Dual majors?

[Lisa Perez]

Hi all,

I'm ending my junior year and will begin applying to college soon. While looking up information, I found that a majority of my top choices do not offer dual majors for aerospace engineering and business management. I am curious - what colleges do offer this option?

Thanks - Lisa

[Clark Gilbert]

This might be a possibility at Purdue University here in Indiana. I looked online and noticed you could do Aero Engineering and get a minor in Management. Both of these schools are top notch and w/o actually being in them I can guarantee it will be pretty challenging.

The best thing to do would be to email advisors or admissions people and just ask.

[KenWittlief]

when I was in college (in the last millenia) I wanted to get a BS in electrical engineering and computer science - I took all the required classes for both degrees for the first two years, but when I was a junior I had to be accepted into one of the degree programs, and found out I could not get both unless I stayed for an extra year.

So I only have a BSEE, but I still took as many computer science electives as I could. This was a huge + for my career, understanding both digital hardware and SW, and being able to design both.

[Ashley Weed]

I am sure that it would be possible at Penn State as a dual major or a major and a minor. The problem that occurs at PSU is meeting the Entrance to Major deadline, however you would have to find out what happens if you plan on picking up a second major (it may be extended).

..... I would assume that it would be possible at any Big Ten school? or large University for that fact that carries your majors of choice?

[mtrawls]

Well, I know UVA allows this ... I happen to be interested in doing a dual major, too (well, actually a triple major), so I've looked up information about this and asked a bunch of questions to the different colleges I've visited. I've found that whether a particular university "allows" it all depends on who you ask -- a lot of people just don't know and for whatever reason they still feel compelled to answer ... however wrong they may be. I've found, too, that so long as you can take all the requirements you need for both majors, dual majoring shouldn't be a problem at all (though different colleges make different distinctions between dual and double majoring, which are mostly important if the majors are in different schools, e.g., Engineering and Arts and Sciences).

Like KenWittlief said, you may have to spend an extra year there. It depends. Personally, I'll be going in with more than a few AP/dual enrollment credits, which make selecting my schedule much easier. If you don't have any AP credit, it is likely you may have to either "load up" your schedule (take 18+ credit hours/semester), go to a summer session ... or stay an extra year. What you'll have to do, of coure, depends on the school and their particular requirements for their majors and what credit they accept.

[sirbleedsalot]

I don't know if you would want to move all the way up to Grand Forks North Dakota but I know several people up there that are double and even triple majoring up there.

[Lisa Perez]

Wow. Thanks so much, everyone. I will certainly take all of what you have said into consideration.

[Phil 33]

According to the Magazine "Private Colleges and Universities - Science and Engineering Division" Gonzaga University has a 5 year program that gives students a BS degree in engineering and an M.B.A. I'm sure there's more out there too.

[Mr. Lim]

Originally Posted by Lisa Perez

Hi all,

I'm ending my junior year and will begin applying to college soon. While looking up information, I found that a majority of my top choices do not offer dual majors for aerospace engineering and business management. I am curious - what colleges do offer this option?

Thanks - Lisa

Kettering University (formerly GMI - General Motors Engineering and Management Institute) Flint, Michigan

Offers Engineering/Management dual majors. There is no explicit "Aerospace Engineering", but instead a Mechanical Engineering with Aerospace concentration.

It's a co-op school, with 3 month terms. Most dual majors take 5 years to graduate, but if you transfer in a LOT of APs, and take courses online during work term, it is possible to get out in 4.

They give out big FIRST scholarships every year (I was a recipient in 1999), and when you graduate, you definitely come out prepared for just about anything.

-Shawn...

[Alex Pelan]

Originally Posted by KenWittlief

when I was in college (in the last millenia) I wanted to get a BS in electrical engineering and computer science - I took all the required classes for both degrees for the first two years, but when I was a junior I had to be accepted into one of the degree programs, and found out I could not get both unless I stayed for an extra year.

