Becoming an Engineer: Considerations and Personal Experiences

[Astronuc]

While I feel both capable and interested in engineering fields, at the same time I'm interested in the business/corporate side of things. Would there be possible positions that incorporate both engineering (most likely chemical) with perhaps some sort of business position for a company?

In my head, I think of engineers as people sitting in labs all day...I'm sure this is not the case, but I'd like to be interacting with people, negotiating, managing, leading, etc - hence where my interest in business comes in. So maybe this is all a stupid question...but could I major in engineering, minor in business, and find a job that kind of fits both fields?

Engineering management.

 

[CharliH]

I'm three quarters of the way through first year (electronic) engineering, but seriously considering switching to a physics/maths double major. My academic advisor is pretty focused on preventing engineering 'dropouts' and seems to think that if, like me, you're getting straight firsts, you'd have no reason to switch. I'm kind of frustrated by the narrowness of the physics ahead of me (after Physics I everything is tightly focused on circuit theory, power electronics, etc) and the fact that our engineering courses never seem to go to the roots of anything, while our out-of-faculty courses do it quite well. I'm also apprehensive of the idea (introduced by my lecturers) that most of engineering is dealing with people-problems. (Working with people on science problems is cool; but I don't like the concept that half or less of my work will actually be science related.)

I know that I'd probably need an academic or research type job to focus on pure physics; right now that sounds awesome. I'm just not sure how much this is 'grass is greener' syndrome, and how true the idea that I'd need a large handful of luck to even get a job like that is. (It seems as likely as I could hope for that I could find an engineering job if I graduate with good marks and a BSc(Eng), but I know I'd need a much longer/harder/more costly qualification to actually do pure physics as a career.)

Advice on whether I've misjudged engineering and/or am being a silly fool to even think this way would be great. Thanks.

 

[kk727]

Engineering management.

Considering I'm still in high school...how would I go about this? Could I do an Engineering Major with a Business Minor, and then go back and get my masters in Engineering Management?

 

[pongo38]

"I'm also apprehensive of the idea (introduced by my lecturers) that most of engineering is dealing with people-problems. (Working with people on science problems is cool; but I don't like the concept that half or less of my work will actually be science related.)"

What makes you think that Physics wouldn't be just the same? Most people have to work effectively in teams in order to achieve things. When I consider physicists and engineers I know, and the way their careers have gone, I see that whatever degree they started with was no incumbrence to them making progress along their preferred path. And in many cases they have used their first degree as a stepping stone to things they could not have predicted. The idea that you can map out a career is (in many cases) hope mixed with wishful thinking. Last week my taxi driver was a physics PhD without a job. That should make you think.

 

[CharliH]

What makes you think that Physics wouldn't be just the same? Most people have to work effectively in teams in order to achieve things.

My physics lecturer has never said that his job more often than not involves being called in, checking the basic technical stuff, analysing the problem and discovering that the issue is a fraudulent employee/improperly trained personnel/something very non-technical. My engineering lecturer most definitely has. Maybe I just have cynical engineering lecturers and naive physics lecturers, though, which is why I asked - probably should've been a bit clearer. I know I'll work in teams either way, but that's different to dealing with the type of situation above.

Last week my taxi driver was a physics PhD without a job. That should make you think.

I'm aware that there are employment risks with pretty much any degree. I don't think I'd pick my degree based on a limited part of a single person's experience, though.

Thanks for the advice!

 

[lol_nl]

What kind of character do you think you need for engineering? Surely, willingness to work hard is definitely a prerequisite, and good analytical and problem solving skills are trained.

But apart from that, once you get into the profession, does it get tough when it comes to e.g. pressure and deadlines? Does an engineer have to have the stereotype tough-headed impersonal character in order to succeed? Should people with less stable personality types avoid the area altogether?
I found this somewhere on the web: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1744-6570.1955.tb01224.x/abstract -> how true do you think it is?

I know that many engineers get into highly specialized areas and get to do very specialized, narrow (?) work in the end. How common is it to find engineers who have many other intellectual interests outside their focus? Would someone who has interest in languages and music for instance make a capable engineer as well?

Furthermore, would you say that there is any value in studying liberal arts for a year or two before switching to engineering? Are gaining good communication skills by studying e.g. the humanities and broader areas an asset or would studying at such a place be a waste of time?

 

[sweetpotato]

I would take this article with a grain of salt. Engineering attracts all kinds of people, in my experience. My best friends are engineering majors but also love music and have an active social life. Also consider the fact that many people with engineering degrees don't end up working as engineers at all. Some go to law school, medical school, or business school. Some become professors or teachers.

