<p>So, I'm an incoming freshman in a civil engineering program... I just graduated high school but have about 30 credits from a local college. They will pretty much fill all of my needed electives and core requirements so I would like to focus on a 2nd major or minor. The provided sample curriculum builds in one to two general elective courses each semester so I'd like to start early to use them efficiently toward some a 2nd major or minor. Ideas? </p>
<p>From what I've been told, if I take one additional math course I qualify for a math minor and being that I'm starting in Calc C(or 3) rather than Calc A(or 1) I should have plenty of time to get that. I'd like to take some critical or technical writing courses and have enjoyed all the economics courses that I've taken so maybe I'll do some more of that.</p>
<p>Any good minors / 2nd majors with civil engineering?</p>
<p>Economics is a good one... What sort of civil engineering do you want to go into? If you're looking at land development or working for a contractor or eventually going into management, economics or business would be a good idea.</p>
<p>If you want to go into architectural/building design, a visual art minor would be a unique and also very helpful idea. Visual arts would help you be more 'in synch' with whatever architect you might work with. Architecture would also be a good minor, if your school offers an architecture minor.</p>
<p>Technical writing courses are a good idea, as well. Perhaps you want to work in a foreign country; language training is something that'll make you really marketable later on.</p>
<p>Would you want to go into geotechnical or petroleum engineering? A degree in geology or geophysics would help. </p>
<p>Think outside the box! Civil engineers value creativity, or they'd never get along with architects and clients. ;)</p>
<p>If you want to get into environmental side of civil engineering, biology wouldn't hurt either. I work with several of these hydrid folks & they are worth their weight.......</p>
<p>How does premed sound (although it isn't exactly a major)? That way if you hate the politics of cubicle work, you can become a respected doctor.</p>
<p>Becoming a doctor isn't something you just decide to do one day. It takes yesars of work and dedication, long hours, and low pay for those long hours. You want to be respected become a firefighter or police officer. Being an engineer and pre-med is extremely hard because all that really matters to get into med school is GPA, and its hard to have the necessary 3.6+ in engineering.</p>
<p>" It takes yesars of work and dedication, long hours, and low pay for those long hours"</p>
<p>Well it certainly pays enuf at the end :) You're set for life once and pass MCATs and land a residency after med school.........and btw, 90% of the people that become doctors for the lifestyle. Why else would they buy million dollary houses their first year out of residency?</p>
<p>If you want to talk dedication, every field requires it.....medical just pays more and lets you enjoy a comfy lifestyle never having to worry about layoffs or less pay.</p>
<p>Golubb's delusional idea that doctors are millionaires is just not true at all. Being a doctor is definitely not just fun and games and no one should be misconstrued that it's a cushy job once they get out of med school.</p>
<p>I agree that economics, bus-ad, and/or management are worthy practical choices.</p>
<p>As far as feasibility, certain doubles are more feasible than others. For example, any engineering + math, EECS + physics, ChemE + chemistry, MatSci + chemistry, or MechE + physics, tend to be feasible. Then there are the special double-engineering programs. For example, Berkeley runs specially integrated ChemE + MatSci and ChemE + NuclearE (and used to run a ChemE + Petroleum E double back when Berkeley used to teach PetroleumE). In some cases, depending on integration, it might actually be EASIER to do one of these doubles than to just complete a regular ChemE degree. Why is that? Because those programs were structured in such a way that you basically just completed the core requirements of each major, but you didn't have to complete any electives (the other major effectively became your 'electives'), so you ended up not having to work as hard as the regular ChemE's did, but you ended up with a double-major.</p>
<p>I'm am an undergrad mecheng major but this could apply to the civil eng major as well. Would it be a better idea to outright get a 2nd major in econ or management or just minor in it? Would it really make that much of a difference?</p>
<p>My S is in a ChemE undergrad program. The curriculum calls for a total of 132 credits and includes exactly 12 general education credits (4 courses) spread over all four years. So much for selecting a minor.</p>
<p>I'm an aero major, but our engineering program allows for one to take 8 technical electives and 9 free electives. Due to requiring calc 1-3 and differential equations and physics 1-2, getting a physics or mathematics minor is only an extra 3 classes.</p>
My S is in a ChemE undergrad program. The curriculum calls for a total of 132 credits and includes exactly 12 general education credits (4 courses) spread over all four years. So much for selecting a minor.
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<p>That doesn't necessarily stop someone from getting a minor, or even a second major. Yeah, they would have to take more classes on top of what's required... but it's certainly possible.</p>
<p>I have a friend who just graduated with a double major in chem E and biology, with minors in biomedical engineering and comparative media studies.</p>
<p>Well, in engineering, you're typically constructing a product and so you have to keep your eye on the bottom line. You've got to be business-savvy as well as a highly-competent engineer so that you can better understand your client's needs.</p>
<p>agree 100% with aibarr....engineers often are in the middle of job cost estimating, cost-benefit analysis, & feasibility studies. For schools that do not have a business management program, econ is the closest thing on the academic side for engineers to soak up some real dollars & cents learning. Many civil engineering programs have a requirement to take "engineering econ" as a base course, but having a minor or dual major in econ is even better. As one's engineering career progresses, econ & business management often become MUCH more important.</p>