<p>On double majoring:</p>
<p>It is almost never a good idea, career wise. There are very few engineering jobs out there that really delve significantly into more than one area, so it is extremely unlikely to find a job where both are necessary. To whatever extent knowledge of another field IS helpful, it is almost always at a level that can be learned on the job - remember that your degree is just part 1 in your engineering education, really little more than proof that you can learn the needed material. Plus, while it CAN appeal to some employers who operate in both fields, it can be a turn-off for employers who foucs on one or the other, as they will question your commitment to an industry that (for example) doesn’t really do much electronic work.</p>
<p>As to the work load and time, that is really up to you, and depends on a lot of factors - how much time you actually need per class, how many classes you can double count, how many credits you are exempted from (for AP exams, etc), whether your specific interests in the fields overlap, how many summer courses you can do, things like that. I have known people who double majored, finished in 4 years, and had at least some social life, but they were the minority. Typically an engineering-engineering double major will take an additional 2-4 semesters at a reasonable workload, so trying to do both and finish in the usual amount of time will mean 22-27 credits a semester - I’ve done that for short bursts, it would suck for 4 years. That would be like working 2 full-time jobs at once, it would leave little time for anything else at all.</p>
<p>On BS/MS:</p>
<p>A masters degree almost always helps in industry, but there are a lot of factors to consider about when/how to get it. An immediate, research-based, full-time masters is generally going to provide the greatest improvement to your technical knowledge, but it depends on you knowing what you want to specialize in by the end of your undergrad (which many don’t), and on your ability to suffer a few more years of poverty before starting a career. Going back later full-time alleviates the uncertainty, but makes the financial hardship much, much worse. Another option is the employer-financed, part-time, coursework-only masters, which is more convenient, cheap, and still valued, but which generally provides a lower level of education and therefore less long-term benefit.</p>
<p>EE after ChemE:</p>
<p>Can you? Sure, but it will be difficult. Getting a second BS is almost always the worst option out there, worse than double majoring - no more financial aid, the need to repeat “general education” classes, etc. Getting an MS in one after the BS in the other is better than a double major, but trickier - the EE grad program will want to see adequate preparation as an undergrad, which is hard to do. All else being equal, someone switching fields between BS and MS will see fewer options and less-prestigious departments than will someone with similar resumes staying in their field. One of the big problems is that when you do this you are really switching fields, not combining them - you will not likely ever get a job in your BS field with an MS in something else.</p>