To answer your question about studying liberal arts before studying engineering: why do you think that going straight into engineering school would stop you from learning communication skills? Engineering majors can (and are usually required to) take liberal arts classes as well. You could even minor or double-major in a humanities or social science discipline. Many engineering classes, especially the more advanced classes, teach you communication skills as well, by making you complete lengthy group projects and present them to the class, etc.

I don't think it's necessarily a waste of time to study liberal arts before engineering, if you are interested in liberal arts. But don't do it just because you want to learn good communication skills.

In my experience there are always some engineering majors that fit the nerd stereotype, but many more that don't.

 

[pongo38]

How common is it to find engineers who have many other intellectual interests outside their focus? Would someone who has interest in languages and music for instance make a capable engineer as well?

Furthermore, would you say that there is any value in studying liberal arts for a year or two before switching to engineering? Are gaining good communication skills by studying e.g. the humanities and broader areas an asset or would studying at such a place be a waste of time?

Languages and music bring humanity to engineering enterprises, quite commonly in my experience, but I don't think it's worth following these except as a hobby while you study engineering, or you can do it after graduation when you are a more efficient and motivated learner. You can develop your own communication skills in the context of engineering by (for example) making and taking opportunities to write and speak about things you know about. Even a letter to the technical press will concentrate your mind on the effectiveness of what you are trying to say.

 

[Ranzar]

I am still in high-school ,17 years old (almost 18) ,but I couldn't stop thinking about my future and what I should have my mind set on.

Last year ,I was in love with Aerospace physics.

But in the last two weeks ,I tend to like engineering ,building robots ,looking forward to doing projects like building spaceships. And I also like programming ,the idea of building a machine + building the program that is like it's brain is something that gets me VERY exited and helps me escape all the high-school attraction (girls ,fun etc) and concentrate on my studies.

But today ,my physics teacher talked to me about Quantum physics ,and the idea of understanding the very WHY tends me so much.

Thus ,I find myself lost ,I don't know what I want anymore ,and I know it's high-school and it's early but believe me ,it helps me to get my mind set on something ,and I can study better and have more confidence.

If it helps ,I want to know what should I think about being ? A physicist ? or an Engineer ? I want something that involves building things ,programming ,maybe Aerospace ,and using physics and the understanding of the how.

Thanks :)

 

[Ranzar]

My question got answered ,thanks :)

 

[OpticalSuit]

im currently studying engineering over seas. I am curious to know what is covered in first year calculus in the states. We have so far covered in the past 3 months: limits, derivatives, implicit, rates of change,max and min, indefinite and definite integration, volume, integration by parts, logarithms, inverse trig functions, l'hospital, infinite series/power series. Seems like a lot of material, or is that normal? I personally love it :)

 

[Angry Citizen]

I covered everything in that list in calc I and II. I'd say it's a little much for the first three months, but it's to be expected. The only thing that's solidly calc II is the infinite series stuff.

 

[vela]

I'm three quarters of the way through first year (electronic) engineering, but seriously considering switching to a physics/maths double major. My academic advisor is pretty focused on preventing engineering 'dropouts' and seems to think that if, like me, you're getting straight firsts, you'd have no reason to switch.

I gather your advisor is an engineer. To him or her, it might be unfathomable that anyone could find engineering uninteresting or boring. I also wonder if your advisor isn't placing the department's interest ahead of yours. The department obviously would like to retain its best students, but bolstering its reputation shouldn't be at the expense of what you want out of your education.

I'm kind of frustrated by the narrowness of the physics ahead of me (after Physics I everything is tightly focused on circuit theory, power electronics, etc) and the fact that our engineering courses never seem to go to the roots of anything, while our out-of-faculty courses do it quite well.

I think a physics degree would give you more options. It's easy to go from physics into engineering; it's not so easy going the other way because, as you noted, engineering is very limited.

I'm also apprehensive of the idea (introduced by my lecturers) that most of engineering is dealing with people-problems. (Working with people on science problems is cool; but I don't like the concept that half or less of my work will actually be science related.)

This isn't peculiar to engineering. You have to be able to work well with people in almost any job. I'd say if you don't want to deal with people problems, the most important thing is to stay away from the management career track.

