<p>I just graduated with a B.S. in Mathematics. After TONS of thinking about what I want to do with my life and where I want to go, becoming an Engineer has become one of my top desires. I am wondering if it is worth going back to undergrad to get a degree in Engineering (I'm considering Mechanical, Electrical, Civil, or even Bio/medical Engineering). </p>
<p>I realize it may be "possible" to just go straight into grad school for something like Mechanical Engineering due to all the math courses I have taken. However, would that be wise??? Obviously, i'd rather just do that to save money and time but having never taken an Engineering course, how will I perform at a graduate level?</p>
<p>If I do decide to just skip the undergrad, would it be wise to take a single post baccalaureate undergraduate course in Engineering before applying to a masters program so that I can see how I do? </p>
<p>P.S. I mentioned Bio/medical Engineering because for the first 2 years of undergrad, I was a Physician Assistant major. I took many Bio, Chem, and medical courses. TBH, I didn't do so well in Bio freshman year so I was forced to switch majors. I switched to Mathematics and Computer Science and did MUCH better after that.....Anyway...I guess it wouldn't take too long to get the degree if I went back but I don't know if it's worth it?</p>
<p>The following may vary based on state laws, so it may be different where you live.</p>
<p>The standard professional degree for engineers is the bachelors degree. I have a coworker who got a masters degree in engineering, science undergraduate. She says it was a huge waste of money, and she went to a decent engineering school for graduate school. In my state, you can’t be licensed as an engineer without a B.S. from an ABET school. That is why I’m working on a second bachelors degree, even though I already have a masters in my field. (My field and the second bachelors degree overlap, but the engineering degree opens more career doors). </p>
<p>Some states may let you get licensed based on a masters only. If so, you can consider going straight for the masters degree. A bachelor’s also isn’t needed if you don’t need to be licensed (this will vary based on the field you go into).</p>
<p>That being said, there are people who’s job title is “engineer” who hold no degree in engineering, bachelors or masters. Do you really want to go to graduate school? If so, go. If not, go into the job market. Since your background is math, you should be able to get some type of engineering tech position. After a couple years on the job, you could decide if you actually need an engineering degree or not. If so, you could return to school and work on it part time. You’d be earning a salary, and your employer might even help pay for it with tuition assistance. You may be able to get the second degree without having to take out any additional student loans/ </p>
<p>No, I really don’t want to go to graduate school. I’ve thought about getting an engineering tech position but all the ones I found have said it requires a 2 year technical degree. Maybe I should apply anyway and see if they accept my math degree. Its worth a shot. Also, I’ve tried to apply to engineering internships to see if I actually want to do it. However, every internship I found wants someone who is currently studying engineering. Thank you so much for your help! </p>
<p>Some employers are more permissive in their requirements than others. Generally, STEM graduates can do other jobs, not just those specified by their degree. My current employer has some engineers doing science, scientists doing engineering tech type work, and people of other technical backgrounds doing science/engineering tech. They don’t seem to care much about the exact degree. (Unless one is doing engineering, which requires a B.S. in engineering).</p>
<p>If your degree weren’t in science or math, than yes, an engineer tech position would be difficult to obtain. With a math degree, you’ve proven that you have the skills to learn how to do the work. You just need to find someone who will let you get a foot in the door. After you’ve gotten your first position, it will be easier to find another, more desirable position, if needed. </p>
<p>Okay, there are a lot of factors to consider here.</p>
<p>First, and a big one, is simply “which field”? @Happreli noted licensing issues without an engineering undergrad, but to be honest, in most engineering disciplines engineers aren’t typically licensed! I have been a practicing electrical engineer for most of a decade now, and in my very very large company I can list the number of licensed engineers on one hand. Licensing is largely about signing government documents and serving as an expert witness and similar such things that most people don’t actually do. If you are going into civil, then this is a genuine concern. In electrical, it is a concern only to a minority, and if you don’t mind not working in certain (and not particularly profitable) areas it is no issue at all. I work with a few engineers who have no engineering degree at all!</p>
