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The Engineering School Survival Guide: 4 Frameworks To Dominate Your Degree

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Hey all! This week I’m happy to bring you an absolutely fantastic guest article from Tom Miller.

Tom is an engineer and physics tutor obsessed with independent learning. He writes about unconventional study methods at WTF Professor , aimed at simplifying the learning process for engineers and technical students.

I first met Tom a few months ago when he emailed me with some questions on starting his own blog. In the short time between then and now, I’ve seen WTF Professor turn into an awesome resource for any student who’s interested in hacking their learning methods.  On to you, Tom!

Isn’t it funny, that when you tell older people you’re doing an engineering degree, that they tend to only have one of three responses:

• “Ooooh you must be so smart.”
• “It’s gonna be so easy for you to find a job when you leave college.”
• “Smartypants. You’re going to make the big bucks.”

For them, it’s the logical choice. Little Johnny’s gonna grow up and build robots and have job security. That’s what they see on the outside.

But little do they know, the insider’s world is a whole different ballgame.

Before freshman year started, the picture was so rosy. Everyone was encouraging. Mom and dad were happy. High school friends congratulated you on your brilliance.

“You’ve always been good at math. This will be perfect for you.”

But within a week of starting classes, the reality of the situation starts to hit. The wonderful story everyone has been telling you doesn’t look so wonderful anymore, as upperclassmen start to come out of the woodwork.

• “Engineers have no life.”
• “All you guys do is study!”
• “I had a roommate who stayed up for 2 weeks straight and lived in the computer lab!!!”

Doubt creeps in as you start to wonder, “Am I really cut out for this?”

The truth is, both sides have it wrong. The reality is this:

Yes, engineering school is hard.

Yes, you have to put in the time.

Yes, the exams are sometimes ridiculous (e.g. a 37% was the class average on my first Vibrations exam).

But it’s doable . And if you learn the approach, stay diligent, and do the right work, you not only will graduate, but excel – and leave your Econ major buddies wondering how in the hell you did it because you were out with them every Friday night.

Now, based on my extremely professional, authoritative, expert opinion, there are 3… no actually 4 key frameworks that – if you master – will unlock the secrets of the annoyingly super-productive engineering student.

1. Learning to play the game

Engineering school is a game. And like most games, it has rules, a score, and levels. But also like most games, it can be optimized . There are strategies and shortcuts that go beyond simply going to class and doing the homework. Learn to play it.

2. Hacking the learning process

These are the best practices top engineering students stumble upon. Platitudes like “find a quiet place” or “use a study buddy” have no place here. The brain is a learning machine and hacking that machine means the difference between the dude who never seems to “study” but destroys the curve, and the students who spend hours at the library on weekends but just manage to scrap by.

3. Completing group projects without being charged for homicide

You can master the game. You can become a learning machine. But nothing can derail your confidence and progress like a horrible group project experience. Resentment. Spiteful all-nighters. Pain. It can all be avoided if you prepare yourself beforehand.

4. Landing an awesome entry-level job

A complete and utter mystery for us analytical folk. Should I go to the career fair? What should I say? Should I do research? What about internships? Learn the truth about how to find the good ones.

Framework 1: Learn to play the game

If you’ve spent any amount of time at all in the engineering building(s) at your school, I’m sure you’ve come across the zombies .

The homework zombies, that is.

The individuals who seem to spend every waking minute in the ASME lounge, books strewn about, head in hands, looking like they’re about to be told they’ve just lost their life’s savings after not sleeping for a week…

You know, this guy?

Contrary to popular belief, this is not the inevitable life of the dedicated engineering student, but actually the result of some less-than-optimal choices about how to approach your engineering program.

You can have good grades, sleep, and a social life (well, at least among other engineers), despite what business majors will tell you.

Step 1: Before the semester starts, study the syllabus and do an 80/20 on your grade.

It’s late. Friday night. So naturally you and your roommate do what every other normal college student does on a Friday night.

Challenge each other to a Super Mario deathmatch.

The stakes are high (pride is on the line here), so you start thinking strategy.

What should you do?

Well, probably figure out some combination of speed vs. risk of death, and try your damnest to finish each level as fast as possible.

You’re definitely not going to just jump in and indiscriminately start collecting coins, ignoring the fact that you could die at any moment by way of a stray turtle shell or angry Goomba.

Well it’s the same story in your coursework.

If you walk into Physics II, attempting to take on every single scrap of textbook reading, ace 100% of your Mastering Physics homework (kill me), do all the recommended practice problems (Gauss’ Law – seriously is this really necessary?), you will destroy your brain and any semblance of a real existence you hoped to have in college (yes, studies have shown this – my own personal studies on myself…).

The point is, classes are goal-oriented .

Yes, we all want to “learn,” “expand our horizons,” “other platitude you hear on your campus tour.” But we’re not in school just to satisfy our intellectual curiosity. If you’re just interested in that, why not pick up a textbook in your free time? Or spend thousands of hours on Google, Wikipedia and Youtube where you can find virtually everything you can expect to be taught in any engineering curriculum. Learning on your own is easy .

So when we say, “I want to learn engineering,” you’re really saying is, “I want to study the specific things about engineering that I need to know in order to get my degree with a respectable GPA.”

It’s the same as saying “I want to get good at Super Mario.” What you really mean is: “I want to get good at finishing levels as quickly as possible, and defeating Bowser at the end.”

And as you’ll find, it’s a more effective approach to learning anyway. Humans are goal-directed animals. Establish a target or a problem to solve and our brains immediately start churning on it.

The more clear and focused the goal, the faster you can develop a strategy and start taking action towards it. You might even set a world record in the process.

So all of this is to say that before you even start the semester, there are two things you can do to 80/20 your course, a. la. Tim Ferriss ( per Mr. Pareto ).

First, get your hands on a syllabus as soon as possible. Identify the few key assignments that are going to heavily determine your grade.

The top spot is, of course, usually reserved for the final exam, or in some cases the final project report/presentation for project-based courses.

• Then midterms
• Then quizzes
• Then homework assignments (problem sets)
• Potentially “class attendance” (whatever that means)

What do most students spend the vast majority of their time working on and stressing over?

That’s right: homework assignments! The least, or second-least, important component of your grade.

Hence, zombies.

Zombies dedicating large 5-hour chunks of Friday nights towards assignments that make up 0.42% of their grade.

Yes, yes I know what you’re going to say:

“But homework problems are the absolute best practice for the exams. If you don’t spend hours and hours on the homework you’ll failllll…”

Okay, somewhat true. Focused practice solving problems likely to show up on the exam is just about the most effective use of time grade-wise you can invest as an engineering student.

But in many cases homework problems give you the run-around, and 50% of those problems will never ever show up on an exam.

Which is why you should…

Step 2: Look for past exams on Koofers

Don’t you wish sometimes your professor could just show you what’s going to be on the final at the beginning of the semester, so that you can just cut to the chase? Start studying now, instead of waiting for 2+ months of anxiety?

Well there’s actually nothing stopping you from doing that.

It just takes a little digging (and not much really to be honest) and you can have 20 final exams in your hands that represent pretty much everything you would see on your Calc final.

From that point you can “reverse engineer” what you need to focus on for the course. Organize the exam problems by topic area and make sure you’re hitting practice problems that cover what you’re seeing on past exams.

Professors have time constraints like everyone else, and really aren’t that imaginative when it comes to developing new and innovative exam problems.

( Note: you can also go and sign up for engineering societies like ASME or others that usually have file cabinets full of exams.)

Framework 2: Hack your learning

Knowing what to spend your time on is of primary importance. But now that you know exactly which exams or assignments will most impact your grade, and have gotten a glimpse into what problems you will have to master for the exams, it’s time to get more efficient.

I’m talking about stuffing new information into your head twice as fast as typical students, who, while well-meaning, fail to learn efficiently because they dive in with whatever horrible study advice they picked up from grade school, parents, friends, etc. and don’t adopt a strategy.

There are best practices out there, folks. And here are the key ones for technical students.

Step 1: Use the 1-2 lecture prep punch to maximize your retention of new material.

The night before class, do a google search on the next thing up on the syllabus. Don’t try to learn it all, just read through the Wikipedia page and the basic information, and generate a list of 10 questions.

Now you’ve started your brain in motion and your sub-conscious will be churning on that new topic while you sleep before lecture the next day.

Then, get to lecture 5 minutes early and do a brain dump before class. If you just waltz into class without any sort of preparation, your brain is sitting idle, unreceptive to the completely foreign concepts about to fly your way.

As creative educator Harry Lloyd Miller wrote back in 1927,

“Lecturing is that mysterious process by means of which the contents of the note-book of the professor are transferred through the instrument of the pen to the note-book of the student without passing through the mind of either.”

This doesn’t have to be you.

Before lecture, take 5 minutes and a blank sheet of paper, and write down absolutely anything you can think of related to the topic of discussion for the day.

It doesn’t matter how idiotic you find yourself (and sometimes I even surprise myself with how idiotic that actually is). Just keep writing, drawing diagrams, or doodling about topics covered in last lecture.

By doing this, you’re kick-starting your mental circuits around the topic and initiating the questioning process, creating an anchor point for new learning, identifying exactly what you do and don’t know about a particular topic, and training your MacGyver-like powers of conjuring understanding out of nothing.

Step 2: Learn deeply by cracking the code of worked problems using the Reverse Learning Technique.

Fed up with reading the textbook? Most engineers are. We’re supposed to be out there tinkering, right? Building stuff and being all technical and whatnot?

How frustrating can it be to spend hours in lecture only to feel like you still have no idea how to do the homework problems?

The problem is, this isn’t really how we’re wired to learn. We’re wired to learn by doing.

One method of doing this is reverse engineering stuff – peeling back the layers from a finished product to try to gain insights into the structure, process, and technology that underlies it.

Reverse Learning works in much the same way. It’s a technique for working backwards from the solution to a complex homework problem or potential test question to a set of related core concepts (lecture and textbooks work the opposite way).

The benefit: this is much much deeper learning than you would ever achieve by staring at your lecture notes and textbook diagrams.

Plus, this is how it works once you graduate into the real world of engineering. You have to figure things out by looking at other people’s solutions, and recognizing the patterns of activity.

Editor’s note: This applies to all sorts of things. The main way I’ve learn how to make the videos on my YouTube channel in such high quality is through watching other polished videos and analyzing their components.

Work your way through the toughest problems you can get your hands on in this way, and you’ll develop the ability to look at a problem, recall what phenomena are acting, and apply a core set of formulas.

Step 3: Use Active Recall. Test your knowledge early and often.

Ever wonder why you can take pages and pages of notes, read the entire textbook, and sit through hours of lecture, but fail to answer virtually any question about the material immediately afterwards?

We run into this unfortunate situation because we think of ourselves like sponges – we’ll somehow absorb this new (albeit extremely uninteresting) information as it washes over us like a warm bath.

As the professor keeps droning on, it’s a fight to pay attention. Your focus drifts and your brain is off to the races about anything and everything besides the new material (Who won the game last night? What should I have for lunch? Is that guy sleeping?).

This is what we call passive learning : the antithesis to efficiently digesting new information.

The solution: something we call active recall (not to be confused with Total Recall ).

Listen to Cal Newport, author of How to Win at College , break it down for us:

So first, start with a problem from your study materials, making sure not to look at the solution beforehand.

Then try your best to come up with the solution method and steps off the top of your head, without any supporting materials. Do the best you can and even guess if you have to. Write down what you can, and then go back and verify whether you were correct with the actual solution.

Use Reverse-Learning to understand the underlying concepts and solution techniques first, but then repeat this Active Recall process throughout the semester and you’ll be very prepared for seeing and responding to tough questions on the exam.

Step 4: Rehearse your performance. Become a conditioned machine for attacking test problems.

“Most of the time students spend studying for exams in the traditional way is wasted because they aren’t practicing what they’ll have to do on the test.” ~Adam Robinson, author of What Smart Students Know

What’s the one thing you always hear from otherwise smart and hard-working engineering students following a tough exam?

“I know the stuff. I always do well on projects and problem sets. I just don’t test well.”

We can all empathize. Testing really doesn’t make too much sense in the whole scheme of developing as an engineer.

But like we’ve already discussed – engineering school is a game. And a huge chunk of that game, whether you like it or not, is test performance : the ability to walk in there, not freak out, and regurgitate specific information under extreme time pressure.

Think of it this way. It wouldn’t make too much sense to hear from a PGA tour pro:

“Man, I can really stripe the ball on the range, and sink 30 foot putts on the practice green. So I know that I have the skill. I just don’t play well on the course…”

So think of exams more like a performance. Forget “studying” and focus on “rehearsal.” This means recreating, as closely as you can, the exact test conditions and timing.

And don’t fool yourself into thinking that just because you’ve been able to do a few problems successfully in the past, that you’ll be able to do the same thing on test day. Performance anxiety is a bitch (you know what I’m talking about – that sweaty-palms, holy-shit-I-know-nothing, think you’re going to die feeling).

So not only do you need to rehearse (a la Active Recall), but you also need to do it under time pressure , and do it often. As Tony Robbins says,

“Repetition is the mother of skill.”

And intelligent, focused repetition, is the key to developing your test-taking chops in the shortest amount of time.

Framework 3: How to get through group projects and capstones without resorting to violence or blackmail

This is actually amazing practice for working with un-motivated co-workers, which is an inevitability of life you’ll soon discover upon graduation.

But seriously, group projects suck bad. Real bad. However, you can make the best of them.

Look, you’re going to have the guy who’s taken the class 2 times before. You’re also probably going to have the one guy who is painfully socially awkward. So don’t expect miracles.

Assume that you’re going to have to be the one who pushes the project forward from the outset, and you won’t be in for any unexpected surprises, frustration, or let-downs.

Take control – this is your education.

Here’s what to do:

Step 1: Make a schedule.

Take this as a great opportunity to teach yourself how to use Microsoft Project. Or just map it out by hand. Or use Trello .

Whatever you do, split the project up into multiple deliverables and set intermediate target dates for specific work items (e.g. week 1: brainstorming, week 2: research, week 3: preliminary simulation due, etc.).

Every single college engineering project I participated in ended up in a mad-scramble midnight dash. And ever single time it was entirely a result of poor planning (actually, no planning).

Step 2: Set up regular on-campus weekly meetings, preferably during the day.

Once you have your deliverables outlined, you’ll have something to work towards on a weekly basis. And despite you and your teammates’ best intentions you WILL NOT – I repeat WILL NOT – work on the project until the last minute unless you have a weekly check-in.

Other classes, exams, tailgating, meet-ups, whatever, will always always seem to get in the way unless you can all get together and be held accountable in-person.

Volunteer to do this unless someone else in your group has a burning desire to run the meetings. Being able to organize and run a technical team is probably the single most valuable skill you can develop in preparation for the real engineering world.