I know that I'd probably need an academic or research type job to focus on pure physics; right now that sounds awesome. I'm just not sure how much this is 'grass is greener' syndrome, and how true the idea that I'd need a large handful of luck to even get a job like that is. (It seems as likely as I could hope for that I could find an engineering job if I graduate with good marks and a BSc(Eng), but I know I'd need a much longer/harder/more costly qualification to actually do pure physics as a career.)

Advice on whether I've misjudged engineering and/or am being a silly fool to even think this way would be great. Thanks.

Part of the problem is you probably don't get a good feel for what a job is like until you actually do it. Research sounds cool to a lot of people, but when they discover they don't like it, they turn into bitter grad students.

Obviously career considerations are important, but I always found it kind of sad when someone said finding a job was the primary reason for choosing what to study. I think you should go with what excites you intellectually. College is probably one of the last chances you'll have to study a subject simply because you like it.

 

[Astronuc]

Considering I'm still in high school...how would I go about this? Could I do an Engineering Major with a Business Minor, and then go back and get my masters in Engineering Management?

Engineering management is typically done at the graduate (MS) level. For example - http://memp.pratt.duke.edu/
http://engineering.jhu.edu/msem/index.html?gclid=COmqmfWJxKUCFUGo4Aod1i33YA
http://www.stanford.edu/dept/MSandE/cgi-bin/index.php

See also - http://www.plm.automation.siemens.com/en_us/products/teamcenter/solutions_by_product/engineering_process_mgmt.shtml?stc=usiia400107&gclid=CJPR7-OQxKUCFUGo4Aod1i33YA

However I have encountered one person doing a bachelors program in Engineering Management.

I believe it is better to get a scientific/technical/engineering degree first, and then do engineering management. One could do engineering and business/entrepreneurship programs as an undergraduate.

The VPs, president and CEO where I work have MS or PhDs in various engineering disciplines, and they perform management as well as engineeing functions. Based on my experience, the best managers are those who understand the science (physics) behind the engineering and technology, as well as business knowledge such as planning, finance, etc.

 

[MECHster]

im currently studying engineering over seas. I am curious to know what is covered in first year calculus in the states. We have so far covered in the past 3 months: limits, derivatives, implicit, rates of change,max and min, indefinite and definite integration, volume, integration by parts, logarithms, inverse trig functions, l'hospital, infinite series/power series. Seems like a lot of material, or is that normal? I personally love it :)

That's pretty much exactly what I'm studying in Canada, and I'd assume it's very similar in the states.

 

[John Mario]

At the suggestion of Shahil, I'm starting this thread as a general guidance thread for prospective engineers. Some typical questions:

-Should I become an engineer?
-What engineering discipline should I study?
-Is engineering difficult?

I encourage people to post personal experiences in school and in the professional world regarding the field of engineering.

Some background info on me - I'm a mechanical engineer working in the field of HVAC design. I started off studying aerospace engineering, but the math was just too much for me. I like mechanical engineering because it is a very wide field with all sorts of job opportunities everywhere.

The most important discipline in Engineering is the ability to analyze and resolve a problem; even when one is under pressure to meet a deadline. This requires a practical application of one's knowledge. I am a retired Electrical Engineer.

 

[John Mario]

Engineering management is typically done at the graduate (MS) level. For example - http://memp.pratt.duke.edu/
http://engineering.jhu.edu/msem/index.html?gclid=COmqmfWJxKUCFUGo4Aod1i33YA

However I have encountered one person doing a bachelors program in Engineering Management.

I believe it is better to get a scientific/technical/engineering degree first, and then do engineering management. One could do engineering and business/entrepreneurship programs as an undergraduate.

The VPs, president and CEO where I work have MS or PhDs in various engineering disciplines, and they perform management as well as engineeing functions. Based on my experience, the best managers are those who understand the science (physics) behind the engineering and technology, as well as business knowledge such as planning, finance, etc.

I agree. Someone with hands-on experience is much more likely to recognize a reasonable projected time to complete a design.

 

[John Mario]

I'm three quarters of the way through first year (electronic) engineering, but seriously considering switching to a physics/maths double major. My academic advisor is pretty focused on preventing engineering 'dropouts' and seems to think that if, like me, you're getting straight firsts, you'd have no reason to switch. I'm kind of frustrated by the narrowness of the physics ahead of me (after Physics I everything is tightly focused on circuit theory, power electronics, etc) and the fact that our engineering courses never seem to go to the roots of anything, while our out-of-faculty courses do it quite well. I'm also apprehensive of the idea (introduced by my lecturers) that most of engineering is dealing with people-problems. (Working with people on science problems is cool; but I don't like the concept that half or less of my work will actually be science related.)

