<p>Parents with students who are engineering majors or parents who are engineers themselves, I would love the benefit of your experience. </p>
<p>My husband and I are acquainted with a bright, mathematically inclined young man, who is interested in a career in engineering. He is currently a senior in college in a humanities program. The curriculum includes math and science, but not the kind of courses that would transfer to an engineering program. His ultimate educational goal is a Masters in Mechanical Engineering. </p>
<p>Based on our research, and that of the young man, it appears that he will need to pursue a second bachelors degree in engineering in order to apply to graduate programs. Some graduate programs will consider applicants who have taken the relevant courses on a non-degree basis, but we are afraid that would put him at a disadvantage vis a vis applicants with a BS in engineering, mathematics, chemistry, or physics. One notable exception would be Boston University's bridge program LEAP, which would allow him to take the necessary undergraduate courses before moving into the masters program.</p>
<p>We have identified a number of schools that will accept applications from students pursuing a second bachelors degree, and he will review them for stats, credit transfer policy, and affordability. However, any advice regarding a course of action for him or information about other bridge programs for engineering would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!</p>
<p>PS This is my first time beginning a thread. If I have made any mistakes, I apologize in advance.</p>
<p>He won’t qualify for any aid at many/most colleges for a second bachelors, so that may limit his choices unless he or his parents can pay for most/all costs. Is he aware of that? </p>
<p>How will this second degree get paid?</p>
<p>Is there a state school that he can commute to that has engineering? He could start at a CC and complete all the Calc and physics classes.</p>
<p>Does his own college have an engineering program? Seems to me the cheapest/easiest option would be to sit down with the Dean of Students at the Engineering school with his transcript in front of him, and discuss what it would take to complete a BS at his current university. The school is likely to be more generous in figuring out which credits will apply since they know the rigor and the curriculum, than a second institution would be. And some colleges offer an accelerated Masters degree to its own students as long as certain GPA, etc. is maintained. So theoretically he could complete the BS and MS in Engineering at his own college in the same time frame (maybe with a summer of catch up work) as it would take to do the second BS.</p>
<p>Plus he’s still got second semester of this academic year to work with. If he transfers internally he may not be behind the 8 ball as much as he thinks.</p>
<p>Why the shift? What type of work does he want to do?</p>
<p>I agree with Blossom. It is very possible he won’t get financial aid for more years at his current school…but can he pick up a second major there…and what wouldit take, and for how long?</p>
<p>My husband, the engineer, says the kid would need to take all of the prerequisite courses in math and science…and would then need to take the ME courses. He says…four years total. Two for the prerequisites, and two to complete the masters.</p>
<p>Yes, I agree with thumper. I’m an engineer. Engineers have to take quite a few DESIGN classes, not just foundation ones. Remember that engineering students typically can’t take too many electives, because their four-year curriculum is so full of science, math, and design classes. There’s a reason that engineering is a tough major - lots to learn!</p>
<p>Thank you for your responses. There is a state school, and it offers an engineering program, but as far as we can tell, it is not well regarded, and he would like an opportunity to explore other options.</p>
<p>He is aware that financial aid may not be available to him, but we have identified a few schools where he may be able to qualify. He is currently in the process of verifying. Also, he is looking at the possibility of studying part-time, which would allow him to continue his education while working. There is no engineering program at his current school, so that, unfortunately, is not an option.</p>
<p>As to the change of direction, I am not so sure it is a change per se, so much as a slowly growing maturity and self awareness that has given him an understanding of what he most wants to do. Having said that, he does not regret the path he has taken up to now. He just wants to figure out how to do the next thing.</p>
<p>I checked. Yes, the state school is ABET accredited. Does that mean that the undergraduate school’s ranking is unimportant when applying to graduate programs for engineering? If so, I think that would ease his mind.</p>
<p>Also, for most engineering majors, an ABET-accredited bachelor’s degree is sufficient as a degree qualifying one for entry-level engineering work. A master’s degree is for greater specialization (or may be a stop on the way to a PhD degree). Some employers fund employees’ part time attendance in master’s degree programs.</p>
