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knowledgeiskey
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03 May 2009, 10:47 pm

I'm early in my undergrad. I'm still undecided on whether to pursue electrical engineering or environmental engineering.


Any advice?



miki
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04 May 2009, 12:54 am

It all depends on what you like best. If you like biology, chemistry and love nature, then environmental engineering would be a better choice. If you prefer maths and physics, then go with electrical. Find out what the curriculum is for both and see what matches your skills and preferences.
I'm a chemical engineer, by the way.



Ashton
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04 May 2009, 4:13 am

I too am early undergraduate. I'm doing Computer Systems Engineering.



Dussel
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04 May 2009, 6:55 am

knowledgeiskey wrote:
I'm early in my undergrad. I'm still undecided on whether to pursue electrical engineering or environmental engineering.


I do not how the system works in the USA, but in Germany Electrical Engineering at an University is regarded as one of the toughest studies, besides physics. The degree of mathematical and theoretical understanding needed for Electrical Engineering is much higher than e.g. in Civil Engineering.

---

This less the case for studies on the Fachhochschulen (Engineering Schools).



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04 May 2009, 2:51 pm

Electrical Engineering really isn't the hardest of the majors (Nuclear, Mechanical, and Chemical trump it by a bit), but it is still way up there. Environmental is a bit easier, but honestly, it isn't by much.

Instead, you should think about the fields you'd like to work in. The three fields I see the vast majority of my EE friends working for are Semiconductors, Weapons Manufacturing (missile components and whatnot), and Power Plants. EnvEs on the other hand can work for pretty much any industry (every company that produces something needs EnvEs for their waste stream processes). One of the coolest jobs I've seen was working for an Environmental Engineering consulting company doing work to clean up areas of Australia and New Zealand.



Dussel
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04 May 2009, 6:03 pm

DNForrest wrote:
Electrical Engineering really isn't the hardest of the majors (Nuclear, Mechanical, and Chemical trump it by a bit), but it is still way up there. Environmental is a bit easier, but honestly, it isn't by much.


Interesting to learn - as I said in Germany Electrical Engineering at a university is seen as equal with study of physics and has a much more theoretical approach than Mechanical Engineering. The minimum study takes 8 semesters (4 years), but the most end their studies after 5 years and more.



DNForrest
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04 May 2009, 6:12 pm

Dussel wrote:
Interesting to learn - as I said in Germany Electrical Engineering at a university is seen as equal with study of physics and has a much more theoretical approach than Mechanical Engineering. The minimum study takes 8 semesters (4 years), but the most end their studies after 5 years and more.


Yeah, it's probably just a regional thing on what's required for the studies, since in this area Chemical Engineering's the one that requires more credits than any other major, and is also more common for people to take 5 or more years than 4 years (it's pretty much a combination Chemistry, Physics, Mathematics, General Engineering, and Business degree in one). Though Nuclear Engineering is still regarded as the hardest of them all.



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04 May 2009, 7:17 pm

If I could go back and get a different degree it would be industrial or mechanical engineering


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