<p>I'll either be going to Brown or to UF (Class of 2015: Applying this year). If I got to UF it would only make sense to do engineering (looking at industrial). At Brown, however, I would do economics, as their engineering department is inferior to their excellent economics one.</p>
<p>So, if I wanted, say, a masters in financial engineering, would undergrad economics be able to get me in, even though it's not engineering?</p>
<p>Firstly, you should consider if you want to do engineering or economics because they are two extremely different things.</p>
<p>Please keep in mind that financial engineering is not a traditional engineering discipline but it is the application of mathematics in the field of quantitative finance or mathematical finance. You can be a math major or even physics major and enter a financial engineering program. Any type of quantitative major that is involved with math will basically be okay for a financial engineering masters.</p>
<p>Basically for a financial engineering program you need to know 1) how to program and also you 2) need to be EXTREMELY good at math. </p>
<p>The requirements are usually four semesters of calculus (Calc 1,2, Multivariable and Diff Eq), linear algebra and some type of programming experience(C++ or JAVA…).</p>
<p>It just so happens that a lot of engineers are in these financial engineer programs because they have taken the math and programming courses. If you are a economics major and you excel at calculus and programming, then there is really no reason that you cant enter one of these programs. It will definitely not hurt if you work in the bulge bracket.</p>
<p>I agree with asusomega. Except for limiting your potential with patent law, economics at Brown would be equal in career aspirations to engineering, if not better.</p>