Berkeley Joint Majors

College Search & Selection
1

I was recently admitted to Cal for Nuclear Engineering, and I think I’d like to do a joint Mechanical/Nuclear major, which they offer.

A couple of questions about this program:

  1. The joint major programs are not ABET accredited, although it seems like they were up until this year. On the joint majors webpage it says:

“Joint majors lie at the intersection between two fields and cannot be cataloged in a specific bin; therefore, they are not ABET (Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology) accredited programs*
…
*Note: Students who were admitted to Berkeley Fall 2016 or earlier who wish to pursue a joint major will graduate from an ABET accredited program (other than BioE/MSE which was never ABET accredited). Refer to your ESS or faculty adviser for details.”

Will this be a problem after graduation in the job search? Are these programs viewed as inferior?

  1. Due to the increased course load and rigor, will it be less likely for one to take on a co-op or internship opportunity during his/her time in the program?

I’d appreciate any input. Thanks!