NationStates Jolt Archive

Ok, I have been wondering for a while whether or not I should change majors. Right now I am an electrical engineering major but I am sort of curious if I should change over to a finance/econ degree. Anyway, I am wondering if anyone has any information about the viability of such a change in terms of future careers and whether or not it can be seen as paying off in the long run.

Ok, I have been wondering for a while whether or not I should change majors. Right now I am an electrical engineering major but I am sort of curious if I should change over to a finance/econ degree. Anyway, I am wondering if anyone has any information about the viability of such a change in terms of future careers and whether or not it can be seen as paying off in the long run.

screw both of them and go into Supply chain management. Business need smart organized people who can decide who gets what and when. you get some damn good $$$$ too.

economics was a bullshit, abstract, pointless and non-practical degree revolving mostly around mathematical nonsense and other useless shit.

i was good (very good) at economics at A-level, but come university the subject turned into shit. if you're into maths and abstract shite then you'll probably love it

I have way more respect for an engineer. But I don't know if respect is currency in your part of the world.

screw both of them and go into Supply chain management. Business need smart organized people who can decide who gets what and when. you get some damn good $$$$ too.
I haven't heard much about jobs in supply chain management, can you give me some information about the employment in that??
economics was a bullshit, abstract, pointless and non-practical degree revolving mostly around mathematical nonsense and other useless shit.

i was good (very good) at economics at A-level, but come university the subject turned into shit. if you're into maths and abstract shite then you'll probably love it
I am currently an engineering degree. We live and breathe math. If anything, econ will involve less math than what I currently study.
I have way more respect for an engineer. But I don't know if respect is currency in your part of the world.
I think I do too, which is part of my reluctance. The only thing is that I want to move up into management anyway and don't want to be an engineer my entire life.

Actually, I'm probably going to do a Finance/International business major with minors in German and Econ, so I'm pretty close to what you're thinking about studying.

However, it really boils down to what you're interested in; both fields have good pay and a lot of job opportunities, so in terms of opportunities you could really go with both. You could even get a finance or economics minor with your EE degree if you wanted, or perhaps go for a minor in an engineering discipline (if offered) and go in to finance.

If you're planning on doing something related to economics, I'd recommend going for a Finance or similar business major and a minor in economics. The problem with econ is primarily that it is more of the abstract side of the economic world, and so your employment opportunities are going to be more limited and you won't get the "real world" side of the field that you would get in business. Also, there is less focus on management and interpersonal skills in economics compared to finance, so you're not really going to have the kind of managerial and communications experience required to apply your economics knowledge to the business world

Major in Liberal Arts like me. Theres thousands of new oppurtunities that open up for an LA major everyday! All fulfilling and well-paying. hehe hee hee ha ha...*sob*

Major in Liberal Arts like me. Theres thousands of new oppurtunities that open up for an LA major everyday! All fulfilling and well-paying. hehe hee hee ha ha...*sob*

Oh What do ya do with a B. A. in English?
4 years of College
and plenty of knowledge
have got me this worthless degree!

Actually, I'm probably going to do a Finance/International business major with minors in German and Econ, so I'm pretty close to what you're thinking about studying.

However, it really boils down to what you're interested in; both fields have good pay and a lot of job opportunities, so in terms of opportunities you could really go with both. You could even get a finance or economics minor with your EE degree if you wanted, or perhaps go for a minor in an engineering discipline (if offered) and go in to finance.

If you're planning on doing something related to economics, I'd recommend going for a Finance or similar business major and a minor in economics. The problem with econ is primarily that it is more of the abstract side of the economic world, and so your employment opportunities are going to be more limited and you won't get the "real world" side of the field that you would get in business. Also, there is less focus on management and interpersonal skills in economics compared to finance, so you're not really going to have the kind of managerial and communications experience required to apply your economics knowledge to the business world
Right, well, I just don't know about pay differences and such. I have heard a lot about how good EE pays, like $50,000+ salaries but not very much about finance though because my high school teachers wanted me to be an engineer due to my strong math and science reasoning. I am currently getting an econ minor though, I just don't know if I want to switch or not, there is no option at my school to get a minor in an engineering field though otherwise I might just do that.

I am really thinking that I might be able to get a finance/econ double degree because at my school there is an econ degree in the business college so there is considerable overlap in course requirements. I don't know, I also want to build my math/science skills as well, so I might have to look at the viability of econ/finance with minors in math and/or physics.