<p>However, a mechanical engineering bachelor’s degree program may take up to 7 semesters due to prerequisite sequencing if he has not had any of the base level math and physics courses (but assuming that his previous course work would cover any H/SS breadth requirements).</p>
<p>Agree, as two liberal arts undergrad parents who graduated two liberal arts kids we were quite surprised at how prescribed our third’s engineering curriculum really is…there is not much “skipping” of classes after Calc 1 and Calc 2 that some kids pass out of with AP or testing out from high school college level classes. It really is, at minimum, around 3 1/2 years of straight engineering required classes. Starting senior year the young man probably doesn’t have that many classes that would “count” for an engineering degree. I vote for commuting or staying in his current college, diving in and working and taking classes in the college town to foot the costs. </p>
<p>Yep. My daughter a freshman in engineering. She has all her GE covered with AP credit, started in calc 3, skipped chem with AP as well. She’s still looking at 3-1/2 years just because of sequencing. With summer school she could maybe get it down to three years. She’s looking at doing a coterminal masters with the room that is freed up in her schedule from the gen eds.</p>
<p>@Parentof2014grad My D is on the same boat. She is one credit short in GE (Humanities) and started Calc3 with one Chem and Physics skipped with AP credits. However, there is a requirement of 3 credit Humanities at 300 or above level plus a 4 credit Econ requirement for her intended ChemE major that she is going to have at least 6 extra credits in GE/Humanities. Basically, she also needs 3 to 3-1/2 years to finish the degree. She may consider the sequential BSE/MSE program that just takes one more year (complete both in 4 years). As she has a renewable scholarship from the school for up to 4 years, this program may actually maximize the use of the scholarship.</p>
<p><<<
Yes, the state school is ABET accredited. Does that mean that the undergraduate school’s ranking is unimportant when applying to graduate programs for engineering? If so, I think that would ease his mind.
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<p>If this has long been his goal, I hope he has some of the Math and Science courses under his belt. My hubby and I agree that our non-{science, math, or engineering courses} probably totaled 6-7. So we spent about 1 semester out of 8 doing non-major related work. I would think he should take as many prerequisite (calculus, diff eq, physics, chemistry) courses as possible before leaving the school he is at. Financial ramifications of actually earning that first BA degree vs. switching and being an undergraduate for 6 years must also be considered.</p>
<p>Note that the ABET minimums for engineering degrees are two full semesters’ worth of math and science, and three full semesters’ worth of engineering courses (though often mixed together with each other and H/SS breadth requirements). In theory, the minimum amount of course work would be five full semesters, if the H/SS breadth requirements are already fulfilled by previous course work.</p>
<p>However, in practice, many engineering degree programs require more courses than the ABET minimums. In addition, if a seven course prerequisite sequence of required courses exists for the major, then that is how long it will take to complete the major, even if the number of courses only adds up to five or six full semesters’ worth of courses.</p>
<p>Thank you so much, everyone. Your posts confirm our sense that he would likely receive only one semester’s worth of credit for courses taken at his current school. Unfortunately, his current school does not offer an engineering program, so remaining there to complete the requirements for a BS in engineering is not an option.</p>
<p>Your counsel makes me wonder about BU’s bridge program LEAP. The “catch up” courses take roughly three semesters, but do not lead to a BS. Once those courses are completed, the student goes into the masters program. Are students from this program prepared for careers in engineering? Are they desirable as job candidates? Are graduate programs certified by ABET also? It’s a lot to figure out.</p>
<p>I am going to differ with everyone else and recommend that he abandon the idea of a second B.S. and instead simply enroll in a M.S. engineering program. Engineers here on CC have said that two bachelor’s degrees really don’t do much for you. By satisfying some math courses (and perhaps some engineering basics) before graduating this year, the student would shorten the time it will take to earn the M.S., provided that a graduate engineering department admits him without a B.S. engineering degree. Combine that with summer study and you might be able to graduate from your public school M.S. program in less than 3 years at a REASONABLE cost.</p>
<p>Completion of Calc 2 plus Physics 1 and Physics 2 should allow the student to enroll in Thermodynamics.</p>