<p>Let's Start with what I define Double Majoring as:</p>
<p>Taking the full curriculum of two majors. I.E. Chemical Engineer and Mechanical Engineer</p>
<p>So my question is, what do I do with both my ChemE and ME degrees? Will I be given a job that incorporates both degrees or do I choose to use one or the other because if the latter is the case then it seems pointless to have worked for the other degree?</p>
<p>Maybe I'm wrong about that, but I'd like to hear what are the options of people with two engineering degrees.</p>
<p>Btw, Im in high School, I wish I had two degrees in engineering lol.</p>
<p>I think you'd tend to go into one field or the other. Once one enters their field with the fairly general education they get with their particular engineering degree they'll then start to narrow their field and start to specialize more.</p>
<p>So IMO getting two engineering degrees probab;y wouldn't you you much other than the joy of learning. Getting a second major or more likely, a minor in a complementary area would probably be more useful. By complementary I mean something like a math minor with any engineering degree, CS major with chem/bio/econ/etc. minor, etc.</p>
<p>Also, once you start working on one of the degrees there's a very good chance you'll find the workload plenty challenging and no longer be interested in pursuing another one.</p>
<p>btw - some colleges won't let you do a double major in engineering - i.e. get two engineering degrees.</p>
<p>I have a friend who double majored in EE and ME, and he got a job that uses both majors. He works for an energy company and he designs products that are internally electric, but externally use mechanical processes. He is really happy with his decision to double major.</p>
<p>I was on track [OK well, at least intention-wise] to pick up an EECS degree along with my math degree once, and think the double major could be worth it if there's some synergy. However, I'd encourage that if you're so interested in the intermingling of two subjects, that you may want to go to graduate school before you work. It just seems more likely that you're looking for something more sophisticated than a very standard job if you want to see two subjects intermingle and actually have the energy to do two such hard degrees. [Well, either that or it's indecision!] </p>
<p>I'll agree with the above that you'll tend to lean towards some field, though -- and it'd make sense that you might want grad school in that field, but find some way to mix them together. Some nontrivial thought should be placed, it seems, into how you want these two to interact as disciplines within the scope of your career.</p>
<p>I would do double major just b/c I love both subjects and will not choose between them. Ofcourse, this is not the outlook many people carry. I prioritize learning over everything (including job prospects), so I might be on my own here. Anyways, as for how helpful in getting a job, who knows? Many jobs in the future might need people with knowledge in multiple fields (even within engineering). You never know what kinda of job you'll find/create. But, I would decide and think more on this while in college. You can always look around and gather information. However, until you get to school and get some hands on experience, it's going to be hard to make a good decision.</p>
<p>So my original thought was "kind of" correct. I guess the common sense thing to do would be to pick two degrees that seem to hekp each other out.</p>
<p>Usually permitting and environmental legislation for the petroleum field, but could also focus on drilling techniques for environmental conservation, waste cleanup and management, etc.</p>
<p>Most people who combine fields like this get a BS in one then an MS in the other. It's more efficient, more effective, and cheaper (since you can usually get an employer to pay for the MS and earn it at night or distance). </p>
<p>Besides, mechanical + chemical will see a large amount of overlap at the BS level that's almost a waste.</p>
<p>Again, if you have your heart set on double majoring with two engineering majors, make sure you check with the specific college to see if they allow it. As an example, UCLA doesn't allow it and won't even allow a minor in engineering (except environ) if one is majoring in engineering.</p>
<p>Also, realize that engineering majors at most good engineering colleges require quite a bit of work. Some require what many students will find as a shocking amount of time. You can have the double major in the back of your mind but understand that it's liable to be a huge amount of work assuming they even allow it and there's a very good chance you'll change your mind on this later.</p>
<p>My only experience, UCSD, doesn't allow you to major in two engineering degrees either. I think it's premature to think about double majoring before even getting to college. Also, your degrees don't define your skills.</p>
<p>As a hiring manager, it would diminish the value of both degrees, unless of course you could prove your are really something very special. And good luck with that.</p>
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As a hiring manager, it would diminish the value of both degrees, unless of course you could prove your are really something very special. And good luck with that.
