Dear current/former CSE students at UMTC,
I got accepted into CSE back in October, and I hope to recieve an engineer major of some sort. However, I am still on the fence between chemical engineering, biomedical engineering, and mechanical engineering. Do I need to chose what specific field of engineering I want to enter going into my first year, or do I get a semester/year to decide (which I would very much prefer)? Thanks for reading, and thank you in advance to any replies!
You can list an intended major your first year, but you can’t officially apply for a specific major until fall semester of your sophomore year. There are certain courses you need to complete before you can apply for your major. So, you will probably need to know which way you are leaning by second semester of your freshman year, or you will risk falling behind.
Additional information is available at the link below. At that page, there is also a link to the four-year plans for all CSE majors.
For the most part, the 1st year pre-reqs are the same for all three majors (Calc, Phys, Chem). There might be some timing differences as the Mechanical course plan suggests you can delay chem till 2nd semester while Bio Med and ChemE say start it right away. Also, Both Chem E and BioMed have a major-specific course offered in the fall.
You are best off researching your major over the next several months, before registration opens. If you are still undecided, don’t worry about that (after all, you haven’t even started college yet) but consider front-loading your chem just in case you choose Bio-Med or ChemE. Also, if it looks really interesting, consider registering for the Bio Med seminar because it’s a two-parter for the first year and might be hard to take later on. The ChemE Mat. Science course, while no doubt fascinating, is optional.
Good luck to you!
@JBStillFlying @tonypa Thanks a ton for the information. Do either of u attend UMTC by chance?
@Begzzzz Just a parent here. All three of my kids were accepted to Minnesota CSE. The older two ended up at Illinois (our in-state option). No. 3 is still deciding. Good luck!!
@Begzzzz I have not attended the U nor have my children. And none of them would/will apply to CSE. How’s that for expertise! LOL.
Actually, my advice was totally based on parental experience with three already in college as well as looking at the recommended plan of study for the three majors you specified - which I highly recommend you do as well. Access to them can be had via the link that @tonypa provided. You should of course run any ideas past your academic advisor.
We know a faculty member or two as well as many parents who have sent kids through CSE. Everything I’ve heard about that college has been very positive, from undergrad experience to job prospects and/or continued research opportunities upon graduation. Congrats on your acceptance and good luck to you!
@JBStillFlying @tonypa thanks for taking the time to share this information!
@Begzzzz - My son is in his second semester in CSE. He was accepted undecided. He met with his counselor during orientation and she helped him set his first semester based on an interest in AstroPhysics. @JBStillFlying is right, the first semester is Calc and either Physics or Chem plus CSE 1001 (how to succeed in CSE) That is 9 units so you will also have some GE classes and perhaps an Intro class or a Freshman Seminar class (2 units). My son took Calc, Physics, Exoplanets (Freshman Seminar), CSE 1001, Marching Band and Political Philosophy.
Were you accepted into CSE? Did you apply into a major or did you apply undecided?
@tonypa Is the intended major the major you put on your application? If so, can you change your intended major before/during freshman year?
You are not committed to the major of interest you specify on your application. At UMN you are admitted to a specific college, not a specific major.
Like said above, the requirements are the same for all engineering majors the first year but there will still be some similar or same requirements the second year for all engineering majors like multivariate calculus, differential equations, electricity and optics (most but not all engineering majors require this course), and some kind of thermodynamics or dynamics course (there might be thermodynamics for specific engineering like chemical engoneering thermodynamics). Usually schools also require introduction or design engineering courses in the first year so that might help you decide which engineering you want to do. Once you get to Junior year, all requirements are different for each engineering major so you will want to have a declared major by junior year or preferably by sophomore year. biological or biomedical and chemical engineering have requirements other engineering majors don’t require like organic chemistry and Biology.