I know that I'd probably need an academic or research type job to focus on pure physics; right now that sounds awesome. I'm just not sure how much this is 'grass is greener' syndrome, and how true the idea that I'd need a large handful of luck to even get a job like that is. (It seems as likely as I could hope for that I could find an engineering job if I graduate with good marks and a BSc(Eng), but I know I'd need a much longer/harder/more costly qualification to actually do pure physics as a career.)

Advice on whether I've misjudged engineering and/or am being a silly fool to even think this way would be great. Thanks.

Communication skills is a requirement today. You may have to explain your design to a customer and listen to the customer's comments, questions and criticisms of your design.

Writing is another required skill. I had to write my design documents and submit them to the customer. The customer commented on my design documents. This is one way to ensure that your interpretation of the customer's needs matches the customer's actual needs.

In school, math is the tool used to explain a concept. Some teachers insert practical examples in their lectures. I was fortunate enough to have a professor who worked as an Engineering Manager during the day and taught an Engineering course at night. First he would teach the theory and math. Then he would explain what works in the real world.

 

[Tshephisho]

Im'm interested in studying mechanical engineering next year but I like working more with my hands, taking things apart and puting them back again, figuring out why something does not want to work and trying to find a solution to make that thing work by making use of "trial-and-error", my question is what career path within the mechanical field should i pursue, mechanical techinician or mechanical technologist or engineer, oh I'm also into cars, love everything about them.

 

[John Mario]

Im'm interested in studying mechanical engineering next year but I like working more with my hands, taking things apart and puting them back again, figuring out why something does not want to work and trying to find a solution to make that thing work by making use of "trial-and-error", my question is what career path within the mechanical field should i pursue, mechanical techinician or mechanical technologist or engineer, oh I'm also into cars, love everything about them.

I can only relate to my observations having consulted with a mechanical engineer on several occasions. The mechanical technician does most of the hands-on testing. I don't know about the mechanical technologist. I know the engineer becomes involved when the technician reports a problem.

 

[i_wish_i_was_smart]

I can only relate to my observations having consulted with a mechanical engineer on several occasions. The mechanical technician does most of the hands-on testing. I don't know about the mechanical technologist. I know the engineer becomes involved when the technician reports a problem.

Hey I'll add to this

If you enjoy fixing cars and troubleshoot their problems- become a Thechnician (technicians are mechanics)

if you like to test new car parts until they fail and collect data on it to then submit said data to an engineer to fix the problem - become a technologist

if you like to design new car parts and and trouble shoot why they fail in some manner or another to find a proper solution to your problem - become and engineer

this is just one example of many


i myself became an Engineer to find intuitive solutions to problems, you might build 2 bridges of the same design, but garanteed you will have different problems, this is why onsite civil engineers have not gone out of style yet
i didnt become a mechanic for the simple fact that i didnt think i was going to enjoy it as a profession, i love working on cars... as a hobby, i didnt think i was going to get the mental stimulation that i wanted out of a job, did i make the right choice? well i still love to tinker on my car on my time off, and i love my job... best of both worlds really

now the reason i chose my dicipline
i chose the type of engineering i am in because of a childhood job i had, i was working as a shop boy on a mine site in the Canadian arctic, as soon as i stepped off the plane, that type of lifestyle called to me, as the summer went on i met many engineers who shared with me their insight into what the job is and it all got me hooked on more and more. where before the sumer i had many career paths i wanted to take, at the end of the summer that choice was clear, i had to become... a drunken Mining Engineer haha

point is you have to choose the dicipline that makes you tick, the one that makes you want to achieve the unachievable, the makes you thrive as a professional and as a human being...

... and that is worth more than the paycheck at the end of the week

 

[musk]

It's really awesome to see how much help the members are giving to the ppl who can't decide what major to enroll into. Anyway i have some questions. I am a 1st year ME student and so far it's been 'O.K.' I chose ME mainly because i thought i was crazy about physics but didn't like the opportunities a physics course would offer (scientist, lab, teaching). And yeah, I didn't also like the fact how physicist where payed so low for their work. I am fairly good at math and physics and i can say that i like them, they are interesting but they don't quite make my blood boil when i hear talking about them. What really makes me go crazy is modern physics. I absolutely love everything about it, from relativity, quantum mechanics, astrophysics and others. I literally sit in front of the TV and don't move at all while watching documentaries about it (like a kid watching cartoons). Not to mention that i swallow every book i can get on that subject (now reading The Large, The Small and Human Mind by Penrose :P).

