<p>Is it advantageous/disadvantageous to get a general engineering degree rather than a specific engineering degree? At the university I'm currently attending, we only have a general engineering program with a concentration and I'm still contemplating if I should stay or transfer to a different university that offers a specific engineering degree.</p>
<p>I would not view a general engineering degree as a disadvantage (or as an advantage for that matter). You choose what area of engineering you want to go into by applying for a specific job. When reviewing college applicants, I would always ask for a transcript and look at the actual engineering classes taken and the grades obtained from those classes. I would pay particular attention to those classes that would apply to the specific job requirements.</p>
<p>HPuck makes a good point, but are you getting what you paid for from a college that can only offer a general engineering degree?</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>It depends. If you’re open posting the position, you’ll get hundreds (if nor thousands) of resumes. You don’t have time to read transcripts - you take a rough cut by major, GPA, school, and a brief look at experience. In that case, a general engineering degree can hurt. On the other hand, if the recruiter is going specifically to that school, everyone will have a general engineering degree, so it will not help or hurt.</p>
<p>There are a few things you can do to help yourself in a general engineering program: 1. join professional societies in your area of interest. For example, if you want to go into industrial engineering, join IIE. 2. Gain professional experience in your area of interest. If your interest is chemical engineering, a semester of internship experience with Exxon will go a long way. 3. Be thoughtful about how you write your degree on your resume. Don’t lie, but don’t put yourself at a disadvantage.</p>
<p>Bachelor of Science
Concentration: Electrical Engineering</p>
<p>looks better than </p>
<p>Bachelor of Science
Major: General Engineering with an Electrical Engineering concentration</p>