<p>Hello everyone. I'm having a few problems deciding between a bachelor's degree in chemistry and chemical engineering. One option would be to get a bachelor's in chemistry and a master's in chemical engineering. My question is, would this be looked down upon in the job search arena because I didn't demonstrate an interest in engineering in undergraduate studies? Would employers question my commitment to the field? </p>
<p>Thanks!</p>
<p>I have no idea if employers would look down on it, but I am confused why you would already plan to major in chemistry and then go for an engineering grad degree. Where I went to school, the first year and first semester second year were the same classes for both - chemistry, math, physics. Maybe by then you would have a better idea.</p>
<p>I saw elsewhere you said you were premed. I know several chemical engineers who went on to med school, and one biomed engineer. Not the easiest path though.</p>
<p>I would say see how things play out during your freshman year. A friend of mine went to Yale for chem and ended up in music.</p>
<p>@mamabear, Yeah, I am a pre-med. If med school doesn’t work out, there’s nothing else I’d rather do than chemical engineering. I hesitate to enter into the engineering degree program because A) I don’t want to miss out on my school’s humanities classes which are arguably the best in the country and B) I don’t want to be swamped by engineering problem sets while I could be volunteering, doing research, etc. I realize ChemE is a hard way to do pre-med and if med school fails, I would have most of the background needed for an MSE in ChemE. So I don’t know…</p>
<p>@Erin’s Dad, I kind of have to decide now because I have to choose to either take engineering physics or pre-med physics. Pre-med physics is a simpler version of the physics that engineers and physics majors take and the grade distribution is much more lenient since it’s not designed to “weed out” potential engineers/physics majors. If I take engineering physics, my grades would almost definitely be lower so I don’t want to do that unless I am set on engineering. </p>
<p>Thanks!</p>
<p>Your rationale for doing the bachelors in chemistry and then the masters in ChE will not be a problem for most employers. Just be prepared for the fact that your masters degree will not garner much of a premium in salary over those with a bachelors degree in ChE.</p>
<p>But still better than a BA in Chemistry, right? From what I’ve heard, there’s not much opportunity with that…</p>
<p>Chemistry and Chem E are vastly different- why I majored in Chemistry, not any engineering, eons ago. I then chose medical school over grad school in Chemistry or other related fields. You will not get all of the courses you need for engineering as a Chemistry major- especially if you want to use electives for humanities instead- so don’t count on being a Chem major and doing engineering grad work as easily. I got my BA in Chemistry with Honors from a top ten U (UW-Madison) for Chemistry- the major difference from the BS was having met the additional language requirements (had all of the BS reqs due to major). Getting a BA or BS doesn’t matter as far as meeting the reqs for the major, you will have as much chemistry knowledge either way. </p>
<p>Since your freshman year will be getting required math and science courses for either Chemistry or Chem E plan on taking the best versions you can without regard to any medical school plans. Any physics, math or chemistry you take for your proposed major will be fine for medical schools. Take the tougher physics and learn more, plus don’t be competing with the premed biology majors for a good grade in your physics course.</p>
<p>Engineering fields as a premed major (and of course doing well in one) show the ability to handle a tough workload- could be in your favor. The other benefit is enjoying your major and having a field with job prospects.</p>
<p>The bottom line for now. Start your freshman year with good versions of the math/science courses. Once you have a semester or two under your belt you will be much better able to evaluate which direction to take.</p>
<p>Your senior year thesis will be dependent on your major. I think the engineering school has different requirements for the thesis than the other majors. You might also want to look at the certificate programs.</p>
<p>Son started out as a chem major at your school but switched to calc-based econ (math track). Also picked up a certificate, but still took plenty of the chem courses freshman and sophomore year before switching, pre-med as well. Did a thesis that worked out well for med school prep and beyond.</p>
<p>Kat
and yes he did enjoy all those humanities classes, make sure you take all you can reasonably handle…you only have 4 years there!</p>
<p>But engineering physics, while being slightly more compelling, is competitive because of the engineers and physics majors in there. Thank you for your detailed advice and I will definitely put it into practice!</p>
