Odd Situation -- BME Major w/ English Minor

Graduate School
1

Hello everyone, I am not sure if this is the correct place to put this, so I apologize if it isn’t.

Anyway, I am in an academic situation that I do not think is very common. I have just finished my freshman year of undergrad, and am currently on track to graduate with a B.S. in Biomedical Engineering with a minor in English (don’t worry, my schedule is full but not overwhelming). I have a 3.4 GPA at a middle-ranking (just inside top 100) Jesuit school, and that (relatively) low average is mostly because I got a C in General Chemistry 1 during my first semester, but I am doing much better in Chem 2 this semester, so I don’t foresee that one bad grade being a huge issue long-term. I received an A in the one English class that I have taken so far.

So basically, I chose this path because I am passionate about both science as well as the humanities, and so I wanted to keep the door open for a career in both. Since I know that the job prospects are much better in Engineering than academia, this seems like a relatively safe bet, and I enjoy all of my classes and am able to stay relatively low-stressed, so why not? I also have great relationships with teachers from both departments, and plan to keep in contact with them for research as well as rec letters down the road.

So I guess my question is, what are your guy’s initial thoughts on my situation? Do you have any advice for me moving forward? I honestly would be just as happy working in industry in the BME field as I would be teaching English at the high school or college level, I just need more time to decide which path ultimately suits me better. Regardless of my chosen path, I plan on taking a gap year after undergrad before entering grad school (in either area) or the full-time working world. When do you think I should have some idea of whether I want to pursue the humanities or not by, though? And when applying to English PhD programs (if I choose to do so), do you think they would be more lenient with my cumulative GPA because of my BME courses, assuming I do well in my English classes, score well on the GRE, have good rec letters, ECs, research, etc.?

Thanks for any help guys! I apologize for not having very many specific questions, I just want to get a general feel of how my situation appears to a third-party. If you have questions, feel free to ask your own! I would be happy to provide more information.

2

I don’t think anyone would care if you minored in English on STEM grad school apps. I minored in a similarly useless field and I highly doubt it had any effect at all on my applications.

3

Are they going to let you into grad school for English if you only minored in it??

4

bodangles, I believe that most do. Someone correct me if I’m wrong.

5

Actually, English as a minor isn’t that bad of an idea. I have been in academic research for the last 40 years (PhD 1974) and one of the biggest issues that I have noticed is the lack of a coherent writing ability by some investigators – be it reports, grant applications, scientific publications, etc. I have seen (and know) some of the top investigators in my area who cannot put three words together.

Regarding trying to getting into a PhD program in English with a lower GPA because you majored in a STEM program that is another question and would probably be problematic. GPA is probably the first cutoff point when admission offices look at graduate school applications.

6

Ok, that makes sense. I mean who knows, maybe I’ll get a really high GPA in my STEM classes over the next three years and that won’t even be an issue!

7

I, personally, think it’s excellent. I love STEM and I understand why the STEM fields are in such high demand these days (well, some of them). At the same time, scientists and engineers need to know how to communicate fluidly and clearly with people - and even moreso need to understand the things that make us people, about the struggles of our species, about the grand questions that we still grapple with. How, for example, can you design a prosthetic leg if you don’t consider how people are going to use and perceive it (both the wearer and others they interact with)? (I also take issue with the implication that English - and basically any field of study besides a handful of technical majors - is “useless.” We wouldn’t even be able to communicate on these online boards coherently without the study and teaching of English.)

There’s no set time and you may never make a set decision. And honestly, you don’t have to. Pursue what feels right to you. People switch careers all the time these days - you could decide to be an English teacher for a few years, decide that you hate it, and try to transition back into engineering. Or vice versa. One thing I will say is that depending on the school, a minor in English might not be enough to teach high school English - they might expect you to take more courses or get a master’s.

A minor in English probably isn’t enough to do a PhD in English - you’d probably get an MA first. That’s simply because PhD programs in English are fiercely competitive these days, and many of the people you’ll be competing with will have an undergrad major in English AND an English MA. But that’s going to be a career field that I’m going to say you probably don’t want to enter. Not because it’s not fascinating or anything, but because the academic market in English is severely impacted. I’m talking about 200-300+ applications for each job, and more for very desirable ones. You could be a superstar and still strike out several application cycles in a row, and that’s after spending an average of 8-9 years earning the PhD. If you want to go into academia, engineering is actually a much better route. But I would say you only should think about the PhD if you have a deep, abiding love for answering your own research questions and digging much more deeply into your field. NOT simply learning more about it - but actually generating new knowledge in the field.

8

My son did ChemE and English double major. It worked out for him just fine. He is currently in BioE PhD program.

9

Another path might be Law School after the B.S.degree the English Major would be an asset there.