Plus, it puts you in the driver’s seat so you won’t have to rely on someone else remembering to do it.

Organize your meetings around your schedule deadlines, set an agenda beforehand by email, and make sure to assign and record next actions that each team member has committed to for the upcoming week.

Yes, it’s more work and somewhat of a headache to round everyone up and deal with the inevitable absences and excuses. But you’ll set yourself up extremely well for Steps 3 and 4.

Step 3: Hold your teammates accountable to getting their shit done on time.

There’s no magic here. If your group is meeting consistently, and agreeing on deliverables for each team member, there aren’t too many excuses to be had. If you’re real, honest, and straightforward in your communication, most people will get on-board quickly and realize that it’s in everyone’s best interest to do their part on time.

But, on the other hand, if they don’t get their part of the project done, take control .

We’re not trying to cultivate company culture here; we’re trying to learn and get a good result. Pick up your teammate’s slack if you have to. If nothing else, they’ll at least feel guilty enough for not contributing that they might even be compelled to write the final report for you.

Step 4: Turn in product and testing deliverables early.

Not because it’s just “good” to get things done early, but because turning in product and testing deliverables to class TA’s or professors early allows you the (golden) opportunity to get feedback and be able to iterate before turning it in.

They’re usually just happy to see that students are putting in the effort, and usually end up giving you feedback that is directly correlated with what they’re looking for – i.e. MORE POINTS.

This will set you way way ahead of your other classmates, who by nature of doing last-minute dashes the day before the due date, have to essentially turn in a first draft without getting that valuable feedback.

That could mean the difference between a 75 and a 95.

Framework 4: Get internships and build stuff – how to guarantee yourself a cool-ass job by getting legit engineering experience

To say there are a lot of misconceptions about what companies are looking for in new engineering hires is an understatement.

• Do I need a good GPA?
• What classes do I take?
• What if my degree doesn’t match up with the job requirements?
• I didn’t do any undergraduate research – am I screwed?
• Should I get an internship, or do a co-op?

And the Career Center at your school is probably not much of a help either.

“Really? Is a resume workshop really going to land me a job at 3M or Microsoft or Black & Decker?”

From my perspective, there are 3 things that will significantly contribute to landing a great job after graduation. And none of them involve – thank god – business cards or networking events.

• Demonstrate your ability to do hands-on work in a real environment and contribute to a company in a significant way
• Stand out by completing remarkable projects
• Develop your “natural” network

I’ll focus on #1 and #2 here. There are plenty of amazing materials on the long-game of networking out there ( here , here , and here for example).

Step 1: Demonstrate you can do work

There must be a question on r/EngineeringStudents literally every day asking one thing:

“How do I get an internship/entry-level job?”

And half of them are asking about GPA.

• “What if I have a 2.5? Will anyone ever hire me?”
• “Do I need a 4.0??”

Most companies feel more comfortable with someone who knows “how to work.” Now this can be an engineering internship, but it could also be working summers for the family business… or at Pita Pit…

The questions running through their head when they interview you will include:

• Can you get along with people?
• Have you built stuff in the past?
• Can you show up on time?
• Are you going to be a weirdo?

Now you’re probably thinking, “Yea, okay I’ll do all that and they’ll say, ‘There are 100 other students exactly like this person.'”

That’s where uniqueness comes in.

Step 2: Stand out

Bottom line: you need to do some cool shit.

It doesn’t matter how hard it was. No one is going to care whether you did it over a weekend, or whether it took you 200 hours.

If you make something that grabs someone’s attention (or is “remarkable” in Seth Godin speak ), you’ll stand out head and shoulders above everyone else who has the same Fluent simulation or power-tool improvement project on their resume.

The most compelling job application I’ve ever seen came across my desk 2 summers ago (I work at a small manufacturing company in the Automotive business). It was a rather sparse resume, with a GPA listed as “2.7” with a link prominently displayed that said something to the tune of “custom robot hand integrated with Matlab.”

Clicking the link brought me to a youtube video of this particular applicant wearing a custom-built robot glove , manipulating a matrix of force values within a Matlab window.

I was blown away.

I showed it to my team.

I showed it to my boss.

I showed it to the VP.

It was seriously the coolest job application I had ever seen. And honestly, the guy probably just focused on that one project instead of his courses for a semester.

But it paid off. We ended up offering him a position.

But guess what: yup, already took a job at another company he had a better offer with.

Which goes to show you the power of differentiating yourself. It doesn’t take much, but if you stand out , and haven’t completely blown it in the other areas (e.g. failing out of school, zero work experience, being a weirdo, etc.) you’ll stand head and shoulders above other applicants.

Want more tips for succeeding in your engineering career? Here’s one professional engineer’s top advice for students .

Git ‘er dun

Okay people. You’ve made it this far, so I know you have the determination and persistence to get through your degree program unscathed.

So remember:

• Put in the time and effort intelligently and selectively (by optimizing for assignments with big grade impact)
• Make sure that time is well spent (by using efficient learning techniques the most out of your study time and test prep)
• Don’t let group projects drag you down (take ownership and lead)
• Get yourself a sweet gig by doing cool stuff (without being a weirdo)

It’s not rocket science (well actually it is for you Aero people), but it does require that you step outside the norm. The difference between barely scraping by, and graduating cum laude might just come down to your strategy.

And in the end, you may just end up building robots after all.

Featured Image: Engineering Department employees, 1962 by Seattle Municipal Archives, CC BY 2.0

Study reveals engineering majors spend significantly more time studying

You know that bleary-eyed student who spends all night finishing problem sets in the library? Chances are... he’s an engineering major.

A study by the National Survey of Student Engagement found that engineering majors study five hours more, on average, than their counterparts studying social science or business.

The average engineering student spends 19 hours per week studying.

“The last several semesters I have usually gone to bed at 1:00-3:00 a.m., with crunch-time for projects and homework sometimes extending to not sleeping at all for the night,” said Dan Kiefer, a 21-year-old senior studying aerospace engineering at the University of Michigan .

Forty two percent of engineers surveyed spent over 20 hours per week studying, more than any other major. The extra study time, though, doesn’t translate to preparation. More engineers show up to class without completing assignments than all other students.

Kiefer, a Novi, Michigan native, said he usually spends 25-30 hours per week studying or working on projects.

“As an underclassman, I frequently felt unprepared for class because a lot of detailed material is covered during each lecture,” Kiefer said. “Since then, I have learned from experience that I need to be prepared to keep up during class and not fall behind in a course.”

The disparity in study habits might not reflect a more demanding workload but rather a difference in the type of studying required.

Jonathan Blaha originally studied engineering at Michigan before switching to humanities. He said that the switch didn’t have a significant effect on the duration of time he spent studying but the nature of the work did indeed change.

“(The workload) hasn't changed much,” said Blaha, a 21-year-old senior from Greensboro, North Carolina. “Work I have to turn in on a weekly basis is less, but I have to study more and have more long term work to turn in.”

Engineering requires precision, while humanities promotes more critical thinking and behavior that students may not report as studying — activities such as planning a paper, working on a group project or reading a book.

“There is less of a clear cut right and wrong (in humanities courses),” Blaha said. “They want to see us engaging with the material more and aren't pushing us toward a specific answer.”

Blaha ultimately decided to switch majors because he discovered he wasn’t interested in his engineering courses.

Students like Blaha who decide to switch likely don’t do it because they're lacking a social life. The extra study time actually didn’t cut into socialization according to the survey. All students spent between 10 and 11 hours on average relaxing or socializing, regardless of major.

And if they can handle the work, engineering students often enjoy benefits in the job market.

“For most of the people I know, the engineering majors have a clear advantage in the hiring market for those students graduating with a bachelor's degree,” Kiefer said. “The skills learned during project work and detail oriented homework assignments provide invaluable skills for the future, even if they require painstaking effort to complete.”

Zach Helfand is a Fall 2011 USA TODAY Collegiate Correspondent. You can learn more about him here .

This story originally appeared on the USA TODAY College blog, a news source produced for college students by student journalists. The blog closed in September of 2017.

Top Ten Tips for Engineering Majors 2022

Welcome to fall 2022, cougars feeling anxious about upcoming classes we have the top ten tips that will help you make it through this semester and the ones to come., 1. don't overload your class schedule.

Maybe you can’t decide which classes to take. Maybe you want to graduate ASAP. Whatever your reason for taking a high-class haul, consider changing your course load. Engineering classes are demanding and taking too many classes may not give you enough time to do all the homework, let alone anything else. Give yourself time to enjoy your courses and your life outside of school. If you want advice on registration and scheduling, talk to your academic advisor .

2. Go to College Events

Our college has many opportunities for festivities and fun! From retreats to competitions, from inspiring lectures to free brunches, we have various student events throughout the year! So, take a break and come have fun, relax, get free food, meet your fellow students, and network with successful engineers!

3. Start Assignments Early

Many students have experienced all-nighters filled with the panic of missing an assignment deadline. Eliminate some unnecessary stress and begin your assignments when your professor first gives them. You don’t need an ambitious start. Simply looking through the expectations and beginning a brainstorm will give you a step in the right direction. Want to take this stress-free thing to the next level? Plan when you will next work on the assignment.

4. Get Help

You don’t need to figure everything out on your own! In fact, you probably will not be able to. University is not an establishment for isolated learning, but rather, it’s created for learning in a supportive environment. If you don’t understand a concept or want clarification on something, reach out to your TAs and professors. If you need help with something not related to academics, the Weidman Center encourages students to come and talk to their listening ear. In addition, get to know your classmates, make and ask for help from friends—students together strong.

5. Give Help

If you’re struggling, it’s safe to say you’re not the only one. Get the help you need and then give back to others around. We have plenty of service opportunities in our college and our university. Doing good deeds will not only benefit the receivers, but it will help you connect with others and feel the positivity that comes from contributing to a greater good.

6. Join a Club or Organization

Our college has many different clubs and organizations that you can join! Want something specific to women? Join our Society of Women Engineers ! Want something specific to your major? We have plenty of speciality clubs for this purpose! Wherever you join, you’ll receive the same benefits of free food and new friends. Explore your options now!

7. Care for Your Health

College can cause stress that affects your physical, mental, and emotional health. If you’re not careful, you might start to lose track of the number of times you’ve eaten ramen, forgotten the quadratic formula, and had a half hour crying session. Make a purposeful effort to prioritize your health. Buy some fruits and vegetables, let your brain have a break, and do the good things that make you happy.

8. Remember the Important Things

Grades do not determine your worth. A “bad” grade will not ruin your life. You are the sum of so much more. It’s easy to say but even easier to forget. Remember at the end of the day, you came here to learn and grow, not to become perfect. If you can keep this in mind, it will help you balance and prioritize your life. It will help you remember the important things.

9. Make Time for God

Take a break and go to church on Sunday. Find a few minutes for daily scripture reading. Go to the temple. Watch the weekly Tuesday devotionals. Pray! Whatever connects you to God, find time for it. Strengthening your relationship with Jesus Christ can bring greater peace, clarity, and joy into your life.

10. Have Fun!

It may be cliché, but college will end. Sure you need to do homework and put forth effort, but don’t make college a memory filled with papers and pens. Make it a memory filled with people and places.

What You Need to Know About Becoming an Engineering Major

Engineering majors learn biotechnology, imaging, structural mechanics, environmental engineering, computer engineering, information science and nanotechnology.

Becoming an Engineering Major

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General engineering courses teach students how to design and conduct experiments, identify and solve problems, understand professional and ethical responsibility, and communicate effectively. Rather than focus on one area of engineering, students in this major might take courses in electrical, biomedical and civil engineering, along with courses that cover other aspects of the field.

What Is an Engineering Major?

Engineering majors – or more specifically, general engineering majors – study a broad scope of engineering principles and learn about a variety of disciplines in the field. Unlike more specific majors like aerospace or biomedical engineering, general engineering programs don’t necessarily prepare students for work in one area of the field, but they can provide a solid foundation of engineering principles and an introduction to various subfields. General engineering may be a good fit for students who don’t plan to work as licensed professional engineers but want to understand the field for work in areas like business or public policy related to engineering.

Engineering majors can learn more specific principles in concentrations or minors tracks, which might include biotechnology, imaging, structural mechanics, environmental engineering , industrial statistics, chemical engineering and more, depending on a student’s interests.

This major prepares students for many career paths in the field with skills such as analysis, problem-solving, teamwork and leadership. Engineering majors learn how to make systems work better, meet the needs of different groups of people or businesses, and design and develop new products for public use.

Engineering major vs. computer engineering major: What’s the difference?

General engineering majors study a broad, interdisciplinary curriculum within the engineering field. While specifics vary by program, these majors explore topics across areas such as electrical circuits, thermodynamics and mechanics of materials, instead of focusing on a specific engineering discipline.

Computer engineering majors have a more concentrated course of study. While engineering students may take many of the same classes early in their college careers regardless of their specific track, computer engineering majors dive deeper into topics such as algorithm design, artificial intelligence, computer architecture and operating systems. A computer engineering degree prepares students for work in the computer industry, while the general engineering track can lay the foundation for graduates to work in different areas in the field.

Common Coursework Engineering Majors Can Expect

Engineering can be applied to many areas, so the coursework starts broad with introductory and foundational courses, and concludes with advanced topics such as management, computer systems, electrical engineering and applied mechanics.

Required courses for general engineering majors vary by school, though common requirements include courses in math, science and engineering fundamentals. These introductory courses can cover:

• Calculus. 
• Linear algebra. 
• Statistics.
• Physics. 
• Chemistry. 
• Geology. 
• Biology. 
• Introduction to engineering analysis. 
• Circuits. 
• Thermodynamics. 
• Electronics. 
• Fundamentals of programming and problem-solving. 
• Engineering economics. 
• Mechanics of materials. 

Introductory courses can be helpful for students to learn about the broad field and choose an area of engineering to focus on. More advanced courses branch off into specific areas, including civil, mechanical and electrical engineering. Some schools may offer courses in crossover studies like the interaction of engineering, society and technology.

General engineering majors should also expect to take lab courses. Students can work on individual projects or capstones to display problem-solving skills as a culmination of their engineering degree.

How to Know if This Major Is the Right Fit for You

Students who major in engineering should have excellent mathematical and scientific skills. Competence with technology is needed but also developed throughout the coursework as students work with design and computing software. Critical thinking and analysis are also helpful, as engineers work to make society run smoother. Communication and collaboration with fellow students are important for success in the major, as group projects and presentations are often part of the coursework. Students should also do internships to get a feel for how engineering is applied outside of the classroom and can study abroad to gain practical engineering experience on an international level.

Pick the Perfect Major

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What Can I Do With an Engineering Major?

