potential they'll give you a semester or two to catch up on the prereqs.

Worst case you transfer your night classes to another undergrad degree or decide you don't want to commit to the full thing.

 

[epicbattle]

You don't have to tell me, but think about how well you did in your philosophy degree. Can you show that you took analytical courses and did well? How do you expect that your GRE would look?

If you have a good gpa and generally did well, you can probably think about getting a masters degree as a career changer. You may have trouble directly in engineering, but with some night classes in math, for example, you might be able to go straight to an applied math masters program and get a job doing technical analysis with the engineers. Talk to some schools. See what they'd need you to do. Mostly they want committed students with a basic level of knowledge and a real passion for the field.

During an info session I attended for UCONN's math PhD program I remember them telling us about an English major who went straight to the PhD program after being out of school for a few years. You could try for a PhD even. If you demonstrate the passion and potential they'll give you a semester or two to catch up on the prereqs.

Worst case you transfer your night classes to another undergrad degree or decide you don't want to commit to the full thing.

Here is an update on this. I am going to a community college for Calculus 1. I'm considering this sort of a "test" course. If I do well in it (which I think I will, but I have never taken Calc) I will go ahead with a five year undergrad plan to get an ECE degree. I'm not married, nor do I have any kids so I don't have that to worry about. So anything like this where I can better my life by the age of 30 seems worth it to me. Your idea that I may be able to get into a masters or PhD program seems like a much more efficient root. The downside is I'm not a philosophy major. I'm a Theater major. I haven't had a lot of logic based classes. That's not to say it couldn't be done, I will just have to look into it. So, I am going to take Calc 1-3, and all the classes that will transfer from this Community College to my University. I plan on having this phase done by the end of summer next year. Thanks guys for all your suggestions and support.

 

[kote]

The downside is I'm not a philosophy major. I'm a Theater major.

Oh, sorry! I confused the two posts . Good luck!

 

[symbolipoint]

epicbattle in #553 said these:

I am going to a community college for Calculus 1. I'm considering this sort of a "test" course. If I do well in it (which I think I will, but I have never taken Calc) I will go ahead with a five year undergrad plan to get an ECE degree.

That's it? Just one try? You are not giving yourself much chance. What if it is too hard but you could learn it if you went through it again and do extremely well? What if you put in extra effort the first time and do reasonably well so as not to need to repeat it? What if you struggle very very hard the first time to just earn a C barely, and take the opportunity during the semester break to review the whole thing before starting Calculus 2? If you are properly prepared with the Algebra and Trigonometry prerequisites, then you should be able to handle Calculus 1 as well as what follows, even if you need a longer effort within Calculus 1; longer than the one-semester term length. Not everybody who goes through the Calculus sequence courses is successful with each one the first time through. They often still can earn a degree in Engineering or one of the sciences.

The downside is I'm not a philosophy major.

What kind of downside is this? One does not need to go full force into Philosophy in order to learn to be a well educated thinker. Other pathways can include Linguistics, other languages, Psychology, several other major field,... and possibly some of the natural sciences (physical ones included).

 

[CBR600RR101]

Hey this thread has been going for agess and I've just found it - just made a username so i could ask my questions as well!

I live in Australia and i plan on attending either monash university of melbourne university.

I was just wondering if someone could check out this site for me, the official site of melbourne uni (specifically the page on the different specializations of engineering available) and if the could tell me which one i would need to do so i can specialize in computer systems engineering. Physically designing/constructing the hardware of computers and any other type of electronics as well. Would it be computer science? Electrical? etc.

Melbourne Uni is my third preference, my first being science/engineering at Monash and second being just engineering at monash. Monash seems to show that they have a specialization in the area i want (electrical and computer systems engineering) which is why its my first preference.

ANY help would be appreciated! THANK YOU ALL!

EDIT: Another question i would like to ask is, do any Australians on this board know of any good places someone with a degree in computer engineering could work in Melbourne (City OR otherwise)? All of this would go a long way, I don't want to end up with a useless degree. :(

 

[theman408]

I keep hearing that most of the civil engineers are trying to re-invent themselves and are all stressed out because the field is almost weeded out.

How true is this and is it really a factor?

 

[creepypasta13]

I'm about to graduate with my double major in physics and applied math, and am having trouble deciding what graduate programs to apply to.

My background: I've done an REU in statistical/solid-state physics and research in materials modeling. As a result, I'm sure I want to work on modeling/simulation in my career, whether it be in academia or industry. Also, I wish to avoid writing lab reports and doing hands-on experiments as much as possible. I would say my favorite physics class covered statistical mechanics and thermo, but I haven't taken the upper-div version of it yet.

For graduate programs, I've been looking into physics, applied physics, mechanical engineering, EE, or materials engineering. I list my reasons why below

physics/applied physics - lots of applied areas interest me such as condensed matter, lasers, etc. I'm only hesistant about it because of job opportunities for theoretical physics phD's

mechanical eng - mostly only CFD interests me since I've had some interest in designing missiles and rockets for the military.

EE - don't know too much about it but I heard one can work on solid state, optics, lasers, and other areas of applied physics. But when I hear of EE, I think of circuits and controls, which I don't like. I even took a mechanical engineering class in feedback and controls and it was one of the worst classes i took as an undergrad

materials - my undergrad research in solid-state and materials modeling gets me thinking this area may suit me. But stuff like solar energy, organic chemistry, polymers don't interest me one bit.

if someone could help me, I'd really appreciate it. Thanks

 

[kote]

I'm about to graduate with my double major in physics and applied math, and am having trouble deciding what graduate programs to apply to.

Out of curiosity, why not applied math? I think your choice really depends on what you're interested though. Do you have any idea of what your goals are? Is there a certain career you are going for? Do you want to stay in academia?

 

[creepypasta13]

Out of curiosity, why not applied math? I think your choice really depends on what you're interested though. Do you have any idea of what your goals are? Is there a certain career you are going for? Do you want to stay in academia?

I didn't really enjoy my applied math courses as much as my physics. if i could do my undergrad again, i definitely wouldn't have majored in applied math.

my goal is to obtain some kind of research position, preferably in academia or a government lab. But since academia jobs are scarce, I'm willing to look elsewhere such as government or industrial labs