<p>Which degree, in general, is more intense?</p>
<p>Engineering has more projects and labs. Math involves abstract concepts and ideas which you have to think like a dominator to win it. I prefer a degree in mathematics but I’m not really interested in physics/application. I enjoy proofs.</p>
<p>If you just interested in fulfilling the minimum requirements for either major, a math major will probably be easier than an engineering major. Engineering has so many requirements that you will have a full schedule of engineering classes just to complete the major. Math on the other hand does not get hard until you get to upper-level classes (analysis, algebra and beyond), and most math majors only require a couple of those abstract classes. That is to say, it is easier to bs your way through a math major than an engineering major. On the other hand if you are serious about studying math, a math major will be just as intense as an engineering major.</p>
<p>I think a math major requires less work, but the work is more difficult. In engineering, you’ll get a lot of work, but it won’t be as intellectual as reading technical mathematics or writing proofs.</p>
<p>well, applied math is what i was trying to describe… er… actually there wasn’t a description lol. my bad</p>
<p>Applied mathematics I would wager is a bit more rigorous than Engineering. Of course, most people aren’t in agreement as to what constitutes “applied” (its not just using math outside the classroom - thats silly); but generally speaking the disciplines most associated with applied math (stats, computer science, etc.) have a bit more “oomph” to it than “simple” engineering.</p>
<p>wow… well, i’ve heard of engineering majors bringing sleeping bags into the classroom, but never ever heard of the case for applied math majors. lol. any more opinions?</p>
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<p>The reason why you hear this is because engineering majors are bigger whiners. You get quite a few students in engineering who hate it and only do it for the money. You don’t see this as much with math majors.</p>
<p>^ That, and math majors typically don’t spend much time in the classroom to begin with.</p>
<p>what do you mean, barium?</p>
<p>I meant that an engineering major has a lot of labs (scheduled hours) that a math major does not have. A math major taking four classes (normal course load at my college) is in class 12 hours a week, while an engineering major might have 12 hours of class plus 9 hours of lab plus 4 hours of problem sessions. Math majors can do their work where ever they want whenever they want because they don’t need lab equipment.</p>
<p>Consider this also while trying to make a decision.</p>
<p>A mathematician, if holding a degree from a reputable institution, not only has great career earnings prospects but often time they are ranked the happiest people in the workforce!</p>
<p>Does a person have to be fairly brilliant to major in math, or can a person who is reasonably good in the subject be successful too?</p>
<p>^ doesn’t this apply to engineering as well?</p>
<p>Are average to smart students able to manage math and engineering to progress to a happy career? Or, will the non-superstars merely find frustration in these disciplines?</p>
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<p>I don’t know about math majors, but I do know that you don’t have to be super-smart to do well in an engineering program and get a job out of college. If you aren’t the smartest guy, it’ll just take a little more perseverance, that’s all.</p>
<p>It is too bad that engineering students whine so much about their majors because it drives prospective students away from the profession. They make getting a bachelors in engineering out to be some extremely difficult abstract exercise. It isn’t.</p>
<p>I know a surprising number of engineering majors that are only moderately intellegent. If you have a good work ethic and can pull out ~3.0 you will find a job</p>
<p>I think there are about two levels of “Math” intelligence: Those that UNDERSTAND it and those that KNOW it. If you “understand” the math concepts, you’ll be fine and will be able to hammer our your major and career prospects. Those that KNOW it (meaning not only do they understand the material, but the underlying conceits - if you show them an integral for example, the immediately know its connection to differentiation, and its connection to limits and its connection to. . etc. etc. etc.) </p>
<p>I liken it to a foreign language major: the truly successful think in that foreign language; the “ok” successful have to stop and form their ideas - not necessarily bad, but when faced with the more complex problems/situations things wont be as fluid as for someone who KNOWS.</p>
<p>"The reason why you hear this is because engineering majors are bigger whiners. You get quite a few students in engineering who hate it and only do it for the money. You don’t see this as much with math majors. "</p>
<p>I would completely agree w/ this comment. I’m a math major and I’ve had numerous classes w/ engineering majors (the latest one being complex variables) and they all seem to whine when things get ‘very difficult’</p>
<p>I am currently a pre-med biomedical engineering major entering my third year and I’ve finished the physics sequence and I will finish the math sequence for engineering in the coming weeks. Here’s my take…</p>
<p>They’re all just about as rigorous as the other, but for different reasons. As many have said already, the math will require a heavy amount of abstract thinking and will revolve primarily around proofs and analysis. Physics will also require a great deal of abstract thinking, but on a more "Physic"al scale (i.e. it’s a little easier to relate to). It should be noted, however, that physics and applied math are quite interwoven in their basis, which is why many applied math undergrads work on physics in grad school. Engineering, will require a lot more creative thinking. It is highly analytical with regards to systems (could be electrical, biological, mechanical, sociological, etc…), and through the analysis, engineers will take math and primarily Newtonian mechanics to viably solve a problem…</p>
<p>On the other hand, it all depends on what you’re interested in. I’d say that any math / physics / engineering major is just about as intelligent as any other math / physics / engineering major. However, I think math ultimately holds the most value. Since I’m a pre-med biomedical engineering major, I’ve seen the full range of the sciences from biology, anatomy and physiology, chemistry, physics, and mathematics. The field of mathematics is kind of the end all be all of science since it can describe and predict (whether we know how to or not) any process in all the other sciences. Bio is an expression of chemisty, chemisty is an expression of physics, and physics is an expression of mathematics. Personally, I find it most intriguing to go straight to the source, which is why I’m actually contemplating a double major in applied math.</p>