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<p>I've never looked down on a double major, especially two closely related degrees. I really only paid attention to the one for which I was hiring and basically ignored the other degree. The exception would be a BS Engineering + BBA double, which tips you off that the person might be looking at an MBA in a few years.</p>
<p>In fact, it's very common to see people with two degrees coming out of 3+2 programs (usually a BS engineering + BS math or BS science). It's never been a problem. </p>
<p>If the OP wants to somehow prove competency in two engineering subjects, he could just pass the PE exam in two separate fields. That would be a lot easier and just as effective as getting two BS degrees. Or he could get a BS in one then an MS in the other (which would probably take the same amount of time as a double major).</p>
<p>"As a hiring manager, it would diminish the value of both degrees, unless of course you could prove your are really something very special. And good luck with that."</p>
<p>How on Earth is that the case? I'd think that two degrees in compatible areas would at least not hurt you. If both are in technical areas, then double majoring could at least show an intellectual curiosity.</p>
<p>I'm a double-major in computer science and physics, and it's just a regular four year program (not a 3-2, which is different from a "double major" at my school). Basically, I just take all the major requirements for both curricula and have a certain number of hours over the longer of the two curricula. It would have taken me 5 years to get a BS in CS and a Master's in CS without a double major in physics.</p>
<p>I'd think that, in theory and ceteris paribus, I'm just as competent as regular majors graduating in either field, and twice as competent as regular majors graduating in fields for which either degree individually is considered equally applicable.</p>
<p>At the end of the day, though, I agree that the reason one double majors should be for interest, not for employability. I don't think it necessarily affects employability in a meaningful way. Huh.</p>
<p>Double majoring in 2 engineering disciplines is pointless and a waste of time. You will be entering industry in one area... very very few jobs will utilize both fields and you're most likely putting more burden on yourself for no reason.</p>
<p>Well, if he really likes them both and feels like he can't get the overlap any other way, and knows that only one will be useful to him at a time, and is only doing it for the experience of it... I mean, you only live once.</p>
<p>I maintain that there are good and bad reasons for doing it.</p>
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Well, if he really likes them both and feels like he can't get the overlap any other way, and knows that only one will be useful to him at a time, and is only doing it for the experience of it... I mean, you only live once.
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<p>But with ME and ChE, are there really enough differences to necessitate an entire major? If you double major in those two, you'll take Thermodynamics twice, fluid dynamics twice, numerical methods twice, heat transfer twice, etc. There are four classes that you'll take as a ChE that you wouldn't take as an ME and three classes that you'll take as an ME that you wouldn't take as a ChE, and all of those could be taken as electives. </p>
<p>The two degrees are too close together to make it worth it. Especially since he could always get an MS in the one in which he didn't get the BS, and accomplish the same amount of time or less and that actually does add value (you can do a professional MS in 1 year, I doubt he can take an entire second curriculum in ME or ChE in under a year).</p>
<p>I agree that he probably should think long and hard about the benefits of his proposed course of study. There are tradeoffs involved.</p>
<p>I agree that there is probably not enough difference to make it worth his while to double major in two engineering disciplines. It might make more sense to choose an engineering and a science, or a CS/Math combo, or perhaps even an engineering/business or engineering/liberal arts double major. An engineering/engineering double major? Strange to me, but maybe it makes sense where he's going to school.</p>
<p>I do think it would be nice if he actually told us what he would gain from double majoring that he couldn't get from just majoring in either one or the other.</p>
<p>And I agree that if money is his only criterion, there are better ways to make money than double majoring. There are worse ways, too, but definitely better ways (master's, etc.) But if he's not in it just to make more money, and he really wants what a double major offers - breadth of study for personal enjoyment - then that's something commendable. My only concern is, as you have said, that the two fields he's interested in are too close to make a double major feasible.</p>
<p>To the OP: Can you just take electives to get the extra classes you want? That might make more sense (unless doing this would give you the double major anyway; the policies differ from school to school).</p>
<p>"To the OP: Can you just take electives to get the extra classes you want? That might make more sense (unless doing this would give you the double major anyway; the policies differ from school to school)."</p>
<p>Keep in mind, I'm just a high school senior who is very interested in engineering in general.</p>
<p>Think of me more as, "A five year old in a candy shop."</p>
<p>Everything looks like fun and I want everything. So, I guess my vested interests just leans more towards intellectual curiosity. There is something interesting in all fields. However, I know it's physically impossible for me to learn all 10 or so.</p>
<p>In the end, I'll most likely speak with an adviser who will point me towards what I am most interested in and I'll most likely just minor in something else.</p>
<p>And for those of you who asked:
Schools I've applied to:
Cornell, Duke, UMich, Penn State, ... honestly the list goes on and on, but those four are my favorite. (Cornell being #1) I got into penn state. Waiting on the others.</p>