However even considering my love for modern physics I wouldn't like going 5 years through hell just to teach or be enclosed in some laboratory. I'd like something practical. My ideal course would be Modern Physics Engineering, but unfortunately i never heard about it =/, so i assume it doesn't exist. Overall that has been my dilemma since i finished high school and for now i am not quite sure if i made the right decision. thanks i'll keep checking this forum :)

 

[p1ayaone1]

It's really awesome to see how much help the members are giving to the ppl who can't decide what major to enroll into. Anyway i have some questions. I am a 1st year ME student and so far it's been 'O.K.' I chose ME mainly because i thought i was crazy about physics but didn't like the opportunities a physics course would offer (scientist, lab, teaching). And yeah, I didn't also like the fact how physicist where payed so low for their work. I am fairly good at math and physics and i can say that i like them, they are interesting but they don't quite make my blood boil when i hear talking about them. What really makes me go crazy is modern physics. I absolutely love everything about it, from relativity, quantum mechanics, astrophysics and others. I literally sit in front of the TV and don't move at all while watching documentaries about it (like a kid watching cartoons). Not to mention that i swallow every book i can get on that subject (now reading The Large, The Small and Human Mind by Penrose :P).

However even considering my love for modern physics I wouldn't like going 5 years through hell just to teach or be enclosed in some laboratory. I'd like something practical. My ideal course would be Modern Physics Engineering, but unfortunately i never heard about it =/, so i assume it doesn't exist. Overall that has been my dilemma since i finished high school and for now i am not quite sure if i made the right decision. thanks i'll keep checking this forum :)

There is a discipline called "Engineering Physics" offered at some schools, but if you're interested in modern physics, you might enjoy semiconductors (that would be in ELEC) or nano/materials engineering. For now, you'll have to slog through Introduction to This and Fundamentals of That until you get to the good stuff ;)

 

[eventob]

I am currently studying petroleum geosciences engineering. I am thinking about maybe taking an exchange semester to some other school (preferably in the US or Canada) (also considering Australia or ZA), but I'm not sure which one to choose. My university has an exchange programme with New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology and San Diego State, but I may also arrange it with some other school.

Any thoughts? Probably not a lot of people in here studying petroleum/geo engineering?

I am also a bit uncertain whether I should attend grad school after I've finished my bachelor degree. Is it worth the two extra years and the money to get a masters degree?

Anyways. I was going to study business administration, but I decided to go for engineering ... Was admitted into two different universities, one business school and one engineering school ... So I had to decide in the last minute. I don't regret choosing engineering, even though the science subjects can be very challenging from time to time. :)

 

[p1ayaone1]

I am currently studying petroleum geosciences engineering. I am thinking about maybe taking an exchange semester to some other school (preferably in the US or Canada) (also considering Australia or ZA), but I'm not sure which one to choose. My university has an exchange programme with New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology and San Diego State, but I may also arrange it with some other school.

Any thoughts? Probably not a lot of people in here studying petroleum/geo engineering?

I am also a bit uncertain whether I should attend grad school after I've finished my bachelor degree. Is it worth the two extra years and the money to get a masters degree?

I don't study in that field or go to this university, but McGill (Montreal, Canada) has a mining engineering program. I think it's the only one where they do Co-op, but no idea about exchanges.

 

[rainbowchelle]

I'm thinking of going into electrical engineering (also considering civil, computer or industrial; however electrical seems most interesting to me) but I'm not terribly good at or passionate about math. When I took Pre-Calc and Trig in high school I didn't do so well. I'm not sure if this is important enough to re-think this career path or not. When I took entrance exams for college (I went and dropped out, am going back this Spring) I scored into the highest math placement I could without testing out of it entirely, and I did really well in Intermediate Algebra. I'm just concerned that this might not be good enough because I hear a lot about how math intensive engineering is, and I'm pretty sure I'll have to do a bit more than factoring to graduate. I don't mind doing math and find some of it fun, but I guess I'm concerned that I'd be bad at it and if it's really that crazy important I might as well just decide on another career path.

On the other hand, I find electricity and the physics behind it fascinating. I love to design things and solve puzzles. I'm naturally inquisitive which seems to be a plus for this career field. I love to write and enjoy finding the most efficient way to do things. I think that designing electronics would be really fulfilling, I love technology and looking at the progress we have made so far and thinking about how much further we have the potential to go.

