Hello, I am an incoming undergraduate freshman at Purdue University majoring in Physics. How easy is it to switch majors from physics to EE (various reasons). I want to try double majoring but if it gets too overwhelming I might put a hold on physics and pursue my EE career. How realistic is this? I heard you can transfer after one semester and it’s very easy. Is this true? I’m doubting it because engineering is very competitive, and it’s odd to be able to easily transfer from science to engineering. Thank you in advance!
No. It is not easy to transfer into engineering at Purdue. There are no guarantees that even with a high GPA that you will get a spot, especially for a popular major. It’s also difficult to register for the required FYE courses that are necessary to transition. I would contact the College of Engineering and ask them how many students successfully transitioned to ECE from outside the college. Push them for the actual numbers.
General advice is if you have an engineering admission at another school, you may want to consider going there.
Thank you! If I’m not wrong, all engineering majors have to take a first-year engineering program, which I was a planning to opt in first.
Yes, all students in the college of engineering are required to take the engineering design class or the honors version if you are in honors college. The issue with students outside the CoE is that there may not be seats available in that class because the engineering students will have priority. That’s another question I would ask when you connect with an advisor.
However, I also heard that you get priority the year after? So even if I don’t get in after the first semester, I will have a higher chance getting in next year?
The engineering design class is two semesters. I don’t believe the first semester is offered in the Spring so you’d lose a full year and it may then take longer to graduate.
Again, I’d highly recommend talking directly to advisor and getting hard numbers.