<p>Second, it depends a bit on what you want to do. Engineering undergrads are all about breadth, largely for the purpose of introducing you to specialties - most engineering professionals are pretty focused, and have forgotten most of their breadth within a decade! Grad school is all about depth, and is usually more valuable to employers. As you noted, it is not that hard to get into an engineering grad program with a related science degree, provided you don’t go too far afield and are willing and able to take a few remedial courses.</p>
<p>Third, what are your resources? A second undergrad takes a lot of time and a lot of money - grad school is faster AND cheaper AND puts you into a better paying job afterwards! Funding for that undergrad may be limited to private loans, an ugly proposition if you need it!</p>
<p>For someone in your situation, I would almost never recommend a second undergrad. Take some time, investigate the fields, and go to grad school. You will have a much better time of things.</p>
<p>Oh, and as far as “engineering tech” jobs, those are not generally the kinds of job for which you would be even remotely qualified. In bio and chem fields, “tech” means a subordinate at the BS level, but in most engineering fields it means the person who gets their hands dirty, knows all the tools and how to use them. If you want to enter into industry now, you need to be looking for jobs that list engineer, analyst, scientist, or mathematician. Getting a tech job would not advance your career, and it might slow you down.</p>
Absolutely possible. Would you perform well? There is only one person who can answer that: you. Nobody here knows your experience and/or ability like you do.</p>
<p>I’m in graduate school for mechanical engineering at a well-ranked school. I was a science major who had taken a few additional math classes before applying, but had never taken a single engineering course. I can say without a doubt that the learning curve was (is) steep, and I still feel somewhat overwhelmed a year and a half into the program. But I have done reasonably well, haven’t failed out, and have learned more than I ever could have imagined. I attempted this route because I was confident I would succeed.</p>
<p>Are you confident you could succeed in a transition from math to engineering? If not, perhaps you should take some undergraduate-level coursework before making the leap. If you are, then you should go for it straight away. The only person qualified to make that assessment is you.</p>
<p>Okay good advice! I wish I saw your post earlier before applying to tech positions I’ll look for positions that list engineer, analyst, scientist, or mathematician but in the mean time, I will also look into grad school.<br>
Like you said, it depends on my resources and I do NOT want to be buried in loans so I will try to avoid trying to get a second degree. </p>
<p>So, would you say that my next step ultimately depends on the Engineering field I choose? If I decide Mechanical or Electrical is what I want to do, then going to grad school when I am prepared is my best bet. </p>
<p>Congratulations! It’s nice to see that someone else is doing it. I do believe I will succeed but I still may take a course or two to really prepare myself. </p>
<p>You said you are a year and a half into it. Does this mean you only have half a year left? Its a 2 year graduate program correct?<br>
Do you think a job will be pretty easy to come by once you graduate?</p>
Thank you! Taking a couple courses is probably the smart thing to do, and in hindsight I kind of wish I had. I have a friend with a background similar to mine, except that he’d taken a number of engineering courses before applying and starting the program. The transition was significantly smoother for him than it was for me, and there were a few times last year when I found myself struggling to stay afloat.</p>
<p>Yes, it’s a 2-year program and I have about half a year left (one more semester after this one). I don’t think it’ll be difficult to find a job based on the conversations I had with a number of recruiters at a recent career fair event. I’d be lying if I said I was as qualified as my peers in a broad sense–my fellow students have much more experience with programming, projects, internships, etc. than I do–and I am not an ideal candidate for many jobs at this point in time (though I think that will change after I have a couple more courses under my belt, learn a few more skills, and get a first job). However, I am uniquely qualified for the types of jobs I do want–biomechanics, human-inspired robotics and assistive devices, mechanical/electromechanical orthotics and orthopedics/prosthetics. A number of recruiters I spoke to were intrigued, so that bodes well.</p>
Thank you so much for your help! </p>
I’ll look for positions that list engineer, analyst, scientist, or mathematician but in the mean time, I will also look into grad school.<br>