What do you think? Would I make a good electrical engineer or should I go back to the drawing board?

 

[p1ayaone1]

Would I make a good electrical engineer or should I go back to the drawing board?

You'll do great because:

1. You found this forum
2. You used the following words in your post: "fun", "fascinating", "love", "fulfilling", "progress", "potential"

Don't worry about the math. They will drill you over and over on all the little tricks you need to (eventually) solve more involved design problems.

You are leaps and bounds above many other final-year Elec students I know because you already have an engineer's brain. Sure, they might be able to do convolution integrals in their sleep, but anyone can learn how to do that. You can't teach someone to be passionate and inquisitive. Play your advantages, be patient, slog through the math courses and I'm sure you will find an incredibly rewarding career.

 

[rainbowchelle]

You'll do great because:

1. You found this forum
2. You used the following words in your post: "fun", "fascinating", "love", "fulfilling", "progress", "potential"

Don't worry about the math. They will drill you over and over on all the little tricks you need to (eventually) solve more involved design problems.

You are leaps and bounds above many other final-year Elec students I know because you already have an engineer's brain. Sure, they might be able to do convolution integrals in their sleep, but anyone can learn how to do that. You can't teach someone to be passionate and inquisitive. Play your advantages, be patient, slog through the math courses and I'm sure you will find an incredibly rewarding career.

Thank you! That's really encouraging to hear :)

 

[Hellius]

I've pretty much decided on being an engineer. I've created an academic plan and I am shooting for the moon. Problem is, I'm not sure what branch I'd like to get into.

I'd love to learn how to generate electricity and I'd like to learn how to sanitate water for communities. I'd like to invent... anything that comes to my mind and I'd like to develop skills that I can use outside of work. I'd like to do humanitarian work; make sure people have clean water to drink, have safe living conditions, and I'd like to make their lives easier.

I guess I'd like to have an eclectic mix of everything and anything. I think of mechanical for this reason, but I'm not sure if it fits the bill.

 

[Angry Citizen]

Most engineering degrees start off relatively similar. You study the same math, the same physics, the same basic engineering courses. You have plenty of time to decide on a sub-discipline. You might consider civil engineering based on your preferences.

 

[pongo38]

If you stick with electrical and do well, you could consider doing a masters afterwards in water and/or environmental engineering. That choice should be possible in the UK, anyway. You can adapt this suggestion to closely related fields and other countries. What admissions tutors will want to establish is (a) your ability to learn at a higher level and (b) your motivation for the chosen course.

 

[Hellius]

Electrical engineering was the initial discipline I was looking at when I began my search. I've been thinking about civil lately as well.

I do want to have my bachelor's degree be a core branch of engineering, so civil or electrical would work for me. I'm not sure which I'd like more, but I'm leaning towards electrical.

I don't intend to get into any Ivy League or top prestigious school or anything like that, so does the university you attend make a huge difference in your ability to get hired? My school has an agreement with UC Santa Barbara, Davis, Santa Cruz, and San Diego where, if I complete all the lower division requirements for whichever major, I am guaranteed acceptance. UC Santa Cruz attracts me the most, but it's relatively unknown.

 

[Nikitin]

thoughts about chemical engineering?

engineers with Physical chemistry specialization, what do they do?

Which engineers typically work in the field as opposed in offices?

 

[viscousflow]

Electrical engineering was the initial discipline I was looking at when I began my search. I've been thinking about civil lately as well.

I do want to have my bachelor's degree be a core branch of engineering, so civil or electrical would work for me. I'm not sure which I'd like more, but I'm leaning towards electrical.

I don't intend to get into any Ivy League or top prestigious school or anything like that, so does the university you attend make a huge difference in your ability to get hired? My school has an agreement with UC Santa Barbara, Davis, Santa Cruz, and San Diego where, if I complete all the lower division requirements for whichever major, I am guaranteed acceptance. UC Santa Cruz attracts me the most, but it's relatively unknown.

I would check if the university is abet accredited and the job rate for the engineering department. If those qualities are present and the university is indeed in good standing, in terms of job rate, then I wouldn't worry too much.

 

[Cod]

From reading about different university programs, a three semester calculus sequence and differential equations are the only math courses typically required for engineering majors. What other undergraduate math courses would benefit an engineering major? Linear Algebra? Real Analysis? Numerical Analysis? Others...

EDIT: I'm primarily speaking of aerospace and computer/electrical engineering.