<p>Hey, is it possible to switch major from biology to BME in Pratt or back? I really don't know how it works. Can anyone here tell me a bit about this?</p>
<p>bump…10 char</p>
<p>Yes you can switch not only majors but also schools within Duke if you wanted. It is much easier to switch from Pratt—>Trinity than the other way around because of how rigid the curriculum is in Pratt. So if you were doing bio and decided to switch to BME your senior year… good luck kid. But if you are coming into Duke and are a freshmen and want to switch to BME, it is definitely possible but will be a little harder because of the courses you are required to take.</p>
<p>If you were doing bio first semester but decided you wanted to do BME starting your second semester of the freshmen year, you would have missed EGR53 (a required programming class for all engineers), a math class (calc 1, 2, or 3… one of them) and a chemistry class as well because all engineers have to take one chemistry (this is assuming you were not taking chemistry freshmen year). So it is not easy, you should really think about what you want to do now. Half of BMEs are pre-med but there are numerous pre-meds in trinity as well. BME will be challenging and quite a few kids drop bme and switch to bio/chem for pre-med because they realize how demanding engineering is. hope this helped</p>
<p>^ I was pondering over BME cuz it integrates many different disciplines (especially math and physics). If I do happen to get in Trinity, I hope to double major in bio and statistics or biostatistics (I don’t know if math is appropriate for me, given the deadly workload, I prolly can’t tackle all of them at once, but statistics is extremely useful in bio, and it’s slightly easier than pure math).
thanx for the comment</p>
<p>As a BME graduate, I’ll add that if you like basic science (like bio), BME is not for you.</p>
<p>BME for a pre-med is not the ideal major if you are seriously considering med school. I know from other people that BME diverts away from medicine and heads more towards a technical and computational path. Therefore, you would totally do much better in a chem/bio major track. Plus, engineering students usually have lower gpas than trinity. When it comes to med school, they just want the best prepared and high scoring individual. The college admissions process is less apparant…and you are likely graded for your percentages and performance in uni. Anyways, it is harder to switch from trinity to engineering…so if you are thinking of this method for the future…I would highly discourage you from wasting your time and bidding on such a risky tactic.</p>
<p>No med school for me</p>
<p>@SBR
Can you expand on your comment? What exactly does BME entail? In your experience, would you recommend BME for a premed student?</p>
<p>4everyoung: BME, at it’s core, is an engineering discipline. That means programming, math, physics, circuits, material science, mechanics, optics, etc etc. If you are expecting stuff like molecular biology, genetics, biochemistry, immunology, etc. then BME actually has very little room for you to take those courses (you can still use the few elective slots you have of course). </p>
<p>So for a premed, if your interests lie in the biomedical sciences (cell/mol bio, genetics, immunology, microbio/ID, biochem, etc), you are better off doing a bio or chem major.</p>
<p>I really enjoyed calculus and physics, and I think tissue engineering would be a great area to get involved with research wise, but I also find genetics and molecular bio interesting. Do you think it would be better to transfer to Trinity and take some (if it’s allowed?) BME classes as electives? </p>
<p>Also, when transferring from Pratt into Trinity, do your AP credits no longer count? Would I have to take the previously placed out of intro courses again?</p>
<p>Ye as have same interests as you 2 4everyoung, I want to work in the industry after getting a PhD, so I might just double major bio and statistics, but really, the BME prof research interests are fascinating tho, of course there are some that are leaning toward bio like bioinformatics, computational bio (yes), stem cells, and tissue engineering…but I may jst have to consult further in college about BME.</p>
<p>4everyoung: no, if you want to do tissue engineering then stay in BME and take molecular bio and genetics as electives. BME courses are much more hierarchical in their prerequisite requirements than many trinity courses. That means advanced courses almost always require lower level BME courses which themselves would required basic courses like math, physics, etc. If you switch into a major like Bio, it’s highly doubtful whether you’ll have the time to take all those prerequisites that you need to take the truly interesting higher level BME courses while at the same time satisfying your trinity requirements. </p>
