Hi everyone,
I’m very interested in engineering as a career path, but I honestly do not know if it’s right for me. I feel like if I start as a engineering undergrad and then decide to switch majors, I will end up extending my time in college. So my question is, would it be possible to major in things such as physics, geology, and computer science and then go to grad school for engineering? Or do they tend to only take engineering BS students
Generally speaking, yes, most grad programs will consider applicants from non-engineering backgrounds. This varies from program to program, though. With virtually all programs, it tends to be significantly easier with a background in physics, math, or computer science. Personally, I got a BS in molecular/cell biology, and several years later, went on to get an MS in mechanical engineering.
That said, I would not recommend this route. If one’s goal is to get into an engineering graduate program, then the best way to get there is with an engineering BS. Anything else will make it more difficult. How much more difficult depends on your major, your experience, and your specific coursework.
@AuraObscura thank you! The school I am looking at offers engineering courses (no major however) so I would still have a background in it and I just needed to know that I would be considered. I truly don’t know what I want to do, so engineering grad isn’t a goal, just a possibility I would like to keep open
Look at the pre-requisites for some of the graduate programs you might be interested in. If you have all those courses, regardless of your major, you at least have a shot at acceptance.
My son is graduating with a physics degree and going onto a master’s program in aerospace engineering. He’s been accepted at four really good schools, only one is saying he would have to take three undergrad aerospace engineering classes before he can begin their master’s program.
Programs do exist like the LEAP program out of Boston University that are graduate engineering programs specifically designed for people with non-engineering backgrounds.
But just know that engineering is a very broad area of study. They all tend to involve a lot of math but that is basically where any commonalities end. Having an undergraduate degree in geology could be considered relevant if you want a graduate degree in something like civil engineering, but it will be almost entirely irrelevant if you want a graduate degree in something like electrical engineering.
@blountwil2 - @hisllama makes an important point. For example, as @Tinijocaro said a physics degree may be just fine for some engineering PhD programs. For example, my son is a junior at TAMU majoring in aerospace engineering. For his PhD, he wants to focus on space plasma propulsion. This field is really applied physics. At Michigan’s Plasmadynamics and Electric Propulsion Laboratory (his first choice right now), four of the 11 current graduate students majored in physics undergraduate. There are also four aerospace engineers, two mechanical engineers, and one electrical engineer. http://pepl.engin.umich.edu/personnel.html A biology or geology degree would likely not help gain admission.
So, the specific field of study could make a huge difference.