Those who graduate with an engineering degree can work in many environments, from offices to construction sites and laboratories. There are numerous engineering career paths, though if a student wants to work in a particular field, majoring in that specific branch of engineering might be a better fit. Still, opportunities abound for general engineering degree-holders, especially those who graduate from ABET-accredited schools that meet high standards for engineering programs. Students can use what they learn throughout their academic career to pursue jobs in fields like aerospace, chemical, industrial and mechanical engineering.

Here are some examples of engineering specializations:

• Materials engineers develop, study and test materials that are used to make products ranging from biomedical devices to aircrafts. 
• Health and safety engineers work to prevent injuries and other accidents from occurring. They may spot potential hazards on machinery or equipment and find a way to remedy the problem. 
• Environmental engineers address issues like waste treatment and pollution control that can affect an environment and the quality of life for people and animals who live in it. 
• Industrial engineers prevent wastefulness in production processes and determine the most efficient way to do things. 
• Agricultural engineers solve problems related to farming, aquaculture and food processing. 
• Civil engineers design, build and maintain roads, buildings, bridges, sewage systems and similar structures. Some civil engineering job titles include welding, piping, planning, structural and construction engineer. 
• Mechanical engineers work to improve systems in machines or other equipment such as cars, turbines, boilers and pipelines. 
• Chemical engineers work to solve problems related to substances like fuel or medicine. These engineers can work in mines or labs, and with plastics or petroleum, for example. 
• Biomedical engineers work within the medical and biological sciences, which can entail working with health care equipment like MRI machines, computer systems in hospitals or other medical facilities, or designing prosthetic limbs and other materials. Biomedical engineers also work on the research and development of medical devices that eventually become patented and approved by the government to sell on the market. 

Software is also in constant need of being created, improved or evaluated. Tech-savvy engineers can work in technical support, as front-end engineers or hardware or software engineers. Some roles may be best suited for people who hold an engineering degree in a designated field like aerospace or civil engineering. But regardless of their chosen engineering discipline, those who want to advance to senior management positions likely will need a master’s degree.

The table below lists examples of jobs that engineering degree-holders may pursue. Data is from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics' most recent estimates of annual salary by occupation and the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook .

What Engineering Majors Say

"Engineering is an exciting and creative field that lets me express myself in various ways. At the University of Indianapolis, I have had a unique and enriching experience that has helped me discover and develop my engineering skills. Thanks to the experiential learning and the smaller class sizes that allow more individualized help, I have been able to excel in my studies. I have enjoyed many exciting opportunities, such as racing electric go-karts that resembled kids’ power wheels, a mock ‘Shark Tank’ competition and building a combat robot for the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. I have also found a supportive community through our organizations such as SWE (Society of Women Engineers), IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers), Racing Club and as a peer mentor. Engineering requires collaboration with people from diverse backgrounds and disciplines. It also demands flexibility and willingness to adapt and improve your work."

– Autumn Hotopp , senior at the University of Indianapolis, class of 2024, Bachelor of Science in general engineering with a focus in industrial and systems engineering.

"I came into general engineering at SCU because I knew I wanted to study engineering, but I didn’t know exactly where or how I wanted to apply it. I thought, 'I’ll feel out the first year or two, then switch to something more concentrated later.' But I ran into a problem – I wanted to switch to mechanical, civil and electrical engineering. From having such a broad depth of study, there were so many disciplines I grew to love. It was then that I realized I wasn’t meant to switch to a discipline-specific program – I have so many interests, and that is why general engineering has been perfect for me. General engineering has given me a nuanced, interdisciplinary approach to engineering that allows me to quickly learn in any field and apply a breadth of engineering knowledge to any particular subject. Being a general engineering major hasn’t been the 'easy way through' engineering; it has been the path that has allowed me to tailor my degree toward my interests and have a holistic view of engineering."

– Ben Shiverdaker , senior at Santa Clara University, class of 2024, bachelor of science in general engineering.

"Being an engineering major has been nothing short of fantastic. As someone who enjoyed math, science and problem-solving in high school, pursuing an engineering degree was the right choice for me. I have had access to a versatile education that explores topics such as thermodynamics, electronics, programming and biomaterials. On top of classes, doing research in my department has been a huge part of my undergraduate degree and provided me with a unique experience and many important skills. Engineering degrees are also highly compatible with secondary majors. For example, I am currently taking on a double major in applied mathematics and absolutely loving it. My advice for someone passionate enough to chase their engineering dreams is to always ask questions and don’t be afraid to challenge yourself with new adventures."

– Kyla Covato , junior at Duquesne University, class of 2025, double major in biomedical engineering and applied mathematics .

Schools Offering an Engineering Major

Check out some schools below that offer engineering majors and find the full list of schools here that you can filter and sort.

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How To Keep Majoring In Engineering When You Feel Like Giving Up

Are you struggling to get through your course load? Overwhelmed by all of the assignments? I know that feeling all too well so I want to let you know some tips for how to keep majoring in engineering when you feel like giving up!

Majoring in engineering is really hard. Ironically, with all of the classes that students have to juggle there’s no course or textbook to teach you how to manage it all.

College is a large adjustment to most because it is the first time you are on your own. You make your own schedule. No one is there to hold you accountable except you.

Engineering majors have to handle the college transition plus a very demanding course load. It is trial by fire because the tools needed to help you manage the overwhelm of college are acquired as you are going through it.

I know this challenge all too well. Like the time I sat in my 8am chemistry class with my stomach in knots. It was the first semester of freshman year and I was anxiously waiting for the first exam to be passed back. I had studied a lot, but I still thought the test was hard.

Then, I was handed a graded paper with a big red 68% at the top. I felt like I was going to pass out. Ashamed, I quickly shoved the test into my binder before anyone could see it.

In high school I was a straight A student. So looking at 68% after studying so much, was devastating. How could I continue pursuing an engineering degree if I couldn’t even pass freshman year chemistry?

I remember going back to my dorm almost in tears thinking I was going to have to change my major. I was so stressed by this, plus I had to go to more classes that day and I still hadn’t finished my homework for my 3pm calculus class. All I wanted to do was hide in my dorm room and try to figure out my future.

Have you ever felt this way?

I was so overwhelmed and thought that everyone else was much smarter than me. You see, I went to a smaller public high school that did not have many AP classes. I surmised I was at a large disadvantage from my peers who the majority came from private high schools. They entered freshman year with a lot of AP credits, some skipping all the way to calculus 3!

Not me, I did not have any AP credits. I felt I was so far behind, how would I catch up?

Even though this was one of my lowest points during my college years, it did teach me a lot. Here’s some of the things I learned that I hope can help you keep majoring in engineering when you feel like giving up.

1. Focus On What You Can Control

Do you know the difference between people who succeed and those that do not?

Surprisingly, it is not how much money you have or how smart you are. It is your willingness to persevere through adversity. When you might be stressed out by everything you need to do, you must focus on what you can control and that is your willingness to fight through the challenges.

Henry Ford knew this when he said, “Whether you think you can, or you think you can’t-you’re right.”

You see, when you feel like giving up you have two choices, give up and change your major or persevere and figure out how to continue pursuing your dream of becoming an engineer.

Most things we are most proud of came from overcoming a struggle or fear. Therefore, they did not come easy. Perseverance is a great skill that you will need in engineering as well.

Engineers are often solving problems they have not experienced before. Most of the time you run into a lot of failures on your way to successfully figuring out the solution.

So hang in there, look at persevering through school as practice for your career!

Choosing to fight through adversity is something that is within your control. Therefore, focus on that instead of getting distracted with worrying about all of the things out of your control.

2. Get Organized And Make A Plan

The overwhelmed feeling that makes us feel like giving up can come from all of the things we need to do. It feels like everything around you is in chaos, there are a number of competing priorities, which leaves you with no idea where to even start.

Enter, the to-do list.

When you are feeling stressed the best way is to get your thoughts out of your head and onto paper. You see, the reason you feel overwhelmed is because your mind is working on overdrive trying to keep up with everything.

The moment you start writing things down, you will free up space in your head so that you can focus on more important things.

Your brain thrives on organization so creating a to-do list is one of the easiest ways to beat the feeling of anxiety and become more productive. Science supports this theory.

Professors at Wake Forest University  demonstrated that individuals preformed well on tasks, when they were able to make a plan for one task and then move to the next. Even if they did not finish the first task, they were still more productive on the second task. 

You see, putting the task on paper gets it out of your head so you are telling your mind it does not need to try to keep remembering that thing and that you have a plan for it. That is why having a list automatically makes you feel better. The ideas will stop swirling because you aren’t trying to remember everything.

Here are some of the steps you can take to organize your thoughts and create a plan:

• Do a brain dump and write down everything you need to do. This can be that day or that week. Whatever is causing you to stress out, write it down.
• Then, separate the tasks based on category. For students, it is helpful to have a personal category, a school category, and a work category.
• Prioritize your tasks. Put the tasks that are either most important or have a time sensitive deadline at the top.
• For larger items, try to break these down into subtasks.

Keep your to-do list somewhere that you can easily reference it. I use the Notes app on my phone for my list so that it is always with me.

To start making progress on your list implement what I call the “one most important thing of the day”. This means, whatever happens that day, your goal is to complete this one task. Life happens and even the best plan can go awry. That is why having one thing you must do that day really helps you focus and pick away at your list.

At the end of the day you can review your list and cross off the items you completed. Add any other items that came up that day. Then, you can re-prioritize your tasks so that you are ready to start the next day. Pick out your, “one most important thing of the day” as well.

Review your list in the morning so that you know what your goal is for that day.

Once you get all of your to-do’s out of your head and onto paper (or on you phone), then, you need to organize all of the other things that are not even on your radar yet. This is so that they do not stress you out when they come up.

For this step, you can use a planner, calendar, piece of paper or type it out, whatever makes the most sense to you. Next, gather all of the syllabi for each of your classes. Write down when each class is and when all assignments, tests, and quizzes are. This way you can look at your full semester and make a plan so that you are not surprised or overwhelmed when things are due.

Finally, you can create your semester roadmap. This is your plan for navigating through all of the courses simultaneously. Create a plan for when you will study, attend office hours, and work on assignments so that you make sure you are not procrastinating.

Note any weeks or days that are going to be challenging, like when you have multiple exams. Try to free up your weekends leading up to that time so you have time to dedicate to your classes. This will help you keep moving forward.

During your planning, you can use the  time blocking technique . This is when you choose an amount of time (time block) and only work on that one planned task for that reserved time.

This makes you more effective because you won’t be worrying about the tasks you aren’t doing and you won’t get sidetracked starting different tasks.

3. Keep Moving Forward

Once you have your plan, keep working at it. Try to keep moving forward. You can do this by taking it one day at a time.

Look for sources of motivation to get you through the challenging times. Two sources of motivation you can use include identifying your WHY and creating a Wins List.

Whenever you set a goal you must identify your WHY for wanting to complete it. So why did you choose to major in engineering? Keeping your WHY in mind will remind you of the reason for starting your journey. It will propel you through the challenging times.

Writing your WHY down helps as well. Put it a place you’ll see often, such as on the wall above your desk or on the first page of your notebook.

Secondly, create a wins list. This is a list of everything you do that makes you proud   and will motivate you through the struggles you face. You see, we tend to focus on the challenges or things that are not going well. However, I think it is just as important to celebrate the wins as well. These will help you persevere and keep moving forward towards your goal. 

Like your WHY, make sure you put your wins list somewhere that you can easily refer back to it. Some examples of things to add to the list could be:

• Dealing with a difficult lab partner
• Getting an A in a class, exam or assignment
• It could be outside of school as well, maybe you dealt with a challenging roommate that pushed you out of your comfort zone
• Sports accomplishment you are proud of

It is important to note the date, situation, and outcome.

4. Leverage Campus Resources

College is expensive, so get the most out of it by using all of the resources available to you. Take the time to research what your college offers and make a list of the ones you may need now or in the future.

Some examples include:

• Study groups
• Teaching Assistant (TA) help or office hours
• Professor office hours
• Academic center help
• Tutoring center- specifically for engineering
• Upperclassmen mentor program
• Academic advising
• Clubs for your major

Engineering is a collaborative profession. You will need to get help from many different people. So, why not start practicing this now? Reach out for help to the campus resources when you need it, this will help you keep majoring in engineering when you feel like giving up.

Majoring in engineering is challenging, but once you get through college you will be rewarded with a great paying job. A career that you will be using your skills to help society and benefit people’s lives. Engineering is one of the few high paying professions you only need a bachelor’s for. Therefore, there is a light at the end of the tunnel.

Hopefully these four tips will have you keep majoring in engineering when you feel like giving up.

• Focus on what you can control
• Get organized and make a plan
• Keep moving forward
• Leverage campus resources

If you enjoyed this article on how to keep majoring in engineering when you feel like giving up or have any questions, please feel free to leave a comment below!

• 3 Important Skills That Make Engineers Successful Adults
• What Do Engineers Do?
• Do You Have What It Takes To Be An Engineer?

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Engineering Curriculum FAQs

Why does harvey mudd only offer a general engineering major, can i still specialize in an area or engineering, will i have many electives within the major, how much time will i spend doing homework, will i have time for other activities, how big are the classes, will i be able to get into the classes i need, who teaches the classes, what kind of hands-on experience will i get, what is the engineering clinic program.

Harvey Mudd College believes that its broad engineering program is most likely to produce engineers capable of adapting a changing technology to expanding human needs. Within this context, an engineering major may choose to emphasize a particular engineering specialty by choosing appropriate elective courses and Engineering Clinic projects.

Yes. Through the elective courses and your Clinic project, you can focus on a specific area with in engineering. It is also possible to take courses above and beyond the requirements for graduation.

Within the engineering major, you will have three upper division electives, and you may choose what clinic project you would like to work on. Again, you can select to take courses above and beyond the requirements for graduation.

In short, a lot. The amount of homework you do will vary from class to class, but the homework load will typically be between 4 and 10 hours for a class.

Yes! Even though Harvey Mudd has a rigorous academic program, you will always find (and sometimes make) time to do something other than study. There are a ton of activities always happening on campus and at the other Claremont Colleges.

The typical engineering core class has 20 to 80 students. Technical electives are often smaller. Clinic teams have 4 students. Many students also choose to do research one-on-one with professors.

Yes. Rarely is an engineering student not able to take an engineering course he or she needs. In fact, the only problems that really occur are due to schedule conflicts or full classes for sophomores, but these instances are rare.

All courses taught at Harvey Mudd are taught by professors. You will never see a “TA” or any other student teacher. This goes for recitation and labs as well.

Tons. Classes such as E4 and Clinic have a hands-on element to them. Other courses such as E80 are entirely lab-based, and you will spend countless hours in the lab.