<p>Also, many advanced BME courses are small courses with rigid enrollment caps. I would think that preference will always be given to BME majors who invariably fill them up (because they actually need them to graduate). As a side note, I think one reason for that is the BME department tightly controls the number of available slots so that there are just enough for the BME majors who need them. </p>
<p>As for AP credits during the transfer, you won’t be able to count them as credits toward graduation. However, you are always allowed to use them as placement regardless of how many AP exams you’ve taken, this is true both in pratt and trinity. </p>
<p>boomshakalaka: just because there are BME professors doing research in a certain area, it doesn’t mean that it’s covered in the undergraduate BME curriculum. A good example is the photonics institute. While a very large center in the BME department, up until recently, photonics and optics is really only covered in one or two electives or design courses that aren’t even offered every semester. In fact, at the higher course levels (and even some intermediate levels), the content offerings are completely dependent on which professors are available (or slotted) that semester to teach classes. Every professor will try to insert different topics from his/her own field into their assigned course. </p>
<p>I would recommend that if you like what a certain professor is doing, then email them and offer to work in their lab as a research assistant. I knew plenty of trinity students who did research with Pratt professors. That way, you can dive right into stuff that interest you instead of slogging through a BME curriculum that you potentially might not even like.</p>
<p>You said that many Trinity students can do research with Pratt professors, so even if I transferred into Trinity, I could still potentially get involved with tissue engineering research? </p>
<p>Could you also elaborate a little on the required EGR53 course? Is it possible to take this course pass/fail if you definitely want to switch out of engineering?</p>
<p>At this point, I think it’s highly probable I’m going to switch into Trinity, so could I start taking courses to satisfy those requirements second semester freshmen year?</p>
<p>I don’t disagree with SBR, but have a slightly different take. Frankly, it’s easier to switch from Pratt to Trinity, so if you think you might have an interest in Pratt, I’d recommend enrolling in it. It’s difficult for a high school student to really accurately gauge if he/she is going to enjoy engineering since the vast majority of high schools don’t offer any experience in engineering. Freshman year take EGR 53 first semester and one BME course second semester (like BME 83 or something). If you like them, stick with BME. If you don’t, transfer to Trinity. You only “waste” two courses that way and can easily make it up. The math/bio/chem/writing courses you’d also take freshman year will still be helpful to get a bio degree and are part of the bio curriculum (unless I guess it’s math 103 or higher, but still doesn’t hurt to take them). If you realize after first semester you don’t want to be in Pratt, you can neglect pratt’s requirements and only take your bio courses second semester (although you can’t officially transfer until the end of the year, but it doesn’t affect your course selections).</p>
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<p>Anything is possible as there are no rigid rules. I’d say it’s definitely easier to get a research position with a Pratt professor if you’re in Pratt, which makes logical sense. I don’t think they keep stats on such items, but I do know that something like 75% of undergrads in Pratt conduct research. Trinity is WAY lower than that (but history majors typically don’t get to conduct research as undergrads so it’s skewed 
). I was in a BME professor’s lab that had one undergrad chem student (although he got kicked out of the lab later…long story) and one biochem PhD student. So, out of the 12 or so people, 10 were BME.</p>
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<p>[EGR</a> 53L](<a href=“http://www.duke.edu/~mrg/EGR53S11/overview.html]EGR”>http://www.duke.edu/~mrg/EGR53S11/overview.html)</p>
<p>No, you can’t take it pass/fail. If you definitely want to switch out of engineering, there’s no point to take it at all (you’re not forced to). </p>
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<p>You can start taking courses in Trinity/bio curriculum first semester if you want. You’re not forced to take any classes you don’t want to. Nobody is holding your hand or watching over your shoulder looking at what classes you are enrolling in. You can sign up for what you want. Although you might have to explain it to your academic advisor, but he/she usually isn’t that involved at the onset so they shouldn’t care much.</p>