Ok, I have been wondering for a while whether or not I should change majors. Right now I am an electrical engineering major but I am sort of curious if I should change over to a finance/econ degree. Anyway, I am wondering if anyone has any information about the viability of such a change in terms of future careers and whether or not it can be seen as paying off in the long run.

You really do want to be bored to tears, don't you.

Realistically, ever since the MBa boom in the latter half of the 20th century, business, finance, econ majors have been a dime a dozen. I have a degree in Admin, but it doesn't take a degree in such to tell you that when supply exceeds demand, the supply isn't going anywhere. Science/technology will give you the best opportunities. If you wanted a minor in econ/finance or a double major, it might serve you better, but I wouldn't drop electrical engineering for it.

Realistically, ever since the MBa boom in the latter half of the 20th century, business, finance, econ majors have been a dime a dozen. I have a degree in Admin, but it doesn't take a degree in such to tell you that when supply exceeds demand, the supply isn't going anywhere. Science/technology will give you the best opportunities. If you wanted a minor in econ/finance or a double major, it might serve you better, but I wouldn't drop electrical engineering for it.

Yeah, that's true. Even though there are a lot of opportunities in finance, there are a lot of applicants as well. You really have to distinguish yourself to land the really good jobs, and that would probably mean taking on at least either a double major or a good minor plus internship experience in order to really stand out.

Actually, if you could handle the work a double major in EE and finance would be killer, especially with an economics minor.


You really do want to be bored to tears, don't you.

Hey, I'm actually interested in finance! :p

You really do want to be bored to tears, don't you.

Realistically, ever since the MBa boom in the latter half of the 20th century, business, finance, econ majors have been a dime a dozen. I have a degree in Admin, but it doesn't take a degree in such to tell you that when supply exceeds demand, the supply isn't going anywhere. Science/technology will give you the best opportunities. If you wanted a minor in econ/finance or a double major, it might serve you better, but I wouldn't drop electrical engineering for it.
Have you studied EE? Both are boring to the average person and in fact, EE would probably be more boring to most unless you really enjoy learning about signal processing and circuitry.

Actually that is part of what pushes me away from that field. In fact, I recently heard that more people have been majoring in econ which will of course make a degree in that field less useful.

Yeah, that's true. Even though there are a lot of opportunities in finance, there are a lot of applicants as well. You really have to distinguish yourself to land the really good jobs, and that would probably mean taking on at least either a double major or a good minor plus internship experience in order to really stand out.

Actually, if you could handle the work a double major in EE and finance would be killer, especially with an economics minor.

Well, that last part would be nearly impossible. The business school has some stringent requirements and the engineering school consumes all. I have to push myself to just get a minor in econ, I could not possibly push through a double major without going onto the 5 or 6 year plan.

Ok, I have been wondering for a while whether or not I should change majors. Right now I am an electrical engineering major but I am sort of curious if I should change over to a finance/econ degree. Anyway, I am wondering if anyone has any information about the viability of such a change in terms of future careers and whether or not it can be seen as paying off in the long run.

It depends, are you planning to go to Grad school?

Well, that last part would be nearly impossible. The business school has some stringent requirements and the engineering school consumes all. I have to push myself to just get a minor in econ, I could not possibly push through a double major without going onto the 5 or 6 year plan.

First off: Are you attending a US school?

Because otherwise, the advice I would give you would not really apply; the programs in other countries can be different from those in the US.

It depends, are you planning to go to Grad school?
Yes, I have a 5 year scholarship and I tested out of a year due to AP tests. So I plan to spend 3 years on my undergrad and 2 years on some form of masters, I am not sure what masters degree though.

First off: Are you attending a US school?

Because otherwise, the advice I would give you would not really apply; the programs in other countries can be different from those in the US.
Yep, I am in the US so no worries about that.

Yep, I am in the US so no worries about that.

Ok. Now, as far as I know (judging from my school, Fisher College of Business (http://www.cob.ohio-state.edu/)) in business schools they only offer one major, business administration, and one undergraduate degree, the BSBA. However, what you do is choose a specialization, like finance or logistics, that your BSBA will focus on and that will determine what types of positions you will work in after graduation.

