<p>thumper, I haven’t thought of dual majoring. It would be tight for me schedule wise. I have my required engineering and honors program courses. I’m hovering at about 127 credits to get my degree. Your post did make me look into getting a marketing degree on the side. It’s only adds 24 credits to my schedule, but that puts me at 151 credits. Even though Florida’s Tuition Surcharge policy only counts for credits outside your major, I feel I might get hit for going over. That and all my financial aid is cut off at 120 credits. That’s a year’s worth of unplanned tuition cost. I will definitely look into this, though. </p>
<p>I’ve thought of transferring, but transferring costs a lot of money that I don’t have. Every school I go to will be more expensive than the one I am at now because I won’t have my scholarships. I would love to transfer, but I’m unsure if the amount of debt I would come into is something I want to take on. </p>
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I have thought about construction management. My university doesn’t have that degree for undergrad, only on a graduate level, but I am scheduled to take a construction management class. Perhaps, what was making this so hard on me is that I didn’t have a good balance in what I was interested in and what I am required to take. I’m currently in two summer engineering classes. Next semester, I am scheduled for five engineering classes. No electives. So, I’m planning on switching out an engineering class with a design class for next semester and hopefully find an internship. I think this will make a difference. </p>
<p>Actually, I looked back at the policy and I get a 110% threshold. I’ll ask my advisor how adding marketing will work and what my required course would be. It looks like it could be adding 24 to 39 credits…</p>
<p>I. have a feeling you are going to like CS. Programming itself involves some “building” and design and can be done beautifully, so to speak. There are a lot of visual elements. (Maybe someone else can explain the challenge of creating a box with a ball inside, with light shining on it, a classic exercise apparently.) Digital art might intersect with CS just as there is a lot of intersection with music these days. CS can involve creating miniatures, robotics (as I said) and so on. Maybe you can combine CS and engineering somehow…software engineering?</p>
<p>It seems there’s a lot of different ways into it - programs that are more on the arty side and those more on the engineering side, and those nicely in the middle. Initially, just Google away and see what pops up. </p>
<p>Regarding architecture, many schools offer an MArch program that you may have the option to do later. But it typically takes 3-4 years after a non-architecture bachelor’s degree, 2-3 years after a BA/BS in architecture, and 1-2 years after a BArch. Of course, it could be expensive.</p>
<p>Note that a BArch (NAAB-accredited professional bachelor’s degree in architecture) is nominally a 5 year program. Of Florida public schools, Florida A&M and Florida Atlantic have such programs.</p>
<p>I don’t see how business and accounting classes are going to fulfill your visual/spacial urge either.I don’t see how they are going to help you move in the direction you desire.</p>
<p>Do you need to give yourself permission to study something that isn’t engineering or business? Sounds like you have a strong creative bent of a particular type. Why not cultivate it so that you can pair it with your engineering background to achieve something that satisfies YOU, rather than trying to force yourself into the lowest common denominator of supposed “employability.”</p>
<p>I did MArch after a BA - I’d guess that a structural engineer would have a huge leg up as they wouldn’t have to take any of the structural courses, but it might still be two years because of the design sequence. In many (most? all?) states engineers can stamp pretty much any construction drawing - so if you wanted to design houses you could do so without a degree. (Not that I’m recommending it.) I think you are probably better off being a creative engineer - think Calatrava: <a href=“Santiago Calatrava - Wikipedia”>http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santiago_Calatrava</a></p>
<p>My brothers (both CS majors) always took at least one art/design course in addition to all their mathy ones. They said it kept them sane. One ended up doing computer graphics for his Masters the other got interested in psychology and developed a business that teaches programmers to talk to their clients better.</p>
<p>Niquii, from your posts here on CC, I can see that you are a savvy and insightful young adult. I don’t have specific advice about your major, but I know that artistic and creative majors also have a tedious side. Your first years of classes are laying a foundation, and one gets to the creative later. Remember learning to write English papers and having to stick to the 5 paragraph method- before one gets to creative writing. It seems to me that English 101 is all about method. Music majors also have to take music history and theory classes and practice is about technique. Art majors have to spend hours doing one type of drawing or painting. </p>
<p>I get the sense that your frustration is because you aren’t having as much creative experiences as you are with foundation classes, but I think that comes later. Also, what you major in isn’t setting your future in stone. Your major could be quite versatile. I think adding CS might be interesting, but note that even in that major, one can spend hours of programming. The fun creative things we enjoyed as kids tend to have a tedious side to them. Musicians can have slumps where they don’t want to practice anymore- and these tend to come right before a breakthrough for them. Success for these creative people comes from their persevering through the slumps.</p>
<p>Consider that you might be in one of those slumps.</p>
<p>I want to take architecture off the table. I can’t do it for undergrad, only graduate, and I’m not transferring to another university to study it there. It’s not entirely what I want to do. </p>
<p>I have looked into my Fall 2014 schedule and I have found a class that has to do with architectural graphics and designing of some sort. I’n going to email the professor so I can get a feel for what the course actually is. </p>
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This might be it. Hopefully to get me out of this, adding an interesting internship and fun class a semester will help me get back into the swing of things. </p>
<p>Well, I’m going to go out on a limb and suggest landscape architecture. I love to look at pictures of beautiful garden on Houzz, I created and designed my own garden on paper(the creative part), I have to deal with construction and how to order construction materials(engineering/construction) and lastly how to build it in such a way that is possible for the 2 novices(youtube helps), in other words lots of planning ahead. Best of all I love plants and reading up on plants and I can imagine how they will look like when it’s done. My neighbor’s landscape company owner said he charged $400K per job at some high end house. You can create your own company and if you know who to contact and build it you will be able to combine your creative talent and make it work. </p>
<p>Niquii, you’re thinking. Good. No need to make a major directional change just yet. But it is a good idea to experiment a little. An interesting class can give you both a break from the engineering rigors and capture your interest. </p>
<p>Many of us went through this uncertainty, but while we were doing gen eds, you hit the ground running differently in engineering. Make room for some balance and I think you’ll feel more empowered. Best wishes.</p>
<p>That class sounds right up your ally. Exploring while staying put is a good way to move forward. I know more than a few people who changed directions or found their “it” path after trying a new course or an internship.</p>
<p>Niquii, you are refining your interests and that is exactly what you are supposed to be doing right now. There are so many possibilities that exist and more jobs that don’t even exist right now for you to believe you are set. The good thing is you are getting a good solid foundation that will allow you to get a job as you continue to refine your interests.</p>
<p>You have your good friend google. Take some time and google jobs building models, jobs designing models etc. you will find all sorts of cool stuff. You will also find companies that do this and what kind of skills they have .</p>
<p>If you wanted you could even email one of these companies and ask if you can have a 10 min phone interview to ask a few questions. Someone will say yes and you can get an idea of what skills you might need for various jobs.</p>
<p>There are so many cool jobs. Building and designing miniatures and models for movie sets is just one thought.</p>
<p>Certainly consider learning how to code in your spare time. This you will want under your belt no matter what.</p>
<p>You can’t learn it all at college. It is only a beginning of a lifetime of learning and refining your skills and interests.</p>
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