<p>4everyoung:</p>
<p>1) Yes</p>
<p>2) EGR53 is the required Matlab programming course for all engineering students. It covers a range of topics where you will learn about using Matlab to solve problems in those areas. There’s nothing stopping you from taking the course pass/fail, however, be aware of certain things:</p>
<ul>
<li>You will need both instructor and academic dean permission to take a course P/F</li>
<li>A P/F course will not count towards the 4 credits minimum required per semester needed to make you eligible for dean’s list that semester</li>
<li>a P/F cannot be counted towards any major, minor, certificate, or prerequisite requirements unless you have special permission from department head (so no taking more advanced BME classes without permission). You may only count 4 such courses towards the 34 course requirement for graduation however</li>
<li>A course that you passed may not be repeated even on a graded basis</li>
</ul>
<p>Edit: You might not even be able to take EGR53 pass/fail. According to the registrar: </p>
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<p>(emphasis mine)</p>
<p>Source: [The</a> Edmund T. Pratt Jr. School of Engineering](<a href=“http://registrar.duke.edu/bulletins/undergraduate/2010-11/html/pratt33-41.html]The”>http://registrar.duke.edu/bulletins/undergraduate/2010-11/html/pratt33-41.html)</p>
<p>3). Yes, however, until your transfer is official (after 2nd semester at the earliest), you must satisfy all Pratt first year requirements which includes EGR53 in the first year (though if you are set on transferring, your academic dean might give you permission to skip it).</p>
<p>Edit2: I should clarify that I don’t usually advocate an immediate transfer between schools (it’s not possible anyway). I’m pointing out that there are certain limitations to what each curriculum can offer and students should take them into account when deciding which major or school to pick. But once you are there, definitely have an open mind and take the time to figure out if you like it first before switching.</p>
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<p>SBR, I knew two girls enrolled in Pratt who took ZERO engineering courses their freshman year (and transferred at the end of it). (They never had any intention on taking engineering, but had applied to the school anyways for some reason). I don’t know the exact process to “get out” of the requirements in the first year, but they made it seem not difficult at all. It’s not like Duke has a yearly checkup to see your progress towards meeting the requirements (although perhaps your academic advisor is supposed to do that, mine sure didn’t). You can sign up for what you want.</p>
<p>In the end, if you’re not interested in engineering, don’t take it. Taking EGR 53 pass/fail makes no sense even if it’s possible. If you think you might have an interest in BME, I’d recommend taking a couple courses freshman year to see if you enjoy them. If you don’t, transferring out is easy. If you do, stay in engineering. That’s at least my perspective on it. </p>
<p>Good luck!</p>
<p>^ I actually wasn’t aware that was even possible. </p>
<p>However, bluedog does make a good point. Don’t take EGR53 for P/F.</p>
<p>If you think there’s even a small chance you might stay in engineering, do take EGR53. According to the registrar, it is (at least superficially) a Pratt requirement to take it before sophomore year if you are planning on staying:</p>
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<p>Source: <a href=“http://registrar.duke.edu/bulletins/undergraduate/2010-11/html/pratt33-41.html#10[/url]”>http://registrar.duke.edu/bulletins/undergraduate/2010-11/html/pratt33-41.html#10</a></p>
<p>Thank you for your help SBR and bluedog!</p>
<p>I think I will definitely try out a BME course before making a decision, but is there a specific time either of you recommend to finalize a major? As in, would it be too late to switch middle of sophomore year?</p>
<p>I know there is a general consensus to skip out of any intro courses in possible, but is it wise to place out of physics mechanics and E&M with AP credit if I took the class junior year?</p>
<p>My roommate was an econ major and he switched to mechanical engineering his senior year…no joke. You’ve got to be pretty sweet, but much is possible.</p>
<p>I am actually a current junior who is an econ major and thinking about switching into pratt. how long does your roommate think it will take to finish his degree now that he has switched?</p>