So, if you go in to the business school you could get a "double major" which is actually a double specialization; in many cases, it only requires a couple more classes (because most overlap) and leaves room for additional minors if you want to broaden your knowledge outside of the business curriculum.

However, a true double major of EE and Business would be very difficult. If you're thinking of business, it would make the most sense to go for a double specialization and go for minors in engineering and economics. This would take at most 5 years so it would be within the time of your scholarship.

Ok. Now, as far as I know (judging from my school, Fisher College of Business (http://www.cob.ohio-state.edu/)) in business schools they only offer one major, business administration, and one undergraduate degree, the BSBA. However, what you do is choose a specialization, like finance or logistics, that your BSBA will focus on and that will determine what types of positions you will work in after graduation.

So, if you go in to the business school you could get a "double major" which is actually a double specialization; in many cases, it only requires a couple more classes (because most overlap) and leaves room for additional minors if you want to broaden your knowledge outside of the business curriculum.

However, a true double major of EE and Business would be very difficult. If you're thinking of business, it would make the most sense to go for a double specialization and go for minors in engineering and economics. This would take at most 5 years so it would be within the time of your scholarship.
Well, at my school we don't have engineering minors. I could get a minor in math or physics but not in engineering. As well, I don't think I would want to take more than 3 years to get a degree, I already have tested out of most of the core so that isn't a difficult task, even with a major switch in the second semester. As of right now I have about 60 credit hours that I would need to graduate with a business degree(most degrees here are 120 credit hours with 3 hours per average class). The reason I push for 3 years is because I want to get a masters degree as that would probably help me more than just getting my undergrad more developed. Anyway, the big question in all of this is whether or not it would be worth it to switch from EE to Finance/Econ, as both overlap to a great extent.

Well, at my school we don't have engineering minors. I could get a minor in math or physics but not in engineering. As well, I don't think I would want to take more than 3 years to get a degree, I already have tested out of most of the core so that isn't a difficult task, even with a major switch in the second semester. As of right now I have about 60 credit hours that I would need to graduate with a business degree. The reason I push for 3 years is because I want to get a masters degree as that would probably help me more than just getting my undergrad more developed.

What kind of Masters? I imagine you mean a masters in EE, because MBAs right out of college are not very useful at all...in fact, it's a really bad idea. In fact, most schools, and all of the good MBA programs, require work experience prior to entering their MBA program and the additional work does help make the MBA a lot more useful as well as boost your earnings power.

Also, a lot of the core classes in all majors overlap; most schools have a general curriculum that everyone has to fulfill and a lot of classes are in common. If you've tested out of a lot of them, you should be able to take on business courses without taking a lot longer to get your degree. In fact, the first couple years of college are usually general courses and prerequisites; you don't actually start taking major/specialization classes usually until your 3rd and 4th years.

The best thing to do is to talk with your academic adviser and look in to it. They definitely have a better knowledge of your schedule and the curriculum than I do.

What kind of Masters? I imagine you mean a masters in EE, because MBAs right out of college are not very useful at all...in fact, it's a really bad idea. In fact, most schools, and all of the good MBA programs, require work experience prior to entering their MBA program and the additional work does help make the MBA a lot more useful as well as boost your earnings power.

Also, a lot of the core classes in all majors overlap; most schools have a general curriculum that everyone has to fulfill and a lot of classes are in common. If you've tested out of a lot of them, you should be able to take on business courses without taking a lot longer to get your degree. In fact, the first couple years of college are usually general courses and prerequisites; you don't actually start taking major/specialization classes usually until your 3rd and 4th years.

The best thing to do is to talk with your academic adviser and look in to it. They definitely have a better knowledge of your schedule and the curriculum than I do.
I guess that a Masters in EE would be a lot better than an MBA and I guess that a Masters in Econ wouldn't be worth very much either. I don't know, but I see a masters in something as better than no masters, if only due to the prestige.

EEs start their major specialization in their 2nd year so.... yeah, the strict requirements are a part of the problem.

I guess I will talk to an academic advisor, but the biggest thing I was looking for was just the financial aspects. I am fine with degree planning, I just need to know whether or not the switch in degrees is worth it.

stick with engineering man, its more secure then finance as a career. Engineering cannot be outsourced as much as financing. That's my opinion and good luck.

stick with engineering man, its more secure then finance as a career. Engineering cannot be outsourced as much as financing. That's my opinion and good luck.