The Engineering Clinic Program brings together teams of students with faculty advisors to work on carefully selected industry-sponsored projects. Coordination with industrial liaisons ensures that the project experience corresponds as closely as possible to that encountered in actual practice. The students plan and execute their projects; coaching, monitoring, and evaluation is provided by the professors. The questions they face are the sort that professional engineers encounter regularly, and the solutions they devise must be satisfactory in practice as well as in theory. The projects themselves cover a wide range of technical arenas.

Choose Your Test

Sat / act prep online guides and tips, the 13 hardest college majors to challenge yourself.

College Info , General Education

What are the hardest college majors? You might assume it's all those complicated STEM majors—and you wouldn't necessarily be wrong.

In this article, we look at the various factors normally used to determine whether a major is hard before going over the 13 most difficult majors based on how many hours students typically spend each week preparing for classes . We also give you a few tips for finding the right college major for you.

What Makes a College Major Hard?

Before we introduce the hardest college majors, let's clarify exactly what can make a major hard.

The problem with this concept is that there's no single, objective criterion we can use . What's difficult for one student might come totally naturally to the next person.

As a result, what are considered the hardest college majors can vary a lot depending on the student —specifically, on where your natural strengths and passions lie. If you're not particularly good at a subject and/or don't have any deep passion for or interest in it, that major will likely be harder for you.

By contrast, if you're extremely skilled at a subject and are committed to studying it, then you will probably find that major easier than you would other fields you have less experience with and/or are less interested in pursuing.

What I'm essentially trying to say here is that any college major can be hard based on how you define the concept of "hard."

Now, are there any objective factors that can make a college major difficult for students?

Most studies look at one critical factor: the total amount of time students spend preparing for classes in their major(s). The longer students spend doing homework for their major classes and studying for exams, the harder that major is considered to be, objectively speaking.

This is the primary criterion used by most websites and surveys, including the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) , which released data in 2016 that detailed the number of hours each week college students typically spent preparing for class.

According to the survey, "preparing for class" encompasses anything from doing homework and studying for exams to reading and writing .

Some websites and organizations consider majors hard based on additional factors, such as how many all-nighters students pulled or how high or low the average GPA for a particular major is (in other words, the lower the GPA, the harder that major is thought to be). Another potential factor to consider on a school level is how many students graduate with a particular major in four years; while there may be other factors at play, majors that tend to take students longer than the average bachelor's degree timespan to finish might be harder (or at the very least, more time-consuming).

Introducing the 13 Hardest College Majors

Even though what majors are hard for you will depend on what you personally find interesting and easier to do, there are some college majors out there that often require more study time and have more homework, making them objectively harder than other majors .

Below are the 13 hardest majors based on 2016 NSSE data shared with The Tab .

#13: Chemistry

Average Hours Spent Preparing for Class Each Week: 18.06

Chemistry majors spend about two and a half hours per day preparing for class each week.

These students study the function, composition, and behavior of matter, and reactions between different forms of matter. They also look at energy. Usual classes required for the major include general chemistry, physics, biology, organic chemistry, calculus, and statistics.

#12: Neuroscience

Average Hours Spent Preparing for Class Each Week: 18.08

Neuroscience majors spend 18 hours a week preparing for class, or just slightly more than what chemistry majors spend.

This academic field is all about the human nervous system, including its development, structure, and role, with focus given to the brain and its cognitive properties. As a neuroscience major, you can expect to take classes in psychology, biology, calculus, chemistry, and physics.

#11: Mechanical Engineering

Average Hours Spent Preparing for Class Each Week: 18.11

Coming in at #11 is mechanical engineering, whose students spend 18.11 hours preparing for class every week.

As an academic discipline, mechanical engineering entails the design, creation, manufacturing, and analysis of mechanical systems — or, more broadly, anything in motion. Course topics for this major generally include physics, calculus, chemistry, dynamics and controls, thermal sciences, and design and manufacturing.

#10: Petroleum Engineering

Average Hours Spent Preparing for Class Each Week: 18.41

Petroleum engineering majors spend around 18 hours and 24 minutes a week studying and doing homework.

In this engineering major, students learn all about the extraction and production of oil and natural gas. Classes required for a program in petroleum engineering can include properties of petroleum fluids, energy and the environment, reservoir geomechanics, calculus, geology, chemistry, physics, and petrophysics.

#9: Bioengineering

Average Hours Spent Preparing for Class Each Week: 18.43

At #9 on our list is bioengineering. Students majoring in this spend just under 18 and a half hours per week preparing for courses.

Also called biological engineering, bioengineering integrates biological and engineering principles to create usable products, such as medical devices and diagnostic equipment. Classes needed for bioengineering majors can vary depending on the track you choose but typically include statistics, chemistry, biology, computer programming, biochemistry, and science of materials.

#8: Biochemistry or Biophysics

Average Hours Spent Preparing for Class Each Week: 18.49

Biochemistry or biophysics majors come in 8th place for hardest major, with an average of 18 and a half hours spent getting ready for class every week.

Students majoring in biochemistry, or biological chemistry, look closely at the chemical processes and substances in living organisms. Biophysics is similar : it involves using the main principles of physics to study organisms and biological phenomena. Basically, the two fields are a lot alike and really only differ in their approaches.

As a biochemistry/biophysics major, you'll likely have to take classes in biology, chemistry, physics, and math, as well as specialized classes that cover topics such as genetics, cell biology, physiology, neurobiology, evolutionary biology, and computing.

#7: Astronomy

Average Hours Spent Preparing for Class Each Week: 18.59

Spending slightly more than 18 and a half hours a week preparing for class are astronomy majors, who currently rank #7 for hardest college majors.

Astronomy entails the study of celestial objects (such as planets, asteroids, and stars) and related phenomena like supernovae and black holes. Students in this major typically must take classes in physics, calculus, computer science, astrophysics, cosmology, and planetary geology.

#6: Physics

Average Hours Spent Preparing for Class Each Week: 18.62

Like astronomy majors, physics majors spend a little more than 18 hours and 30 minutes per week preparing for courses.

In a physics major, students learn about the movement and properties of matter through time and space, as well as the concepts of force and energy. Common topics covered in classes are quantum physics, electricity, magnetism, vibrations and waves, thermodynamics, and gravity.

#5: Cell and Molecular Biology

Average Hours Spent Preparing for Class Each Week: 18.67

We are now entering the top five hardest majors! Cell and molecular biology majors devote about 18 hours and 40 minutes a week to class preparation.

An interdisciplinary field, cell and molecular biology combines chemistry and biology, which allows us to analyze cellular processes and understand the function and structure of life forms. Required courses usually include chemistry, biology, math, biochemistry, ecology, marine molecular ecology, and immunology.

#4: Biomedical Engineering

Average Hours Spent Preparing for Class Each Week: 18.82

Undergraduates majoring in biomedical engineering typically spend a little less than 19 hours per week preparing for classes.

A subfield of bioengineering (see #9 above), biomedical engineering entails using the principles of engineering and biology to create quality products specifically for use in medicine and health care. Biomedical engineering majors take courses in chemistry, calculus, physics, engineering design, electric circuits, thermodynamics, and statistics.

#3: Aero and Astronautical Engineering

Average Hours Spent Preparing for Class Each Week: 19.24

At #3 on the list of the hardest college majors is aero and astronautical engineering. Students in this major normally spend around 19 hours and 15 minutes a week preparing for class.

Aero and astronautical engineering comprise the two types of aerospace engineering : while aeronautical engineering involves the development of aircraft to use within Earth's atmosphere, astronautical engineering entails the development of spacecraft to use outside the atmosphere.

Students in these majors usually take classes in aerodynamics, gas dynamics, aircraft/spacecraft structures, aircraft/spacecraft propulsion, and space system design.

#2: Chemical Engineering

Average Hours Spent Preparing for Class Each Week: 19.66

On to the top two! The second-hardest college major and hardest engineering major is chemical engineering; students in this field spend an average of 19 hours and 40 minutes a week preparing for class.

Chemical engineering is a broad subset of engineering that involves the design, production, use, and transportation of chemicals. It also entails the operation of chemical plants. Students majoring in chemical engineering take courses in calculus, chemistry, physics, biology, engineering, materials science, kinetics, and transport processes.

#1: Architecture

Average Hours Spent Preparing for Class Each Week: 22.20

Topping this list of the hardest college majors are architect majors, who spend a whopping 22.2 hours a week on average preparing for classes—that's more than two hours more each week than what chemical engineering students spend !

Architecture majors learn how to design and build structures in addition to studying the history and theory behind architecture. Courses needed for this major include calculus, physics, design processes, design theory, history of architecture, urban design, and art history.

How to Find the Right Major for You: 3 Key Factors

These are the hardest college majors based on the amount of preparation they typically require. The real question now is this: which major should you choose ?

This is an important question to think about, both before and while you're in college. So how can you make sure you're choosing the right major for you?

First off, don't be tempted to choose a major simply because of its perceived difficulty . Though it might sound impressive to choose one of the hardest college majors, if you're not passionate about the field or don't want a career in it, it likely won't be worth majoring in.

At the same time, don't avoid one of the most difficult majors purely because it's known as being one of the harder ones . If you're committed to pursuing a career in architecture, for example, then go ahead and major in architecture—don't pick something else just because you're scared of how hard it might be! Most likely, another major simply won't make you happy and you won't feel nearly as fulfilled had you just opted for the major you initially wanted.

Ultimately, there are three key factors you'll want to think about before choosing a major:

• Your interests and passions: If you are not genuinely interested in the major you've chosen, you'll likely lack motivation to keep up with your studies. Pick something that excites you on a deeper level.
• Your abilities: Ability matters because if you can't do something at all or do it well enough to be successful in it, then the major is likely not the one for you. For example, it might not be in your best interest to pursue a major in drawing if you have no experience drawing and aren't particularly skilled at it.
• Your career goals and interests: Although your major doesn't need to directly mirror your career goals, it should be at least somewhat related to your future aspirations. Don't major in biology if you're way more interested in becoming a professional violinist, for instance.

These are the main factors to consider before you commit to a major in college.

Note that it's OK if you're undecided on your major when you start college — not all schools require you to declare a major in your application anyway. Still,  you should definitely take some time to explore your options to help you figure out what your ideal course of study might be.

Recap: What Is the Hardest Major in College?

When it comes to the most difficult majors, what one student might consider difficult can vary a lot from what another student might consider difficult. This is because the difficulty of a college major ultimately depends on each person's individual interests and abilities .

Still, this hasn't stopped people from trying to come up with lists of the hardest college majors.

A 2016 study called the NSSE surveyed US college students, asking how many hours they normally spend preparing for classes each week. The study then divided these answers up by major to give a rough idea as to which majors generally required more preparation time than others.

We've used the results of this study to put together a list of the 13 hardest college majors based on the average number of hours students spent preparing for class:

When it comes to finding the right major for you, don't choose (or avoid!) majors simply based on their perceived difficulty . Instead, try to take into account your passions and interests, your abilities, and your career goals. These are what will help you figure out your ideal major!

What's Next?

You know what the hardest majors are, but what about the easiest majors? We looked at average GPAs to come up with a list of the 14 easiest majors .

Which majors are most likely to earn you lots of money? Get the answer to which majors are highest paying and which fields are the best for finding a job .

What are the worst majors in terms of salaries and employment? Check out what we've found in our in-depth post .

What are the most unusual majors? Learn more about which colleges have more out-there majors and which let you design your own path.

Hannah received her MA in Japanese Studies from the University of Michigan and holds a bachelor's degree from the University of Southern California. From 2013 to 2015, she taught English in Japan via the JET Program. She is passionate about education, writing, and travel.

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The 14 Hardest and Easiest Engineering Majors Ranked

Author’s Note: This article is based on a longer research paper . The paper can be accessed for details.

Engineering degrees are unanimously considered to be among the toughest college majors out there . But among the various disciplines, which engineering major is the hardest?

As a chemical engineer myself, I recall speculating about this with my classmates from time to time, usually in the middle of working on some brain-numbing homework assignment.

Since engineering students often take courses in each other’s disciplines, take courses in the same buildings, and study in the same areas – we keep tabs on how hard students in the other disciplines are working.

Overall, we all knew that our colleagues in other disciplines work hard, much harder than in non-engineering fields. But at the same time, there was a bit of playful competition as to whose homework and projects were the most rigorous.

The Classic Argument for Ranking Engineering Disciplines

The classical argument for ranking engineering disciplines for difficulty goes something like this.

Civil engineering is easiest because everyone has been exposed to buildings, bridges, etc since birth. Thinking about these, understanding the theory, and designing them therefore isn’t too difficult, since the intuition is already there. Moreover, civil engineers deal with visible and physical things (unlike chemical or electrical engineers).

Mechanical engineers are second easiest because cars and gears and the like are also highly intuitive, and also deal with the visible, physical realm. But since mechanical contraptions are often in motion, they are more complicated than static structures, and mechanical engineering is more complex than civil engineering.

Then, people will rank electrical and chemical engineering as hardest with the order depending on whether they think it’s harder to visualize chemical reactions or to think about electricity.

To me, this thinking does make sense, since as we’ll see, “the intuition” argument above, does generate roughly the same order as the data.

It makes sense to me that fields such as chemical or electrical engineering where students come in with almost no intuition on the phenomena, require much more learning and content to be mastered over the span of the engineering degree.

Having taken courses in civil, electrical, materials science, chemical, and bio-engineering; my personal ranking (prior to seeing the data) was: chemical and bioengineering as most difficult, then electrical engineering, followed by mechanical engineering, and in last, civil engineering.

Luckily, we don’t need to go off my speculations for this article.

Measuring Difficulty

Instead, I rely on data generated by college students themselves, as they rate courses they’ve completed. In these ratings, college students rate their courses on a 1-5 scale of difficulty. From these ratings, I estimate the share of the professors within each major that have a difficulty of at least 3 (medium).

My original dataset comes from almost 3 million student ratings from 200 universities.

I only rate majors with plenty of ratings per university and reviews from multiple universities. You can read more about my data process here as well as how it correlates with actual weekly study hours data.

Let’s jump in and see what the hardest and easiest engineering majors in America are.

Engineering Majors Ranked By Difficulty

This list ranks the engineering majors by the share of professors that are considered by students to be difficult.

If you compare the list for engineering to the full list for all majors , you will notice that all engineering majors are really hard. The 2nd easiest engineering major, Industrial Engineering, is ranked 48th out of 118 majors. One of the easiest majors among the engineering fields is actually among the hardest majors in all of college!

But according to the data I’ve collected, students who took Chemical Engineering classes rated their major as hardest with 80% of professors rated as difficult. This is followed by Electrical Engineering in second with 73%, and Aerospace Engineering in third with 71%.

Ranking easiest is Engineering Technology (45%), followed by industrial engineering (53%), and biological engineering (56%).