So I only have a BSEE, but I still took as many computer science electives as I could. This was a huge + for my career, understanding both digital hardware and SW, and being able to design both.

I would like to do something like this. I would assume that most technology-based schools have programs in both of these categories, but would it have to take an extra year to finish both the majors? I will probably be transferring 3 AP sciences, 1 AP math, and one in pretty much all other subjects. I know I am only a freshman at a moment but I figure its never too early to start looking at things such as this... not to mention i only have 24ish days left in my freshman year.

[GregT]

Many colleges offer buisness minors (RIT for instance: http://www.cob.rit.edu/current/under...te/minors.html).

If you want two full degrees, you're going to need to do the work associated with both. It usually takes a year or two extra. Some degree programs make exceptions by double counting some required courses. For instance operations research is both a requirement for my major and a requirment for the MBA program at my school. If I wished to earn both a BS and MBA, I could double count this course effectivly saving 4 credit hours (silly quarter system).

I think most schools allow you to double major, but it is more work and will take more time.
Greg

[sburro]

Originally Posted by Lisa Perez

Hi all,

I'm ending my junior year and will begin applying to college soon. While looking up information, I found that a majority of my top choices do not offer dual majors for aerospace engineering and business management. I am curious - what colleges do offer this option?

Thanks - Lisa

In my opinion, a double or ever triple major is tough. Just trying to do one major takes up most of your time. If you do a double major, you can kiss your social life, CD, First and just about everything else goodby. But this is just my opinion.

[ngreen]

I would definitely look at this list: Sigma Gamma Tau (National Honor Society in Aerospace Engineering) Chapters

Then I would look at which ones offer business programs. Most do.

Then where you would like to go choose a couple and get hold of them.

If you know the right people in the college you can get very indivualized majors.


EDIT: I finally took some time to look at some business honor societies.

Beta Gamma Sigma
Sigma Beta Delta

Personally I would just do what I'm doing. BS in chemE and minor in economics.

[Matt Adams]

Originally Posted by Lisa Perez

I'm ending my junior year and will begin applying to college soon. While looking up information, I found that a majority of my top choices do not offer dual majors for aerospace engineering and business management. I am curious - what colleges do offer this option?

Lisa-

Something that I would first ask myself... why do you want to major in those two fields? What career are you looking to find?

I'll take a stab that you have an interest in working with people and leading groups, but also feel like you would like to aquire a strong technical background to support your management so you're not managing a bunch of paper-pushers in an office somewhere.

The truth of the mater, as best I can tell, is that management skills (in general) are something that you can aquire over time. You're not going to be hired into any sort of aerospace industry and put into a management position on the spot. It's something that you'll only get with time, talent, and a bit of luck.

Furthermore, it should be noted that the reason you're having trouble finding schools with this comibination is because they're not closely related. They're two very different worlds. I'd be impressed to find a school with reputable programs in each that would get you out in less than 11 semesters. (Not that there's anything wrong with that.)

What I'd suggest is that you get a management minor. This shows that you have the education to get those management positions when they open up, and makes you more qualified than those without this minor. I think this is the edge you're really looking for. If you're smart, and depending on which school you attend, you should be able to get out in 4 years without any trouble.

Good luck!

Matt

[Joe Ross]

Originally Posted by Matt Adams

What I'd suggest is that you get a management minor. This shows that you have the education to get those management positions when they open up, and makes you more qualified than those without this minor. I think this is the edge you're really looking for. If you're smart, and depending on which school you attend, you should be able to get out in 4 years without any trouble.

To piggyback on Matt, an MBA would be even better then a minor. Like Matt said, even if you find a place with both good aerospace and good business, you're looking at quite a bit more time in college. For that extra time, you're better off getting one bachelors and one advanced degree, such as an MBA.

Also, what specifically attracts you to Aerospace? Is there something you want to do that can't be done with a straight ME degree (or ME with an option for aerospace, like we have here at RIT).