In a lot of cases, it's the other way around.

However, outsourcing is not the bogeyman it was 3 or 4 years ago; in fact, a lot of companies are stepping up domestic hiring or recalling positions from India or China because the quality of work is falling and costs are rising. Not only is it slowing down, but domestic hiring is accelerating; for reference, IT jobs grew at 2.5% last year, their fastest pace since the dot-com boom in 2000.

The market's becoming more and more equal, which means more opportunities and better wages in the US as well as in India. So, stick with engineering because there's a lot of opportunity.

stick with engineering man, its more secure then finance as a career. Engineering cannot be outsourced as much as financing. That's my opinion and good luck.
I suppose that you might be right on the engineering thing. It is just that I don't find a lot of the stuff we study to be interesting and I have difficulty understanding foreign teachers, not only that but I think I recently did horribly on a quiz so that also adds to my hesitency. I just really wanted outside advice though as I, the individual can get emotional and have my objectivity distorted by that.

I guess that a Masters in EE would be a lot better than an MBA and I guess that a Masters in Econ wouldn't be worth very much either. I don't know, but I see a masters in something as better than no masters, if only due to the prestige.

Honestly, it depends on the field. In the sciences, higher degrees are very useful although the PhD tends to be more for people interested in advanced research or teaching while the Masters is for people who want to really reach a high position in a company, especially in engineering.

EEs start their major specialization in their 2nd year so.... yeah, the strict requirements are a part of the problem.

That's true. Usually, the engineers tend to start earlier because they have the most demanding coursework and they have to take more specialized courses than other majors.

I guess I will talk to an academic advisor, but the biggest thing I was looking for was just the financial aspects. I am fine with degree planning, I just need to know whether or not the switch in degrees is worth it.

You'll get excellent pay in engineering, especially if you're going for a masters. Put it in perspective: the US has a $7 trillion electrical distribution network that's going to need to be upgraded and expanded significantly, if not entirely, in the next few decades to cope with rising demand...and that's just one field that electrical engineers are desperately needed in.

You're in great shape with an EE degree, both financially and in terms of job security.

In a lot of cases, it's the other way around.

However, outsourcing is not the bogeyman it was 3 or 4 years ago; in fact, a lot of companies are stepping up domestic hiring or recalling positions from India or China because the quality of work is falling and costs are rising. Not only is it slowing down, but domestic hiring is accelerating; for reference, IT jobs grew at 2.5% last year, their fastest pace since the dot-com boom in 2000.

The market's becoming more and more equal, which means more opportunities and better wages in the US as well as in India. So, stick with engineering because there's a lot of opportunity.
Definitely, I have heard more about Indians and Chinese people studying the sciences and becoming engineers than I have heard about them being financiers but that is just what I have heard.

I suppose there is probably more opportunity in engineering because of the need for technology in the modern economy.

You'll get excellent pay in engineering, especially if you're going for a masters. Put it in perspective: the US has a $7 trillion electrical distribution network that's going to need to be upgraded and expanded significantly, if not entirely, in the next few decades to cope with rising demand...and that's just one field that electrical engineers are desperately needed in.

You're in great shape with an EE degree, both financially and in terms of job security.
Well of course, not only that but there is definitely room for technological innovation in the field of electrical engineering. The modern economy is definitely one requiring those who can deal with advanced technology.

Yeah, I figured I was. I just had a little moment of looking over and wondering if the other pasture was greener, which isn't too uncommon given the crap that engineers have to go through in terms of understanding weird circuitry and odd mathematics. Besides, I suppose I can just continue to read econ theory books like I have been doing for a while and get a minor.

I'm doing a major in Finance with a minor in Economics.

After that, I either want to do a PhD in Economics at Chicago or go to the University of Toronto for the four year joint MBA/law degree.

I'm doing a major in Finance with a minor in Economics.

After that, I either want to do a PhD in Economics at Chicago or go to the University of Toronto for the four year joint MBA/law degree.
Yeah, getting a PhD in Econ would actually be sort of cool and University of Chicago is a good school for getting it. I might also look at George Mason University as their program seems to be doing well and they have 3 notable economists teaching there: Walter Williams, Vernon L Smith(who got his Bachelors degree in EE), and James Buchanon.