<p>My D the Chem E says the answer to the question, "What’s the difference between a Chemistry and ChemE degree? " is @ $20,000 per year. To start. Cue snare drum.</p>
<p>And it isn’t just the difference in starting salaries. In my 3+ decades in the chemical industry, those that climb the corporate ladder either have a chemical engineering degree, a PhD in chemistry, or an MBA. Those who stop with a bachelor’s degree in chemistry spend their careers as technicians working for the others. </p>
<p>I do agree with wis75 that a chemistry bachelor’s degree will not be sufficient training for beginning a master’s program in ChE. You are likely to be admitted to the master’s program, but have to take a number of undergraduate ChE classes first.</p>
<p>I also agree with wis76’s advice that you start off with the higher level physics class so that you have more information before you have to decide upon your major. Princeton wouldn’t have accepted you if they didn’t think you could do the work. My daughter only had AP Physics B at her high school and was still able to get an A in the highest level of freshman physics at Harvard, so my advice is to not sell yourself short.</p>
<p>@cltdad, with all due respect, Princeton is more grade deflated than Harvard and is reputed to have a very strong physics departments. I hear it’s supposed to be über competitive for physics majors and, coupled with another lab science freshman year, it may be hard to adjust to the course load.</p>
<p>ptontiger, I think you should have enrolled in at least one college class before you tell a parent “with all due respect” that Harvard can’t compare to the challenge you will face.</p>
<p>I’m sorry if I came off rude, but I did not say that Harvard was less difficult than the challenge I face. You know that Princeton is notoriously more grade deflated than Harvard (though how much so in the sciences I don’t know). Read my logic. This is the physics class that engineers and physics majors take. In intro courses, A’s are restricted to something less than 35% of the class based on a curve. Does it stand to reason that.those engineering students and physics majors would be getting those A’s? I was never good at physics - this is the only physics I have to take for ChemE. And most people don’t take it alongside Orgo.</p>
<p>Huh. It seems strange to me that you would tell a Harvard parent, who offered his daughter’s experience as an example to you, that Princeton is “reputed to have a very strong physics department,” unless you thought that was a reason why the example wasn’t useful.</p>
<p>I think that grade deflation, coupled with Orgo in freshman year, is overkill REGARDLESS of what university you go to. Throw Calc 2 and CompSci into the mix and you have a formula for disaster. Let me approach this another way. Would you recommend taking Orgo, Engineering Physics, and Calc 2 in freshman year?</p>
<p>Depends on your level of preparation, interest, and talent in those subjects. Lots of folks do just that at top engineering schools like MIT, Cornell, etc. Some do very well.</p>
<p>
On the other hand, engineering and physics majors aren’t under the same pressure as pre-meds with regards to GPA.</p>
<p>Just because you were “never good at physics” in a high school course doesn’t mean you can’t be good at it in college. I would give it a shot.</p>
<p>That said, physics is an absolutely crucial subject for chemical engineering. When I asked yesterday, you sounded very confident that you would like to be a chemical engineer. I’m having trouble reconciling these attitudes.
Depends on your high school experience, especially in math. Calc 2 weeds out more would-be engineers than any other subject, usually because of poor mathematical preparation [in my experience]. I wouldn’t add computer science on top of those three.</p>
<p>Thank you noimagination! I am confident I want to be a chemical engineer and I know I can master physics but it’ll probably just take me more time than anyone else. That’s why I’m hesitant to take it alongside another lab science that sucks time up like no other. I understand that physics goes into chemical engineering but it’ll just take me longer to master the material. I am also considering dropping Orgo for an Intro to ChemE class first semester and MolBio second semester. Intro to ChemE has no lab component so that’ll ease up my time for Physics first semester. Would you add computer science to the mix then? Because I would not be able to take CompSci second semester (time conflicts) and it’s a requirement.</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.princeton.edu/cbe/undergrad/Undergrad_Handbook.pdf[/url]”>http://www.princeton.edu/cbe/undergrad/Undergrad_Handbook.pdf</a></p>
<p>I don’t attend Princeton, so I’m going by the four-year plan on page 15. If you can’t take CS second semester (not sure how you know about time conflicts already???) then you ought to do that now. I’m assuming you got a 5 on AP Chem for credit in CHM 201-202. There’s no reason to rush into o-chem. Why not:</p>
<p>Physics
Calculus II
Computer programming
Elective</p>