<p>Would it be likely that I could get a medium-level job in something that I minor in, if it's somewhat related to my major? I plan on majoring in MechE and minoring in CompSci.</p>
<p>If you minor in CS with the CS courses whose concepts are most commonly used in industry (e.g. algorithms, operating systems, networks, software engineering, databases), it could be enough for a large percentage of industry software jobs.</p>
<p>Minoring in CS can only help your employability in the software field. However, if your intention is to work in the software industry, you might be better served by majoring in CS and minoring in MechE or Physics. Coming from a mathematics background, I can attest to the fact that you can get lots of good jobs in things outside your major… but why compete against specialists (CS majors in your case) for jobs they’re more qualified to receive?</p>
<p>I can’t comment on the reality, but let me comment on the possibility, from a student’s point of view. There are many advantages of taking classes (earning a computer science minor, by completing those requirements). One of the best is you can start earning money as a freelancer once you have acquired the skill. Be it writing Android app, making a website using web framework, etc.</p>
<p>Given that you are an engineering student, you probably won’t have a lot of time exploring programming on your own. Many people, including myself, cannot do a lot of self teaching because either we are too lazy, or have no time, or simply can’t find help when we are stuck. </p>
<p>But if you take classes, you either pass with efforts, or fail miserably. In the end, your grade will appear on your transcript, so it is up to you whether you will take it seriously or otherwise.</p>
<p>The fact that you are formally introduced to the material, and you are given assignments and exams, your knowledge will be tested. They are still very little to help you become valuable in the job market, but classwork keeps you connecting with the computer programming.</p>
<p>Once you overcome the hurdle of your introduction to computer science, and when your classes become more project-oriented, you will be asked to Google things days and nights. You will begin to find new stuff that will interest you. </p>
<p>Whether you will end up with a software job or not (not necessarily as tough as writing for Google), you can always be a freelancer. My point is classes keep you moving, as long as you are doing the work. Meanwhile you and your friends may come up with some ideas that worth turning into a startup business. God knows.</p>
<p>If you are doing a research project, it is very often that you need to analyze your data. Sometime you may want a quick algorithm to do what you want but the existing one is either too complicated to be use, or simply doesn’t exist / doesn’t meet the requirement. You then can write the algorithm yourself, and you can get more knowledge just by writing an algorithm to compute and analyze your data because now you are in charge of the sequences of instruction. It is like teaching a class of ■■■■■■ (computers are the most ■■■■■■■■ thing on earth, and you have to make sure they work flawlessly That’s more than just knowledge reinforcement. They are only good at doing simple operations - no more than moving things around or doing arithmetic operations. The best they can do is matrices).
These are ideals. </p>
<p>As an engineering student, you will have to take a computer science course anyway. You still have time. You don’t have to declare a minor.</p>
<p>Right now MechE is first on my list, but I want to have other options available. If that isn’t likely, then I would just do programming as a hobby. I’m planning too far ahead though, I haven’t even started classes yet.</p>
<p>Damn good post jwxie. Makes me feel good about my choice to do a cs minor.</p>
<p>I took software design this past semester, and the final project was to make an android application. Some of them are playful. If I wasn’t in the class, I wouldn’t have time to begin learning Android development.</p>
<p>Another example is probability and statistics. I used to hate the subject and thought it was unless because I wouldn’t be a statistician. I am taking the class and the materials enlighten me. In real life probability and statistics tools can help us make better decisions. If I teach myself I probably won’t appreciate it as much as I do now. </p>
<p>If you look at enterprise web frameworks, they often emphasize the point that even the non-technical people can contribute.</p>
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<p>These are possibilities. Endless possibilities because our lives are surrounded by the Internet and computers.</p>
<p>Oh. Even if you are only going to fulfill your CS requirement for your engineering major, don’t give up on learning more about computer programming and computer science. Sometime computations become too tedious and long, I would then write scripts and run them (if Wolfram Alpha cannot solve my problem.)</p>
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It is a good idea to minor, but don’t make that decision until you have passed your introduction to computer science and your discrete mathematics.</p>
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The other day I was browsing through some Youtube channels, and one guy who is in his 50s, 60s I think, is hacking gadgets.