You will notice that the “intuition” argument for difficulty would get the order roughly right. Another interesting fact, is that more difficult engineering majors earn more than less difficult ones.

Have you taken courses in multiple engineering disciplines? How does this list compare to your personal experience?

Similar Posts

• The 26 Highest and Lowest Paying Engineering Majors
• The Hardest and Easiest College Majors – 144 Majors Ranked
• The 78 Highest and Lowest Paying STEM Majors
• How to Ace College – Techniques that Boost Learning

For Students Considering Majoring in Engineering

Engineering majors are hard, but don’t think that they’re impossible. Genius is not required.

On the other hand persistence and a willingness to work harder than you’ve ever worked before in your life are absolutely critical.

Even though the courses are rigorous and study schedules intense, engineers look back on their training with fondness. Kind of like the Navy Seal who successfully completes Hell Week.

One tip I hope is helpful, is to be intentional with the way you approach your courses and studying. One book I wish I read when I was in college was Cal Newport’s How to Be a Straight-A Student . I discovered it after my undergrad and it’s been hugely helpful in graduate school in shaping how I think about learning.

Since that first book, I’ve read a lot about efficient learning techniques and the learning process – I summarize my ideas here.

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Do engineering majors have a social life?

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I want to major in engineering in college but everything I’ve heard makes me think that all engineering majors do is study and go to class. Is the workload really hard? If I study engineering will I have time for fun stuff or just studying?

Being an engineering student can be socially challenging. You will often have many weekends in, catching up on homework and studying. However, I do believe it is good practice to be self aware enough to sacrifice some weekends of study, for a mental health break. As you go through your engineering program, you will learn what best works for you. Some students designated Friday and Saturday nights as their time off. Others took a week day or full weekend. I highly recommend taking only 4 classes your first semester of college as you get adjusted and learn what schedule works best for you. The benefit of college is that you can tailor your schedule to what suits you best. Best of luck!

Engineering majors DEFINITELY have fun in college! The most important thing about being in college is to allow yourself to learn, grow, and explore the interests you have, so it is important to have a social life outside of school. In my experience, I joined an automotive club on campus where we’d meet weekly for boba and to talk about our interests in cars. My best advice is join the club(s) that you feel most passionate about investing time into and participate! Engineering is not easy, however. I do not recommend overloading yourself by taking 4 engineering courses your first semester in school. Engineering only gets harder as you get deeper into your career, so take it at your pace and try your hardest to do well in these courses.

The honest answer is, any field of study as exciting and challenging as engineering and STEM majors come with a heavy workload. The coursework tends to be intense and yes, there will be long hours and study sessions. But ultimately, you will be able to enjoy your college life if you plan appropriately. I personally found sticking to a well structured and daily study schedule allowed me to take a break and have some fun. This worked for me during my undergraduate and graduate degrees in Electrical Engineering, as well my most recent graduate degree in Information and Data Science (during which I was actually also working full time). There will still be occasions where you have to prioritize your studies over something else but I don't see any reason why you won't have a great college experience. In the end, I truly believe that all my hard work and studying has led me to a career in STEM that I thoroughly enjoy.

Work-life balance will always be something to navigate in college or any other point in life. While engineering courses definitely require a healthy amount of studying, classes, and project work, it is important to have good time management to navigate the workload while also doing other things that you enjoy. For one, the engineering and fun can be combined – I belonged to a few social groups specifically for those in engineering and there were definitely times when being with classmates included laughs and silliness. My class participated in national bridge-building competitions, which not only meant a lot of time spent together within our school buildings but also meant traveling, networking, and socializing together and with other schools. Outside of that, I learned how to rock climb, played a ton of recreational intramural sports, did volunteer work, and learned how to cook, clean, and live on my own. I also, among my STEM courses, took introductory classes from the dance department for fun! College is more than just getting through and coming out with a degree in order to enter the workforce – as with any chapter in life, it is important to enjoy the experience and learn more about yourself, so definitely give yourself the permission to do so!

Absolutely. One of the biggest life lessons that can be learned is that you will always make time for what is important to you. If you have lots of things that are important to you (like grades, social life, family, etc), you will learn the arts of balance and time management. I graduated a long time ago, but I have a daughter who graduated recently in engineering and the same thing is true today. She had fun, was very active in her sorority, and made lasting memories all while successfully completing her coursework and maintaining her GPA. You will have to decide for yourself what is important, but you will figure out how to balance all the important things in your life.

I would say absolutely engineering majors can have a social life, but with one caveat. I had to be very strategic about planning my homework and study time. In addition to my major, I was in a sorority and held executive council level positions for multiple years while I was on campus and was engaged with some other periodic activities. The way that I made time for that and other fun events was planning around things I knew I wanted to attend. I did have to pick and choose which events I could attend, and work during those hour here or hour there that popped up between classes to get homework done but that ensured I cleared up my weekend and evening time for socializing and attending events. I also would look at the office hours schedule and try to prioritize working homework prior to the office hours so I could get help when needed rather than scramble at the last minute. Even with all the planning sometimes there were some great events I missed out on because of homework or studying, but I think that happens to everyone. Overall, I was able to attend a lot of the things I wanted to with careful planning and the help of teachers and study groups.

There’s no one answer to that question – different engineering disciplines all present challenges, and as students, we are not all equally equipped for them. Even then, a lot is dependent on your expectations. Are you aiming for a top tier school, looking to become a CEO someday? Many people enter college, and many also leave without a clear vision of a career path.

I do believe it’s important to find a balance in one’s life, between professional aspirations and personal goals. Some of the things college/university education can provide include: opportunities to lead or participate in social activities involving your discipline or major (Engineers’ Week is often a huge event); group study or design projects; internships with companies to experience “a day in the life.” Some companies have well-structured internship programs to give interns a chance to interact socially with their peers.

Most people in engineering leadership, both in academia and in industry, recognize the need for that balance. Study and work will both place huge demands on your time, and often, the push for social activities will need to come from you. I find the best way to look at it is as another constraint to optimize, since that’s a lot of what engineering is at its core. Can you have a social life? Yes, you can, and in fact you HAVE to.

Great question! In my experience, the workload was very heavy and the homework problems and projects were difficult. Be prepared to work. I did have a social life in addition to the heavy workload, but my social and work life were connected. In my sophomore year, I found ASME (American Society of Mechanical Engineers) and joined. This club gave me a way to make friends that were taking the same courses I was. We formed study groups, and the older students were free with advice of which professors to take and avoid. These were the friends that I hung out with on weekends, went to parties with, studied with, shared apartments with, etc. The club itself hosted lots of activities, trips to conferences around the country, weekly meetings where I made connections with engineers from the industry, and mentorships with professors. If I had a chance to do it over again, I'd go to more basketball games and other sporting events in addition to engineering-related activities. The bottom line is that if you're interested in engineering, and you're willing and capable of doing the work, go for it. Be prepared to put in the work, but the social life will be there, too.

In my view, everyone needs decompression time and that can take many forms - for some, it’s reading a book, watching TV, playing sports, and more. It’s vital to maintain a balance. Yes, studying engineering is challenging and sometimes you may feel that you are only studying. However, make sure you take time for what you love or you will become burned out (unless studying is what you love). You need to set your own rules and these will become clear once your studies are underway.

Those of us who have gone through it can easily say - “there is much more to the engineering college life beyond studying.”

When I was in college, my social life was centered around the musical groups I was in (band & clarinet choir, plus a clarinet quartet) and my church, which had a college group. We’d have informal gatherings after rehearsals and meetings, as well as weekends. There were also occasional social events with my department and Engineering Council. College is busy, particularly if you are employed and involved in activities, so you will need to decide your priorities and make sure that you’re not attempting too much. It will vary from semester to semester, too, depending on your course load. I would also recommend finding a few classmates to study with – explaining to others helps you learn, and it makes studying much less stressful. And don’t hesitate to take advantage of office hours – I graded for a few classes while I was in college, and I found that the best students were regulars at office hours. If you are having problems keeping up, be sure to let your instructor know ASAP.

In my experience, engineering majors do study more than many other majors. Study groups can be fun, and a way to make lifelong friends. But you do have time to engage in many other activities on campus – and I would encourage you to do that! When I was getting my engineering degree, I participated in so many campus activities. I played just about every intramural sport they offered, I was in a sorority (president my last year), I was involved in Tau Beta Pi (Engineering Honor Society) and IEEE (student chapter of the Electrical Engineering professional organization). Good time management allowed me to do this. I also found plenty of time to do things with my friends, have a boyfriend, go hiking, and have various part time jobs. Knowing my personality, I found I needed to work first and play later. Otherwise, I would be worrying about getting my homework or studying done, because sometimes you just never know how long homework will take. So I prioritized school work, got it done, and found time to enjoy everything else. There were times when my friends would be heading out in the evenings to go play, and I was doing homework. Or they might get their homework done in 45 minutes and it took me 3 hours. But I would say we all had equal fun. Good time management is key!

Engineering is indeed a lot of work and requires plenty of studying, but it’s necessary to set aside time for fun and relaxation! It is really important not to burn out by taking time for yourself and enjoying some time outside of the classroom. Developing effective time management skills can also be helpful in allowing time for rest and relaxation. In my experience, a Bachelor’s degree in Engineering is both extremely challenging, but was some of the most fun I’ve had!

For me, the line between social life and engineering school blurred as I found amazing study partners to both hang out with and to study. Granted, we spent a great deal of time studying but we definitely had fun, too. Although I did study with both males and females, I primarily studied with females and we became quite close and remain so to this day. My advice to you would be to find people to study with that you enjoy being with. That way you can study together and hopefully have time to play together, too!

Of course yes! Engineering majors still have social life, it’s just a matter of time management. It’s not just about studying, but it should be on top of your priorities. Studies come first before anything else, but always have time for yourself, your family, and your friends. Planning is the key. Enjoy studying and also enjoy life.

Yes, engineering majors do have a social life. All you need to do is to optimize the time spent on your academic activities and your social life. Your social life is where you make important contacts and do networking. Engineering does not thrive in isolation. Your interaction with others will assist you to innovate products that will benefit end-users at minimal costs. Social life also helps your mental health.

Engineering in college does not mean the end of your social life by any means. It does help to be willing to allow new friends, new experiences, and new adventures while you are obtaining a degree. I usually took 15-18 credit hour semesters through most of my college years and also worked part-time, but I have to say it was one of the best times of my life. At first, I was opposed to study groups (not my thing I thought) but after I gave it a try, that turned into some of the most supportive, encouraging, and fun experiences I had with my colleagues while we worked out homework and studied for tests (we ate together, spent evenings together, commuted together, shared life or special events together – simply everything you share with close friends, but add a textbook). Learning is not a chore when you have friends sharing the same experiences. We often went out hiking, to the lake, visiting friends/family together, dancing, 5k runs, and even some school sponsored trips. Going to class was never boring or drudgery with all these close friends. While in college, I also volunteered as a logistics manager for a non-profit (for the logistics experience tied to my degree and for my resume). This committee usually had a social hour after every meeting in which I met some great friends. Engineering is tough, but given the shared experiences, friends, and adventures, I would not trade a minute of those years.

There is always time to have fun if you manage your time wisely. Engineering requires time and dedication, a lot of study time will be needed, that does not mean that you cannot have fun. Also depends on what fun means to you – if you enjoy what you're working on for your classes, that is fun. Party time is different, and you will have time for that, especially celebrating your academic accomplishments. For me, when I was in college, there was no better party than at the end of each semester where me and my friends could relax and celebrate a successful completion after putting in so many hours of hard work. There was no better reward than that. If you like what you are doing, you will be having fun most of the time. Cheers!

Engineers do have a social life. I feel like my social life flourished in college. I was able to travel regularly on a budget and I made a lot of lasting friendships. I did go to school in a city so it was much easier to find things to do during the week but that doesn't mean you can't do weekend trips. Some weeks like midterm and finals week, I had more studying than fun things but it was a balancing act. Some subjects were harder than others and had more homework but I had much more free time during college even with a part time job.

Of course Engineers have a social life! I have a 10 year old daughter, a huge group of friends and community members that I support and have a social life with.

During engineering school, while library, assignments and labs do take up a lot of time there is an amazing camaraderie that is developed over time. All schools have associations and organizations that also lend to a social aspect.

It was my experience that we met awesome people with similar interests. We found time to go to the beach even if it was for only 1-2 hrs, and other fun stuff. We met a lot of people that are still friends, both when doing the BS degree and in grad school. People from all over, some invited us to their apartment to learn about their culture/food/music, and still today, when we need expertise in some specific areas, we contact them. We also sometimes see each other in professional conferences all over the world.

What a great question and one I can answer with 100% assurance! I am just about to celebrate my 50th wedding anniversary to a man I met when we were both students in a school of electrical engineering. Before we started dating, I had a very active social life and dated a number of other guys in the program and several others in other departments.

I am currently a professor in a College of Engineering and we have a number of faculty couples, and most met as students. When I was teaching at another university, two of my graduate students got married. In fact they joked that I should officiate at the wedding but the bride's mother thought that a religious leader should do that. :-)

Bottom line - the workload in engineering can be quite demanding but there is definitely room for a social life as well.

Yes, engineers have a social life. We work hard in both college and in the industry, but the work is incredibly impactful, fun, and collaborative. Invest your time wisely in college, if you study and work hard and do well in your classes, you'll most likely find a job in which you both enjoy and get paid well for. You need to also remember that colleges and universities are businesses. It's in their interest to enroll students, even if the degrees aren't worth the initial financial investment, in some of the "easier" majors, which perhaps don't have a great financial payback post college.

It's so important to do something meaningful with your time and with your life. I'm a Mechanical Engineer who works on net zero energy and net zero carbon buildings, helping to fight carbon emissions and climate change. I am constantly meeting people who amaze me with their talents and knowledge and passion for a more sustainable future. However, if I didn't knuckle down in college, I wouldn't be where I am today. I also have a great group of friends, I spend time with my husband and our son, and love seeing other family members too.

We cannot gauge what your idea of “enough” time for fun might be. In general, engineering is not as intense as pre-med or architecture. But you’ll probably need some all-night and late study sessions to finish a project or study for big exams. Some schools have a reputation for being more cut-throat, but that’s an environment I’d personally want to avoid (and did).

More importantly, though, is what happens after you graduate? I urge you to start out at a community college first. You’ll save tens of thousands of dollars per year, maybe hundreds of thousands of dollars by the time you graduate.

Think of it this way: If you’re paying off a huge student loan, you won’t have time (or money) for fun, regardless of your major. You cannot discharge student loan debt even if you declare bankruptcy. And interest rates are higher, because student loans are unsecured debt as opposed to secured debt (meaning, the bank has nothing to repossess, unlike with a car loan or mortgage. Whether you graduate in engineering or another major, you are not guaranteed to make enough money to justify the kind of tremendous loan amounts we see people graduating with. Also, do NOT rely on the loan office to deny your loan application based on future ability to repay. A lot of people made the mistake of thinking “if the bank let me borrow it, they think I’ll be able to repay.” Nope... They hope you can’t repay it until more time elapses, because that means your amount due will keep increasing!

