<p>This is more of a playful topic.
You hear of how the average student changes majors 4 times in undergrade. </p>
<p>So, to all the graduated and working engineers. Did you enter undergrad as an engineer, did you switch disciplines, or did you change majors from a completely different topic?</p>
<p>I started out in Architectural Engineering, and finished in four years (by placing out of a few classes and taking a couple during summers). Also got an MS in engineering, straight through.</p>
<p>You’ll find very few people switch into engineering due to sequential nature of the programs. Switching out, however, is considerably easier.</p>
<p>I know one girl who switched from premed to engineering. Other than that I’ve only heard of people migrating in the “softer” direction.</p>
<p>Which raises the question: What do English majors switch out into?</p>
<p>No.</p>
<p>I started out as EE, then switched to Computer Science. Since Computer Science was part of the engineering college (at Michigan State), it had (like all engineering majors) a high GPA requirement just to get accepted into the last 2 years of study.</p>
<p>I didn’t meet the GPA requirement, therefore had to find another major.</p>
<p>I lucked out, that same year, the Math department (part of College of Science) decided to introduce the Computational Mathematics major which is basically a Math major with 50% of the CS program. Since that major had a 2.0 GPA requirement, I didn’t have to worry about grades. I took another 40% of the CS program as electives and PRESTO…had the same job opportunities as the CS majors.</p>
<p>22+ years in software development (with some years as a systems engineer, an applied mathematician and also as a project manager).</p>
<p>:-)</p>
<p>Let me add…</p>
<p>I later went on to get a M.S. Engineering…mostly because I did not get that “engineering” degree as an undergraduate and I wanted to fill that void.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Many humanities and social studies subjects have short prerequisite sequences, so late changes of major into those subjects are possible. However, those which require knowledge of a foreign language not already known to the student do have long prerequisite sequences.</p>
<p>Even math may not have very long prerequisite sequences for students who enter advanced in math (AP calculus).</p>
<p>On the other hand, subjects like mechanical engineering and physics may have seven semester long prerequisite sequences (six for students who enter advanced in math).</p>
<p>Haven’t graduated yet, but I did switch from the softer side. I have a BA in Psychology, and after 4 years I decided to come back and get an Industrial Engineering Degree. Really glad too!</p>
<p>Didn’t consider changing my major once! Started in civil engineering and graduated in civil engineering. When I was in high school, I did briefly consider architecture and urban planning though.</p>
<p>I (like several others I know) started in engineering and graduated in engineering, but changed departments in the middle. I started in aerospace, graduated in engineering. Have one friend who started in electrical and ended in industrial, another who started in architectural but ended in electrical.</p>
<p>As several have noted, switching into engineering requires overcoming long reprequisite chains and enrollment controls. Plus, engineering is normally something that you at least have a predilection for at the start, so I would imagine relatively few people try this sort of thing from anything other than a hard science major or the like.</p>
<p>As to English majors, there are lots of options, including (at my alma mater) Leisure Studies and the prestigious B.A./B.S. in Not A Real Major (aka General Arts and Sciences).</p>
<p>"You’ll find very few people switch into engineering due to sequential nature of the programs. Switching out, however, is considerably easier. " - Yep</p>
<p>I started in Civil/Environmental engineering. Then I realized my Environmental interests were related to air pollution / ChemE…an area where I didn’t like the coursework). I switched to more general MechE choice.</p>
<p>I took the more non-traditional route.</p>
<p>I switched majors twice. From business to premed to civil/environmental engineering. This includes a transfer to another school. </p>
<p>It took me a total of seven years. I’m not done with school yet though, as I’ve committed to a PhD program in engineering doing computational research.</p>
<p>I’ve heard of multiple people switching from Liberal Arts to Engineering, however most of the time I’ve heard this being done sophomore year, so still fairly early.</p>
<p>Engineering was really my first choice when I was in my senior year of high school. I started out however as a nursing major due to some circumstances in terms of parents pressuring me to take nursing due to financial constraints in choices of school (sounds weird but I can elaborate further if needed). Migrated here and decided to continue nursing anyway since I’ve started it. Realized I was continuing it for the wrong reason so I decided to pursue pharmacy at first so as to not deviate from the medical field because of my background in nursing. </p>
<p>Conscience inside still kept bothering me to take my real choice so I tried to reconsider pursuing engineering. Started out as an aspiring aerospace engineer, but I ended up in petroleum engineering. All I could say is it was and still is an interesting journey.</p>
<p>My journey seems to still haven’t ended yet. I feel dead set on finishing my pete degree as I have found love with the oil industry, and I am loving my pete classes so far. My problem is I am still struggling with the last of my pre requisites before junior level even though I am already in the program. I took physics I 3 times before I passed and now it seems like I’ll be doing the same with my Physics 2 class. Those are the classes that I’ve been struggling all along. It’s weird because I have been doing well in my other classes and the pete classes and I don’t have a clue to why. Now in the back of my mind, I am having thoughts on switching to the “softer” side if you may in the form of a degree in life sciences because I feel like I may not be suited for physics at all… I have been already set back for another year from my graduation date because of the struggle. I hate to think about switching again, but I’m not sure how much I can hold on any longer. Not an easy road for me for switching from a complete different field.</p>
<p>Crossroader10,</p>
<p>This is some tough love buddy,</p>
<p>You have a 5% chance of getting through any engineering program. The skills you will use the most for most programs are from Physics. The other programs are the most difficult ones. In PetE you have already guaranteed yourself a spot in the bottom of your class if you do happen to graduate in 7 years. You can’t undo this. You will not be hired even if you do graduate. You need to stop wasting your time and change your major before you lay any more waste to yourself psychologically, financially, etc.</p>
<p>I went straight into engineering in EE with biomed minor. After graduated, I sort of went the other way into the liberal arts world doing part time llb and communication studies major while having a full time engineering job.</p>
<p>That’s some real tough love there toastercombo. Lol anyway I’ll take that with an open mind. I have one question however: how were you able to calculate the 5% chance of trudging through an engineering program? I am not doubting or attacking the calculation or any of your statements in any way or form, but I wanted to know how these chances are calculated because I have been looking for a way how to do this for some time already. </p>
<p>Also, do you know anyone who has already graduated from PetE who were at the bottom and wasn’t hired? I wanted to look at this case in different angles as much as possible to help me decide if I should switch out soon after this semester if it seems like there’s really no hope for me. I know some people who has graduated with a degree in PetE who was at the borderline of our cutoff gpa but still got a job. Thanks I appreciate the output.</p>