<a href=“http://www.youtube.com/user/kipkay[/url]”>http://www.youtube.com/user/kipkay</a></p>
<p>This guy is not an electrical engineer. He learns how to hack gadgets. Some of those hacks are quite useful.</p>
<p>
You should do what you love, and you’re fortunate in that you’ll be able to find jobs doing it (MechE). Not everybody is so lucky.</p>
<p>
Programming is a valuable skill for any STEM major (at least) to have. You certainly don’t need formal academic training to learn to program, although as jwxie pointed out, taking formal classes can help motivate you if you find it hard to get started yourself. That being said, a full minor in CS isn’t necessary to learn to program, and a (decent) minor in CS will include lots of things having nothing to do with programming.</p>
<p>
It doesn’t hurt to plan early. You have lots of options available to you. Really, the sky’s the limit:
- BS in MechE
- BS in MechE w/ minor in CS
- BS in CS
- BS in CS w/ minor in MechE
- BS in MechE & CS (double major)
- BS in MechE & BS in CS (dual/double degree)
- BS in MechE w/ Master’s/PhD in CS
- BS in CS w/ Master’s/PhD in MechE
- etc.</p>
<p>Also note that there are some special programs scattered around at various places (mechatronics, robotics, etc.) that could synergistically combine elements of CS and MechE, and which might serve as very strong indicators of potential for jobs in both fields.</p>
<p>How is a double major different than a dual/double degree?</p>
<p>I’ve read that most people will get dual degrees when the programs are from seperate colleges/schools, but Umich lets you get two degrees from the college of engineering.</p>
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</p>
<p>Double Degree - Earning two separate degrees…one for each major. Usually requires 150 semester credits.</p>
<p>Double Major - Completing the requirements of both majors in 150 credits just like the double degree by MAY get only one degree.</p>
<p>Dual Major - Completing the requirements of both majors within 120 semester credits since many courses are “cross-listed” (read: span two departments). Basically, you are using some courses to double count.</p>
<p>One the best examples of a dual major is mathematics/computer science. Several courses span BOTH departments like
- Numerical Linear Algebra
- Numerical Analysis
- Numerical Solution (or Methods) of Partial (or Ordinary) Diff Equs.
- Combinatorics
- Graph Theory
- Cryptology (could be called Error-Correcting Codes).</p>
<p>Right there, that is 18 credits which basically “double counts”.</p>
<p>^ Plus, the definitions vary significantly from institution to institution. Some institutions may not offer some of these, or may call them something different, or may use the same definitions differently. Talk to your adivsor or consult the bulletin for best mileage.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>This is usually a school dependent definition.</p>
<p>For example, Berkeley uses the term “double major” or “dual major” to indicate two majors in the same division (e.g. College of Letters and Science, College of Engineering, or School of Business Administration). For example:</p>
<ul>
<li>Bachelor of Arts in Mathematics and Computer Science</li>
</ul>
<p>But Berkeley uses the term “simultaneous degrees” when the two majors are in different divisions. Not only does this require completing the major requirements for both majors, but it also requires completing the breadth requirements for both divisions. For example:</p>
<ul>
<li>Bachelor of Arts in Mathematics and Bachelor of Science in Business Administration</li>
</ul>
<p>Within Berkeley’s College of Engineering and College of Chemistry, there are also “joint majors”, which are like double majors or simultaneous degrees, but which officially have slightly less requirements for each major (in order to make it possible to fit the curriculum within eight semesters with at most slight overload for students without any AP or other credit on entry). For example:</p>
<ul>
<li>Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science and Engineering</li>
<li>Bachelor of Science in Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering and Bachelor of Science in Materials Science and Engineering</li>
</ul>
<p>Of course, at any other school, the definitions may be different.</p>
<p>Taking minor in the second subject, or just a selection of courses in the second subject that you are interested in, is likely to be much easier to fit into your schedule than having more than one major.</p>
<p>They have all the same general requirements( calc 1-4, chem, physics, intro eng) which is 39 credits, and a few of the CS technical electives are ME requirements. ME by itself is 128 credits, and a dual degree here would be 142. I have no idea if that is means it will be slightly easier or not.</p>
<p>142 credits is 14 credits more than 128 credits – almost a full semester’s worth more.</p>
<p>Unless you plan to take an extra semester or summer sessions in school or have a lot of useful AP or other credit coming in, you have to overload by an average of 2 credits per semester (so an average of 18 credits per semester instead of 16 credits per semester) in order to complete the 142 credits.</p>
<p>The Umich ME website specifically states they have a dual degree option, but i don’t doubt you could double major too.</p>
<p>“Dual degrees may be obtained with Mechanical Engineering and other programs in the College of Engineering. These require 142 (minimum) credits hours, and result in the award of two B.S.E. degrees (one in Mechancial Engineering and one in the other program). Since these programs involve a substantial amount of double counting of credit, one cannot enter the SGUS program. Transfer credit may also be limited.”</p>
<p>If you take an average of 18 credit hours per semester over 8 semesters with no AP/IB/etc. credit, you could fit in 144 credit hours… and this is doable, though probably unpleasant.</p>
<p>That being said, double majoring (or minoring) shouldn’t be done for the sake of employability… you’d be better off looking for co-op/internship/research for that… really, I don’t think it’s too wise to decide the primary major based on employability, either…</p>
<p>How much AP/IP/dual-enrollment credit do you have?</p>
<p>They’re only counting my humanities/social science AP credit, which will be at least 3 classes, maybe 4. I’m not sure if they’ll transfer my two dual enrollment credits. I’m going to take summer classes for sure, hopefully while doing an internship or something like that.</p>
<p>I’m not concerned about employment being available for either major, i’m just not sure which one I like better at this point. I think I’ll be able to decide after my first year, though.</p>
<p>*Two dual enrollment classes, not credits.</p>