Engineering degrees are almost the same for the first two years. Go to a cheaper public school and then transfer after your sophomore year. And you’ll be able to decide if the workload will work for you. You want to consider work-life balance for LIFE, not just your time in college.

I majored in civil engineering and I still had a lot of fun in college. I also had a part time job. Engineering is really not that much different from other majors. Some classes are going to be easier and some are going to be harder that will require more of your attention and time. You will have to make time to study, just like you will in non-engineering classes. I have always considered college a “weeding out” process. The students who are dedicated, persistent, and disciplined are the ones who make it through to graduate. The trick is balancing the work with fun, and remembering that you have to be an adult about managing your time and doing the right thing.

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Does Your Intended Major Impact Your College Chances?

For incoming undergraduate students, choosing a major can be overwhelming. That’s because your field of study will have meaningful consequences for your future life. Choosing the right major can open the door to engaging work that pays a living wage. On the other hand, selecting the wrong major could result in years of unhappiness if the related work is not interesting, takes up too much time, or doesn’t pay well. 

It might relieve some of your stress to know the important factors to consider when choosing your major, to be familiar with the most challenging and least challenging undergraduate majors, and to remember that your major choice isn’t binding yet . In this helpful guide to choosing your major, we will walk through all of that to help you find a major that suits your needs, interests, and goals.

Factors to Consider When Choosing A Major

Does the work interest me? You will have a much harder time securing good grades and retaining concepts if you are pursuing a major that does not interest you. We are not saying you have to choose something that fascinates you—not everyone can be a professional musician or writer—but make sure you choose a major that holds your attention.

Do I have natural talent in this field? Everyone’s brain is wired a little differently. It follows that certain subjects will be easier for certain students. Natural talent is not a prerequisite for pursuing a given major. In fact, many leaders in their field report initial setbacks that they had to work hard to overcome. However, choosing to major in an area where you already have an intellectual advantage based on your brain chemistry is a good way to make your college years easier.

How much time do I want to spend studying? Realistically, academic coursework is not every student’s top priority. One of the best parts of college is making lifelong friendships. Another is exploring your interests through clubs and internships. Only commit to a time-intensive major if it really is your top priority in college.

What career options will be available to me after graduating? Too many times, we see students treat their undergraduate years as being completely unrelated to what they will do after school. Then, when they find certain career paths are closed to them, they become disappointed. Avoid this outcome upfront by choosing a major with your future career in mind. If you are interested in exploring many different fields, choose a major like Communications or Economics that opens the door to many different industries. If you already know you want to pursue a very specific path, such as film or medicine, choose a major and take the courses that prepare you for your industry.

What are my financial prospects with this major? Even if your goal is not to become a millionaire, keeping an eye on finances will save you a lot of heartache in the long run. If you are split between two majors, consider using return on investment (ROI) as your tie-breaker. If you want to go into a less lucrative field, that is okay! Just be sure you are not taking out large loans to finance a major that will take decades to repay.

When Do You Have To Declare Your Major? And Can You Change It?

When you apply to different universities, you will probably be asked for your intended major . This major is either the program you will enter into as an incoming freshman or, if your institution doesn’t allow you to declare your major until later in your undergraduate studies, it’s the major you think you will declare when the time comes. Sometimes (typically if your intended program is competitive or requires specific technical or artistic skills) you will need to submit a supplemental application or a portfolio for your intended major.

In general, your intended major is exactly what it sounds like: an intention to study a discipline, not set in stone . And many students change their major (hassle-free) throughout their undergraduate years.

Because universities require a certain number of total university credits for graduation, a students’ coursework is generally divided into three components: general education or distribution requirements, major requirements, and minor or elective courses. Students who are unsure about their major might take their elective courses in diverse fields when trying to come to a conclusion about their desired field of study. On the other hand, if you change your major too late, you may delay your graduation, so it is important to plan as you explore . It is also important to remember that, at many universities and colleges, it is easier to change your major within a school than between schools.

Generally, universities will ask you to declare your major by the end of your sophomore year.

CollegeVine’s Top 10 Hardest Majors

To help you start thinking about which major is best for you, we put together a ranked list of the ten hardest majors. We used a combination of lowest average GPA, highest number of hours spent studying, and lowest return on investment (ROI) to determine which majors are the hardest to pursue. In these listings, you’ll notice the statistic, 20-year ROI. A 20-year ROI is the difference between the 20-year median pay for a graduate with a bachelor’s degree in the listed major and the 24-year median pay for an individual with only a high school diploma, minus the total 4-year cost of obtaining a bachelor’s degree. It effectively tells how much better off graduates are financially due to obtaining a bachelor’s degree in a specific area.

This list is by no means exhaustive, and your list of hardest majors likely would be different than ours. As you read, think about what makes some of these majors easier or harder for you .

10. Fine Arts

Average GPA: 3.2

Average Weekly Study Hours: 16.5

Predicted 20-Year ROI: -$163,600

Find schools with a Fine Arts major that match your profile.

This goes on our list of hardest majors because it has such a low return on investment. For students to make this major a successful choice, they will have to spend hours distinguishing themselves from their peers. The same principle applies to other artistic fields, including creative writing, musical theater, dance, and music. If you pursue a creative major, make sure you cultivate a marketable skill alongside it. Consider teaching, art restoration, or technical writing for a skill that complements your love of art.

Potential Careers Paths and Median Salaries for Fine Arts Graduates:

• Professional Artist: $49k
• Art Director: $97k
• Graphic Designer: $53k
• Interior Designer: $60k
• Art Professor (requires further education): $85k

9. Philosophy

Average GPA: 3.1

Average Weekly Study Hours: 16

Predicted 20-Year ROI: $202,000

Find schools with a Philosophy major that match your profile.

Philosophy demands attention to detail and command of logic. On average, philosophy majors spend more time than most college students studying, and those hours require high levels of concentration. Many philosophy majors pursue careers in law or academia because those fields reward hard work, careful reasoning, and attention to detail. Both of these fields require an advanced degree, so be prepared to stay in school for a while.

Potential Career Paths and Median Salaries for Philosophy Graduates:

• Non-Profit Professional: $70k
• Lawyer (requires further education): $127k
• Philosophy Professor (requires further education): $88k
• Public Policy Professional (requires further education): $125k

8. Cellular and Molecular Biology

Average Weekly Study Hours: 18.5

Predicted 20-Year ROI: $382,000

Find schools with a Cellular and Molecular Biology major that match your profile.

Cellular and molecular biology is the biology major with the heaviest workload and lowest average GPA. Students who tend to do well in this field are able to visualize concepts even when they cannot see them with the naked eye. Understanding how different parts of a system work together is a useful skill that this major cultivates. With a cellular and molecular biology undergraduate degree, can pursue an advanced degree or dive straight into the workforce upon graduating, depending on your area of interest.

Potential Career Paths and Median Salaries for Cellular and Molecular Biology Graduates:

• Research Assistant: $46k
• Physician (requires further education): $185-271k
• Biology Professor (requires further education): $101k
• Pharmacist (requires further education): $129k

7. Accounting

Predicted 20-Year ROI: $563,000

Find schools with an Accounting major that match your profile.

Accounting majors have a great return on investment (ROI) since nearly every person and company requires the services of an accountant at some point in their life cycle. If you like mathematics, specifically applied math, this may be a great fit major for you. Becoming an accountant requires long apprenticeships and lots of studying after graduating from college. However, you can get a well-paid job right out of college, as businesses love to hire folks with this quantitative background.

Potential Career Paths and Median Salaries for Accounting Graduates:

• Accountant: $74k
• Financial Analyst: $84k
• Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerk: $42k

Average Hours Spent Preparing for Class: 17

Predicted 20-Year ROI: $525,000

Find schools with a Nursing major that match your profile.

This major has a high workload but amazing job prospects. Upon receiving licensure, graduates are practically guaranteed a job for life in a growing industry. College graduates typically earn a BSN but may continue their studies to become an MSN. Advanced schooling allows MSNs to specialize, depending on their desired career path. Nurses spend less time in school than doctors and have more in-person contact with patients.

Potential Career Paths and Median Salaries for Nursing Graduates:

• Registered Nurse: $75k
• Midwife: $111k
• Nurse Anesthetists: $184k

5. Architecture

Average GPA: 3.3

Average Weekly Study Hours: 22

Average Salary: $67,000

See the best schools for architecture.

This major goes on our list of hardest majors because of the weekly grind. The average architecture major spends 22 hours preparing for class. Students who want to pursue this field need to be ready to spend hours drafting and studying. Upon graduating, your job prospects are fairly narrow because your skills are specialized. That means that when a lot of construction is taking place, you are likely to be in demand. Conversely, if new building projects are not being commissioned, it may be harder to find a job.

Potential Career Paths and Median Salaries for Architecture Graduates:

• Building Architect: $82k
• Landscape Architect: $71k
• Architectural Drafter: $58k

Find schools with a Physics major that match your profile.

Physics makes this list because of the long hours students have to spend getting ready for class each week. A highly conceptual field, physics may be right for you if you like to think abstractly about how forces and objects interact. Keep in mind that pursuing a career in physics often requires you to get an advanced degree after graduating from college.

Potential Career Paths and Median Salaries for Physics Graduates:

• Physicist: $129k
• Biophysicist: $94k
• Physics Professor (requires further education): $104k

3. Electrical Engineering

Average Weekly Study Hours: 19.5

Predicted 20-Year ROI: $850,000

See the best schools with Engineering majors.

Electrical Engineering majors put in some of the longest hours of all college students, but the return on investment (ROI) is very high. If you love circuitry, fixing equipment, and designing better ways to get a job done, this could be a great fit career for you. A degree in engineering sets you up to perform well as an engineer or, later in your career, as the manager of a team of engineers. Advanced study is encouraged but not required to succeed in this field.

Potential Career Paths and Median Salaries for Electrical Engineering Graduates:

• Electronics Engineer: $103k
• Aerospace Engineer: $117k
• Communications Engineer: $110k
• Computer Hardware Engineer: $120k

2. Chemical Engineering

If you love to leverage your knowledge of science to transform materials, chemical engineering could be a great fit for you. This is another high input, high output field, so expect to work long hours but also to earn a large salary after graduation. If you love chemical engineering but do not want to become an engineer, consider a career in academia or patent law. These career paths require graduate school, in the form of a Ph.D., J.D., or both.

Potential Career Paths and Median Salaries for Chemical Engineering Graduates:

• Chemical Engineer: $109k
• Environmental Engineer: $99k

1. Chemistry

Average GPA: 2.9

See the best schools for Chemistry majors

We have chosen chemistry as our #1 hardest major because of its low average GPA combined with the long hours of studying required. If you are fascinated by how minuscule, invisible changes can completely alter a substance, chemistry is a great major to consider. It is hard work to earn a degree in chemistry, but once you do, a wide range of career options open to you. Typically, earning an advanced degree after college is necessary to pursue a career incChemistry.

Potential Career Paths and Median Salaries for Chemistry Graduates:

• Chemical Manufacturing: $91k
• Chemistry Professor (requires further education): $92k

Discover your chances at hundreds of schools

Our free chancing engine takes into account your history, background, test scores, and extracurricular activities to show you your real chances of admission—and how to improve them.

CollegeVine’s Top Easiest Majors

We have put together our list of top easiest majors based on three factors: GPA, weekly study hours, and return on investment. Keep in mind that your factors may be different! Read our brief summary of each major to see if it may be a good fit for you.

Predicted 20-Year ROI: $240,000

See the best schools for English majors.

If you love language and literature, majoring in English is a great way to gain exposure to strong writing. We are including it on the list of easiest majors because it has a relatively high GPA and because most homework preparation is reading literature, an act that English majors find pleasurable in itself. As far as salary is concerned after graduation, English majors have to work a bit harder to ensure they have a steady source of income. Consider choosing a second major or a minor that cultivates a marketable skill. Or, if you wish to pursue a literary career, use summers and your time outside of class to distinguish yourself with internships and publications. You are entering a competitive field, so it helps to have relevant experience outside of class.

Potential Career Paths and Median Salaries for English Graduates:

• Writer: $67k
• Editor: $63k
• High School Teacher: $63k

8. Economics

Average GPA: 3.0

Average Weekly Study Hours: 15

Predicted 20-Year ROI: $626,000

See the best schools for Economics majors.

Economics majors spend a pretty typical amount of time studying relative to other college majors. However, when they graduate, their earning potential is very high. If you are looking for a field that lets you work hard but not too hard while still bringing home a healthy paycheck, Economics is a great field to consider. It strengthens students’ quantitative reasoning by introducing them to a range of real-world, practical financial problems that can be observed in society. 

Potential Career Paths and Median Salaries for Economics Graduates:

• Economist: $108k
• Actuary: $111k

7. Journalism

Average Weekly Study Hours: 13

Find schools with Journalism majors that match your profile.

Journalism majors have relatively high average GPAs relative to peers, and they do not have to spend exorbitant amounts of time studying. That said, it is difficult to secure a full-time position as a journalist, especially if there is a particular subject you long to cover. The strongest applicants to journalism positions have spent years working for local, regional, and national publications prior to applying for their first full-time job. So, consider journalism if you do not want to have a busy course load, but expect that you will devote that extra time to related clubs, writing projects, and internships.

Potential Career Paths and Median Salaries for Journalism Graduates:

• Reporter/Correspondent: $49k
• Radio/Television Broadcaster: $73k

6. Criminal Justice

Average Weekly Study Hours: 12

Predicted 20-Year ROI: $139,000

See the best schools for Criminal Justice majors.

If you find courts, policing, and corrections fascinating, a career in criminal justice may be for you. Students learn how to apprehend, reprimand, and rehabilitate those who commit crimes. This field does not require much time in class but does demand a certain emotional resilience, as course content will at times be disturbing. Job prospects upon graduating exist but are limited, so college graduates with this major should consider careers as police officers and lawyers, both of which require additional training.

Potential Career Paths and Median Salaries for Criminal Justice Graduates:

• Police Detective: $87k
• Private Detective: $53k

5. Public Relations & Advertising

Find schools with Public Relations majors that match your profile.

Do people fascinate you? Do you watch the Super Bowl for the ads? Have you been known to tell a captivating story? If so, public relations & advertising may be the field for you. These students integrate their understanding of the human mind with the business objectives of companies and other large enterprises. They help to shape attitudes around a product, initiative, or idea. Students who graduate with a degree in this field often secure employment quickly because companies are always looking for people with a talent for connecting with consumers. No graduate school is required to build a fulfilling career in this industry.

Potential Career Paths and Median Salaries for Public Relations & Advertising Graduates:  

• Marketing Manager: $161k
• Public Relations Specialist: $63k
• Advertising and Sales Agent: $55k

4. Social Work

Average GPA: 3.4

Find schools with Social Work majors that match your profile.

It is somewhat deceptive to say social work is an easy major, even though it meets the criteria we are using for this list. Often, the greatest difficulty associated with this field is the emotional strain it takes to build a career in social work. Students who do best in social work are highly resilient and practice self-care. If you want to make a practical difference in the lives of others and possess a high EQ (Emotional Quotient, also known as emotional intelligence), consider this major. Earning a graduate degree is customary for those who wish to pursue a career in social work.

Potential Career Paths and Median Salaries for Social Work Graduates:

• Mediator: $66k
• Healthcare Social Worker (requires further education): $58k
• Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Worker (requires further education): $48k
• Child, Family, and School Social Worker (requires further education): $48k

3. Education

Average GPA: 3.6

Average Weekly Study Hours: 14

Predicted 20-Year ROI: -$9,000

Find schools with Education majors that match your profile.

We are including education on the list of easiest majors because of the high average GPA. But be warned! It has an extremely low return on investment. If you are thinking of pursuing a teaching career, consider getting your undergraduate degree in your subject of interest rather than in teaching. With a teaching minor or summer program, you can easily fulfill your requirements to become a teacher. However, your major will give you more flexibility and earning potential in other careers if teaching does not turn out to be the field for you.

Potential Career Paths and Median Salaries for Education Graduates:

• Instructional Coordinator (requires further education): $67k
• Education Administration (requires further education): $98k
• School Counselor (requires further education): $58k

2. Psychology

Average Weekly Study Hours: 13.5

Predicted 20-Year ROI: $198,000

See the best schools for Psychology majors.

Only within the past hundred years have we begun to objectively measure, analyze, and evaluate human behavior. Psychology majors study the progress we have made so far and participate in social science research to make further discoveries in their field. Psychology students typically have high GPAs relative to their peers, and the weekly homework load is not unreasonable. Job prospects coming out of psychology are not ample, but students willing to pursue a Ph.D. can become professors and lab researchers within their field of interest.

Potential Career Paths and Median Salaries for Psychology Graduates:

• Research Assistant: $49k
• Substance Abuse Counselor: $48k
• Clinical Psychologist (requires further education): $82k
• Psychology Professor (requires further education): $90k

1. Business Administration

See the best schools for Business majors.

Business administration ranks as our #1 easiest college major because it has that perfect trio of low weekly homework load, high average GPA, and great ROI. If you have solid business acumen, a head for figures, and a desire to work with people, could be a great-fit major for you. Just because it is easy to succeed in this major does not mean it is full of only easy classes. You can challenge yourself by taking rigorous quantitative courses and participating in internships that give you a taste of real-world business administration. No graduate school is required to excel in this field.

Potential Career Paths and Median Salaries for Business Administration Graduates:

• Management Analyst: $88k
• Personal Financial Advisor: $89k

You might also like our posts:

Easiest and Hardest Engineering Majors

Easiest and Hardest Science Majors

Because universities know that an intended major isn’t concrete, a student’s intended major generally will not affect whether or not they are accepted to a university. 

However, there are certain instances where an intended major may affect college chances. Some prestigious programs that directly admit students (like the USC Cinema Program or Penn’s Wharton School) have lower acceptance rates than that of the general university. Additionally, some large public universities (like those in the UC system) have specific numbers of students that they will accept for each major program. At these schools, if you are “on the bubble” for admissions, your intended major may become a factor.

Simply put, if your intended major has an impact on admissions, the impact will be very small . In general, your GPA, test scores, extracurriculars, and essays will determine your chances of admission at different colleges. To predict your odds of acceptance at over 500 schools across the country (using those important admissions factors!), utilize our free chancing engine . This engine will let you know how your application compares to those of other applicants and will also help you to improve your profile.

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California State University, Sacramento

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Dean's award 2024 – civil engineering and mathematics graduate anna babchanik found a formula for success through community.

By Daniel Wilson

May 13, 2024

Solving equations and exploring dams may not sound like fun activities for some, but they bring Anna Babchanik a world of joy.

As early as grade school, she knew she wanted a career where she could utilize her love for mathematics.

“I was doing math problems for fun when I didn't even need to,” she said. “My homework was done, and I didn't need to study for exams. I was just solving problems in my spare time.”

Babchanik, who graduated cum laude from Sac State in December as a double-major with bachelor’s degrees in Civil Engineering and Mathematics, is this year’s Dean’s Award recipient from the College of Engineering and Computer Science (ECS). Deans’ Awards are given at Commencement to the top graduating student from each of Sac State’s seven academic colleges.

Born in Sacramento, Babchanik is one of nine children. Her parents immigrated to the United States from Ukraine in the late 1990s following the fall of the Soviet Union. The nine siblings – six of whom have Sac State degrees in STEM fields – were raised with emphasis on their Slavic heritage, including a heavy focus on language, family and faith.

“I think the way I grew up helped me build my independence and determination for my passions,” Babchanik said. “The way I was raised definitely influenced the way I see the world and the people in it, and the way I treat people with respect and kindness and empathy.”

Babchanik originally planned to pursue medicine, but quickly realized she most enjoyed the math aspects. After some heavy nudging from her brother, she switched majors from Biochemistry to Civil Engineering and added Mathematics as a second major.

While participating in the Natural Hazards Engineering Research Infrastructure program at UC Davis, she fell in love with geotechnical engineering, a sub-field of Civil Engineering dealing with the behavior of earthly materials, such as soil. Her research focused on examining erosion and cracking of land that can lead to dam failures and structural issues.

“I think dams or embankments are the most interesting geotechnical structure,” she said. “They’re carefully designed and critical in providing flood control, hydroelectric power and irrigation for agricultural purposes, among other things.”

Babchanik has also served as an instructional assistant in undergraduate courses, sharpened her skills in the University of Southern California Viterbi Summer Undergraduate Research Experience, interned at the Department of Water Resources in the Division of Safety of Dams, contributed to publications and presented research at multiple events.

In addition to participating in several clubs and professional affiliations, she received several scholarships and awards and made the ECS Dean’s Honor List multiple times. At Sac State, she co-organized the Change Makers Series and served as president of the Math Club.

“A lot of my successes may have been because of my ambition and my determination to succeed and want to do better and be better, but I think a bigger part was the people that I was surrounded by. I’m very thankful to my mentors and advisors and supervisors.” -- Anna Babchanik

“Beyond her academic achievements, Anna has demonstrated a strong commitment to serving her community and inspiring future generations of civil engineers,” said Kevan Shafizadeh, ECS dean. “Through her volunteer work, mentorship and participation in outreach events, she has sought to share her experiences and encourages others to pursue their academic and professional aspirations in STEM.”

Cultural expectations initially caused her family to push back against Babchanik’s switch from medicine to engineering, but support from professors and fellow Civil Engineering students helped her persevere. Through her accomplishments, she earned the support of her family.

“I just came to realize the importance that community had for me, and having that support system,” she said. “My peers and professors were very encouraging and supportive in (that) no matter how rigorous something got, they were always there, and they also celebrated my achievements with me.”

Ultimately, her passion for helping others drives her success.

“As a woman in traditionally male-dominated fields, I see and understand the value of inclusivity, and I recognize barriers and challenges that underrepresented students are going through,” said Babchanik, who will begin a master’s program at Stanford University focusing on mechanics and computation. She wants to be the first in her family to earn a doctorate.

“A lot of my successes may have been because of my ambition and my determination to succeed and want to do better and be better, but I think a bigger part was the people that I was surrounded by. I’m very thankful to my mentors and advisors and supervisors.”

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About Daniel Wilson

Daniel Wilson joined the Sac State communications team in 2022 as a writer and editor. He previously worked at the Sacramento Bee as an audience engagement producer and reporter. He graduated from Sac State with a bachelor’s degree in Journalism in 2018. He plays video games, watches pro wrestling, and loves spending time with his wife and cat.

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Sacramento State to recognize seven exceptional students as the University’s top graduates at Commencement

Honorary degrees, President’s medals recognize five outstanding individuals for excellence

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May 13, 2024

Multifaceted Purdue program focuses on strategic defense technologies and engineering

Online degree and certificates are designed for working professionals in national defense

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — A multifaceted, interdisciplinary defense technology- and engineering-oriented program from Purdue University is designed to serve professionals in the field of national defense whether they are seeking an advanced degree or a quick skill set upgrade. 

The new program and courses are available in noncredit and degree-seeking pathways. The newest program offering, the noncredit certificate in strategic defense technologies , is now available for learners to take courses individually or to earn the certificate as a whole. A related concentration option is available for professionals admitted into Purdue’s online interdisciplinary Master of Science in Engineering . A graduate certificate is set to launch in spring 2025.

All the options combine history; strategy; and social, military, and data sciences with engineering and technology in a new way. They provide learners with knowledge and competencies needed to analyze, understand, design and execute defense and civilian strategies that involve technologies supporting the strategic interests of the United States.

“Purdue is uniquely qualified to train military and civilian learners interested in strategic defense technologies,” said Sorin Adam Matei, professor and the associate dean of research and graduate education in the College of Liberal Arts. “While our program examines and explores technologies and engineering solutions, it does it from a policy and social sciences perspective, both calibrated to support and expand practical work in national defense and strategic military planning.”

The program was created by the experts grouped around the FORCES research incubator, a Purdue College of Liberal Arts initiative that brings social sciences and humanities expertise to bear on the nation’s strategic defense needs.

Core courses titled Grand Challenges in Defense Engineering; Space Strategy; Strategic Foresight; Technology, War and Strategy; and Data and AI Storytelling are embedded across the program.

To earn the Strategic Defense Technologies certificate, learners complete the Technology, War and Strategy course and two of the other four core courses, but all the courses can be taken individually outside of the certificate program. The courses are self-paced and there are no prerequisites. 

“This allows you to pick up the knowledge that you need when you need it,” Matei said. “We want to provide a just-in-time type of education.”

All students in the strategy and defense engineering concentration of Purdue’s 100% online interdisciplinary engineering master’s degree must take Technology, War and Strategy and either Grand Challenges in Defense Engineering or Space Strategy, and choose two courses from among Data and AI Storytelling, Strategic Foresight, and a course titled Ethical Reasoning in Defense Technology. Master’s students can then draw on an extensive collection of electives to fill out the 30-credit hour program and to customize their educational experience to their interests and needs. Admission to the master’s program requires a bachelor’s degree in engineering or in another STEM field. Purdue’s online engineering master’s programs are ranked No. 3 nationally by U.S. News & World Report .

The noncredit certificate and courses, master’s degree, and planned graduate certificate are designed for midcareer military and civilian personnel in the Department of Defense ecosystem, including employees of DOD contractors, staff members for policymakers as well as think tanks and other nongovernmental organizations, and graduate students planning to pursue defense-oriented professions.

The anytime, anywhere online format makes it accessible for working professionals looking to boost their careers. Created by expert Purdue instructional designers, the courses are structured to move learners smoothly through the curriculum as they gain new knowledge and skills.

Faculty who teach on Purdue’s flagship campus, rated as a top 10 public university in the U.S. by QS World University Rankings, along with subject matter experts, developed and teach in the program. The instructors have worked or are working in fields as diverse as diplomacy, learning innovation, nuclear military applications and space policy.

“All our instructors are people with vast practical experience who have an ear to the ground,” Matei said. “Our courses are regularly updated and checked against reality.”

One of the country’s leading educational institutions for defense-related research and teaching, Purdue is committed to helping the United States remain a world leader in defense technologies.

For more information on the interdisciplinary Master of Science in Engineering degree with a concentration in strategy and defense engineering, visit the master’s program website . To learn more about the noncredit certificate in strategic defense technologies, visit the certificate program website . 

Writer: Greg Kline, [email protected]

Media contact: Tim Doty, [email protected]

Sources: Sorin Adam Matei, [email protected]

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ASU launches mechanical engineering program, expands STEM offerings

Alabama State University is expanding its STEM offerings, including adding a mechanical engineering degree program.

About 20 students are signed up for the new discipline, which will begin in the fall, said Derrick Dean, ASU's director of engineering. With the addition of the new degree, the university formed the engineering department. Along with mechanical engineering, the department includes biomedical engineering.

About 25 students have graduated from the biomedical engineering program, which began in 2016.

“Everything was from scratch," Dean said about the department. The university had to recruit students and faculty and build the curriculum. Dean is searching for three faculty members to fill spots for the mechanical engineering program.

Dean said the program complements other degrees that ASU offers, which ties to in-demand skills. “It is also a field that meets a lot of the demand for our region," Dean said.

This summer, Hyundai is funding a program to help incoming engineering freshmen. Hyundai is contributing $100,000 to help new students with basic science and math skills as well as allow them to develop hands-on projects. The program will include industrial site visits.

Dean said he hopes to make this a yearly program.

“This can and will prove to be very valuable to making that transition," Dean said.

ASU officials also hope to create a data science minor, which they plan to premiere in the fall of 2025, said Michelle Foster, the chairwoman for the Department of Math and Computer Science and the associate Dean of the College of Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics.

More: Tuskegee University Indictment alleges conspiracy to embezzle federal funds from Tuskegee University

Alex Gladden is the Montgomery Advertiser's public safety reporter. She can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter @gladlyalex.

GE Aerospace expands Next Engineers program for Cincinnati youth

First cohort of cincinnati high-schoolers graduate, earn college scholarships.

GE Aerospace Foundation announced an additional $20 million investment in Next Engineers, a global college- and career-readiness program working to increase the diversity of young people in engineering.

A portion of this additional investment will benefit the Cincinnati location of Next Engineers , extending the program through 2028. The University of Cincinnati serves as the educational partner for local Cincinnati programming. 

The Next Engineers: Engineering Academy, a three-year engineering education program for high-schoolers, graduated its first cohort of students last week. Students who complete the program and go on to pursue an engineering degree at an institution of higher education will receive a scholarship. 

Nigel Adjei-Mensah (center, in green jacket) is one of 45 Cincinnati-area students who completed the Engineering Academy. He plans to study engineering at UC, with support from the Next Engineers scholarship. He is pictured with leadership from UC and GE Aerospace at the May 2, 2024, public announcement of the launch of the GE Aerospace Foundation. Photo/GE Aerospace

Nigel Adjei-Mensah, a Princeton High School senior, is one of 45 Cincinnati-area students who completed the Engineering Academy, which engages students in design challenges in small groups, career coaching, and college-readiness workshops to equip them with the skills they need to build an engineering career. Like some of his fellow Engineering Academy classmates, Adjei-Mensah plans to attend the University of Cincinnati. 

“The Next Engineers scholarship I will receive for completing the program will help facilitate my path to pursuing a degree in biomedical engineering ,” Adjei-Mensah said. “The immersive design challenges that we go through during Engineering Academy and also the career coaching that we receive from GE Aerospace employees has opened my eyes to a whole new world of engineering.”

Through this program, students can gain an understanding of what it's like to study engineering in college and the impact they can make working as an engineer – solving the big challenges of tomorrow. 

Whitney Gaskins, Associate Dean of UC's College of Engineering and Applied Science, shared the impact Next Engineers has on local youth and their families. She spoke with Germain Hunter, Chief Diversity Officer, GE Aerospace, at the announcement of GE Aerospace Foundation and its added investment in Next Engineers. Photo/GE Aerospace

“Through the Next Engineers program, we are not just shaping young minds, but empowering them to shape the future of engineering,” said Whitney Gaskins, PhD, Associate Dean of the University of Cincinnati’s College of Engineering and Applied Science . “These graduates exemplify the dedication and potential of our youth, and I have no doubt they will continue to inspire and innovate as they embark on their engineering journeys.”

Engineering Academy students learn to solve problems through engineering while working on small-team projects, including building mousetrap-powered cars and designing water filtration systems. Exploring college campuses and interacting with working engineers helps them to imagine themselves as college students and future engineers. The program also instills essential skills including teamwork, communication and public speaking. 

The first cohort of graduating Next Engineers: Engineering Academy students celebrated with their families at the University of Cincinnati. UC is the educational partner for the local iteration of the GE Aerospace Foundation program. Photo/GE Aerospace

“These students have committed three years and more than 200 hours to learning about engineering concepts, designing prototypes and solving complex problems,” said GE Aerospace Chairman and CEO H. Lawrence Culp, Jr. “These graduates carry with them the legacy of Next Engineers as they continue on in their educational journey.”

In the fall of 2021, the GE Foundation established Next Engineers in four cities around the world, including Cincinnati. The newly launched GE Aerospace Foundation picks up the mantle to invest further in this successful program. 

The Next Engineers program offers three programs to engage students and spark interest in engineering: Engineering Camp for students ages 14-15, Engineering Discovery for students ages 13-14, and Engineering Academy for students ages 15-18. Thus far, more than 4,000 local students have participated in the Cincinnati programs. For more information, visit nextengineers.org . 

Featured image at top: Next Engineers: Engineering Academy students toured GE Aerospace's Peebles, Ohio, facility as part of the college- and career-readiness program for high-schoolers interested in engineering. Photo/GE Aerospace

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GE Aerospace Foundation is investing further in its Next Engineers program, including the Cincinnati location facilitated by the University of Cincinnati, extending the program locally through 2028. Engineering Academy, a three-year engineering education program for high-schoolers, graduated its first cohort of students. Students who complete the program and go on to pursue an engineering degree in college will receive a scholarship.

Biomedical engineer driven to create a better life for her sister

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Dominique Tanner, a biomedical engineering doctoral candidate at the University of Cincinnati, finds motivation from her sister. Diagnosed with epilepsy at just a few months old, her sister has experienced seizures all her life. Tanner became determined to learn about the condition and dedicated herself to a career in helping her sister and others like her. She is the second black woman to receive a Ph.D. in biomedical engineering at UC and was named Graduate Student Engineer of the Month by the College of Engineering and Applied Science.

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In honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, the University of Cincinnati College of Engineering and Applied Science hosted events to lend insight into the experiences of Hispanic and Latinx students and strategies to support their academic and professional success.

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Physician-scientist in training

Article by Erica K. Brockmeier Photo by Kathy F. Atkinson May 13, 2024

Honors biomedical engineering major Sudha Anilkumar receives 2024 Goldwater Scholarship

Sudha Anilkumar, an honors biomedical engineering major at the University of Delaware, is a recipient of the  2024 Goldwater Scholarship . The junior from Newark, Delaware, is among 508 Goldwater Scholars selected from a national pool of 1,353 sophomores and juniors majoring in science, engineering or mathematics.

“We are so proud of Sudha. Winning a Goldwater Scholarship is a remarkable accomplishment,” said  Lauren Barsky , associate director of UD’s Undergraduate Research Program. “The University of Delaware puts forth only candidates who we feel show the strongest merit in terms of research potential, leadership and engaged scholarship. Sudha portrays all these characteristics, and I have full confidence that Sudha will continue to thrive in her research field going forward.”

A ‘jack of all trades’ field of study

Anilkumar has always had an interest in medicine, biology and math and decided to study biomedical engineering as a way to understand the human body using mathematical reasoning.

“Biomedical engineering is really the jack of all trades — there’s everything from chemical, mechanical and electrical engineering, just depending on what side you’re addressing a problem from. It’s such an expansive major,” she said.

During her first three years here at UD, Anilkumar said she’s tried to get as much experience in this wide-ranging field as she can. This includes an undergraduate research project with senior researcher  Kristi Kiick on nanotherapeutics for targeted rheumatoid arthritis treatment, which she worked on from August 2021 until May 2023. 

She’s also started “pre-working” on her senior design project. Under the supervision of assistant professor  Julie Karand , Anilkumar and a team of biomedical engineering students will be updating an existing prototype of an oxygen delivery apparatus. This summer, the students will travel to Cape Town, South Africa, to get a better understanding of the resources available in the clinics where this device could be used in the future.

While exploring projects across the spectrum of biomedical engineering, Anilkumar found that she had a particular passion and interest in “working on the molecular scale of things.”

To this end, she has been working as a research intern at Nemours in the lab of  Elizabeth Wright-Jin since May 2023. Her project is focused on the mechanisms that drive hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (HIE), a form of brain damage caused by low oxygen levels during gestation, by using a mouse model to look at changes in gene expression patterns. This work includes a  recently published review of nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells (NF-κB for short) and its role in regulating inflammation in the central nervous system.

Thanks to her Goldwater Scholarship, Anilkumar will be able to continue studying inflammation in HIE by looking at global gene expression patterns in microglia, a type of immune cell found in the brain and spinal cord, in a mouse model. By studying these big-picture, system-wide changes in gene regulation, she aims to identify specific metabolic pathways that cause this disease, which could become potential targets for new therapeutics in the future.

“Sudha is an extremely hard working student and has significant potential to be a future leader in medical research,” said Wright-Jin about working with Anilkumar. “I am confident that she will continue to do great work and I am so pleased to have her in my lab.”

A commitment to community and scholarship

Anilkumar is also in the Integrated Honors College Undergraduate Teaching Fellows program, where honors college students work with faculty to support instruction and enhance existing honors courses.

Working with assistant professor  Jacqueline Fajardo and associate professor  Alenka Hlousek-Radojcic , both from UD’s College of Arts and Sciences, Anilkumar mentors first-year integrated honors chemistry and biology students with their science writing, including posters, research papers and scientific graphics. She also meets with the instructors to discuss ideas for the teaching of writing strategies used in the course.

“Sudha is a driven academic and scholar who also values community and is eager to share her discoveries,” said Fajardo, who first met Anilkumar as a student in her honors-level general chemistry course that was integrated with an honors introduction to biology course co-led by Hlousek-Radojcic. “The driving force behind her many notable accomplishments is her motivation, and she is always determined to rise to the challenges at hand.”

“I continue to be impressed with Sudha’s humility and confidence. She is a skilled and driven student while also respectful, patient and considerate,” added Hlousek-Radojcic. “I am excited to see where the support from the Goldwater Scholarship will take her next.”

Anilkumar is also an Engineering Ambassador, the president of  UD’s student chapter of the Biomedical Engineering Society , and a member of the  Delaware Alpha chapter of the Phi Delta Epsilon International Medical Fraternity .

Pursuing a passion for immuno-engineering

While teasing out the causative factors of complex diseases like HIE is a significant research challenge, Anilkumar is inspired to tackle this and other similar challenges as she pursues an M.D.-Ph.D. with a biomedical engineering and immuno-engineering focus.

She’s particularly interested in earning both an M.D. and a Ph.D. because of the ability to “understand both the clinical side and the scientific side,” she said. “As an M.D., you get to treat patients in the clinic while also seeing potential gaps in treatment options. Then, using your Ph.D., you can find ways to bridge those gaps. I also feel like being in the clinic puts a face to the research — when you’re working with cells, it can feel a little isolated, which is why I also want to have that patient experience as an M.D.”

Right now, Anilkumar’s long-term goal is to become a physician-scientist and principal investigator with a lab focused on immune cell profiling and precision medicine. She credits the process of applying for the Goldwater Scholarship in helping her think about what her future holds and how receiving this scholarship will help her get there. 

“It’s a great recognition for the work that I’ve been doing in my research career thus far,” she said.

About the Goldwater Scholarship

The Goldwater Scholarship Program honoring Senator Barry Goldwater identifies, encourages and financially supports sophomores and juniors who show exceptional promise of becoming this nation’s next generation of research leaders.

The Goldwater Scholarship is the preeminent undergraduate award of its type in these fields, and Goldwater Scholars receive up to $7,500 annually to cover tuition, fees, textbooks and room and board.

The University of Delaware has produced 52 Goldwater Scholars since 1990.

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Watson Commencement 2024: Grads urged to dream big, have courage and build a better tomorrow

More than 400 undergraduates and nearly 400 graduate students earn their diplomas; vit chancellor govindasamy viswanathan awarded honorary degree.

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More than 400 undergraduates and nearly 400 graduate students gathered with family, friends, faculty and peers to receive their diplomas at the Thomas J. Watson College of Engineering and Applied Science Commencement ceremony Friday, May 10, at the Binghamton University Events Center.

University President Harvey Stenger told the graduates that he hoped Binghamton unlocked their passion for learning, no matter which path is ahead.

“We live in a world that needs engineering professionals who can think critically, analyze precisely, address complex ideas and solve difficult challenges,” he said. “We live in a world that is full of puzzles and finding answers will always be difficult. I am confident that the Class of 2024 will rise to these challenges, because I have seen as students how you’ve worked across disciplines as committed and engaged engineers.”

Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost Donald Hall praised graduates as “truly remarkable students who have brought your intellectual curiosity, work ethic and sense of humor to bear throughout your time here.

“As you graduate from Binghamton, you will take with you what you have learned in your classes, through your internships and practica, from the student organizations you participated in and from the thousands of personal interactions you have had with those around you,” he said. “You will take all that you have experienced here and become change-makers.”

Watson College Dean and Distinguished Professor Krishnaswami “Hari” Srihari encouraged the Class of 2024 to be courageous and to continue learning as they head out to their careers or further education.

“Have the courage to pursue your passions, even in the face of uncertainty,” he said. “Have the courage to stand up for what you believe in, even when it’s not easy. And have the courage to fail, for it is through failure that we learn, grow and ultimately succeed.”

Srihari, who will step down as dean at the end of May, offered his gratitude to faculty, staff and especially students — whom he calls “our principal customer” — for their support during his 15-year tenure. He will return to the Department of Systems Science and Industrial Engineering faculty in fall 2025.

“Thank you for making Watson what it is,” he said to graduates. “Your impact as a student on our campus extends beyond the grades you achieved or the projects you completed. The time you spent in the classroom and outside of the classroom make Watson and our university great. And you will continue to do that as alumni of this premier institution. You will continue to thrive.”

Stenger praised Srihari’s leadership and achievements at Watson College, where graduate enrollment has increased by 103% since 2009, total enrollment is up 49% and the total faculty count has grown by 41%. He presented the dean with the University Medal, the highest honor bestowed by Binghamton University.

“Dean Srihari has been a tremendous leader, mentor and friend to so many at Binghamton University,” Stenger said. “This award is given to recognize truly great achievements and excellence and a distinguished commitment to the University.”

Govindasamy Viswanathan, founder and chancellor of the Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT) in India, received a State University of New York (SUNY) honorary Doctor of Laws degree during the ceremony. He was honored for his strong background in educational administration as well as his humanitarian efforts and entrepreneurship.

In 1984, Viswanathan established the Vellore Engineering College, which became VIT in 2001. VIT now has four campuses and serves over 88,000 students from across the globe.

At Commencement, Viswanathan praised the joint research projects, faculty exchanges, and collaborative publications and initiatives that “have not only expanded the horizons of our academic endeavors but also fostered a spirit of global learning and understanding.”

“The endeavors, initiatives and contributions of Binghamton University to the higher education landscape has been quite impressive,” he said. “It has been a great pleasure meeting and interacting with the top leadership, faculty members and students of this amazing university. As chancellor of VIT, I know the importance and positive impact of collaboration and partnerships, and I am confident that such interactions will facilitate continued academic engagements.”

Viswanathan also discussed VIT’s many programs to uplift India’s underprivileged regardless of caste, creed or religion.

Alumni Association President Cara Treidel ’16 recalled how she felt when she graduated eight years ago and encouraged Binghamton’s newest graduates to remain connected to the campus.

“Our alumni community has been a tremendous source of support for me,” she said. “It’s why I’ve continued to be engaged with the University, and it’s why I encourage everyone else to be involved.”

Undergraduate student speaker Clara Rodriguez ’24, a biomedical engineering major with a Spanish minor, said her time at Binghamton has been “full of adventures.”

In fall 2021, Rodriguez was part of the inaugural cohort of the Watson College Scholars Program, which aids economically disadvantaged undergraduates with priority for applicants from historically underrepresented backgrounds. She also was one of Binghamton’s first two Beckman Scholars and a Ronald E. McNair Scholar.

Rodriguez looked back on how she and her classmates — even during the COVID-19 pandemic — not only survived but thrived. Even when faced with tough classes and daunting exams, they made friends, gained mentors and shared experiences they will treasure.

“Looking to the future, there are many more adventures waiting for us,” she said. “Moving deeper into the unknown isn’t easy, but let’s not forget where we’ve come from and who we are. Every time you look in the mirror, you will see someone with the potential to change reality.

“We are the leaders of the future, budding professionals, daring dreamers and trailblazers. We change reality by bringing the world into a better tomorrow.”

Graduate speaker Basel Sultan, MS ’24, earned his degree in industrial and systems engineering through a research assistantship with the Watson Institute for Systems Excellence (WISE).

Originally from the Palestinian city of Hebron, Sultan is planning to pursue his doctorate and eventually teach at a college or university.

He offered heartfelt thanks to those who helped him and his classmates during their time at Binghamton.

“I am certain that you have had a mentor in your life,” he said. “Let us take a moment to express our gratitude to them and reflect on those moments when we truly needed their guidance and support, and they were there for us. Thanks for believing in us, for inspiring us and for guiding us on this incredible journey.”

Watson College’s PhD candidates graduated at a separate ceremony on Thursday .

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