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View Full Version : Extra year of school and get another degree worth it?



The BMW Guy
02-01-2014, 02:06 AM
So a little background, I'm a Software Engineering student in my 3rd year. I noticed that the Computer Engineering minor under the Electrical Engineering degree has a lot of overlapping courses with the SENG degree stream. I did some planning and I would have to take 9 electrical courses for me to have a double major in SENG and ENEL with an ENCM minor.

Only reason I am thinking of this is that some company job postings seem to state explicitly they are looking for Electrical Engineers. These 9 courses would have me graduate a year later but I would have the Electrical Engineering degree with Computer minor for the rest of my career.

What are your thoughts? Is delaying graduation and losing 1 year of experience worth it to have another degree under your belt? Currently I have a decent portfolio of experience but I have a feeling the ENEL degree would be beneficial down the road.

93VR6
02-01-2014, 02:22 AM
If there are jobs out there that require the second major, I would go for it, it's only a year.

tch7
02-01-2014, 07:09 AM
Once you have a few years of work experience under your belt, employers aren't going to really care much about the specifics of your degree. Therefore if you can't find jobs with just the SENG major, the yes do the double major. If you can find a job with just the SENG major, then you're better served by that extra year of work experience and income.

When I was doing my civil eng degree I was in a position to do an accelerated masters that would've added one more year of school, but I found a job easily enough with just my bachelors. I'm much better off having not done it, as that additional year of experience and income far outweighs the possible benefits of a masters.

Mibz
02-01-2014, 09:43 AM
Originally posted by tch7
If you can find a job with just the SENG major, then you're better served by that extra year of work experience...
...that additional year of experience and income far outweighs the possible benefits of a masters. This exactly.

Disoblige
02-02-2014, 01:52 AM
You should ask yourself what kind of industry you want to work in. I find that as an EE, I have a lot of choice in where I want to work (in Alberta anyways). I am biased though and I'm really happy with where I am at currently in the stage of my career.

msommers
02-02-2014, 02:33 AM
An extra year I say go for it.

ExtraSlow
02-02-2014, 08:19 AM
Could you get the job you want without it? If so, go get that job!

blitz
02-02-2014, 10:50 AM
I'm normally against doing more school, but this seems like a good way to open up a lot more potential jobs for you.

Neil4Speed
02-02-2014, 11:32 AM
In this (rare) case, I would say go for it. It would definitely ad to your marketability.

Dumbass17
02-02-2014, 11:40 AM
Originally posted by The BMW Guy
...but I have a feeling the ENEL degree would be beneficial down the road.

i think you know what you want to do :thumbsup:

Darkane
02-02-2014, 06:04 PM
Originally posted by tch7
Once you have a few years of work experience under your belt, employers aren't going to really care much about the specifics of your degree. Therefore if you can't find jobs with just the SENG major, the yes do the double major. If you can find a job with just the SENG major, then you're better served by that extra year of work experience and income.

When I was doing my civil eng degree I was in a position to do an accelerated masters that would've added one more year of school, but I found a job easily enough with just my bachelors. I'm much better off having not done it, as that additional year of experience and income far outweighs the possible benefits of a masters.

You must be very young.

I'd take a masters for one year. It could eventually far far outweigh 1 year experience.

Case and point SVP candidate.

stealth
02-03-2014, 10:38 AM
Finish the extra year of school it is a NO BRAINER!

pheoxs
02-03-2014, 10:42 AM
Originally posted by Darkane


You must be very young.

I'd take a masters for one year. It could eventually far far outweigh 1 year experience.

Case and point SVP candidate.

OP isn't talking about a masters. He's talking about basically having a B.Sc in EE and CMPE.

Doing a masters in a year is very doubtful unless you're dumping ridiculous hours in to do it. You have to take 9 courses IIRC (depends slightly on discipline too I think) as well as do a thesis. Many people I know took 1-2 years just to do their thesis', and they weren't exactly slackers, its just what their topics took because they kept digging more and more into it.

Only way I could see doing it in a year would be to somehow be doing extra courses in the summers during your Bachelors to free up space and take grad level courses in your 3rd/4th year in preparation.

Darkane
02-03-2014, 10:51 AM
^^ yeah you bet. I didn't quote the OP.

pheoxs
02-03-2014, 11:11 AM
Originally posted by Darkane
^^ yeah you bet. I didn't quote the OP.

Ah, now I see what you mean. My bad, didn't look at who you quoted.

The BMW Guy
02-03-2014, 10:59 PM
Turns out they require a minimum 12 course difference between degrees to count as a double major. I am not sure why though. If someone has enrolled and passed all the courses that are outlined for that degree's requirements, then they should be able to acquire that degree I would think.

I think this pushes the time it would take to maybe 1.5-2 years, depending on when the courses are scheduled. Decisions...decisions...

Disoblige
02-05-2014, 09:29 AM
The BMW Guy, in order to count as a double major, wouldn't you need to also take the extra option classes? Maybe that's why there is 3 extra classes you need to take. I'm talking about those supplementary courses that don't really have anything to do with engineering.

pheoxs
02-05-2014, 10:59 AM
Originally posted by The BMW Guy
Turns out they require a minimum 12 course difference between degrees to count as a double major. I am not sure why though. If someone has enrolled and passed all the courses that are outlined for that degree's requirements, then they should be able to acquire that degree I would think.

I think this pushes the time it would take to maybe 1.5-2 years, depending on when the courses are scheduled. Decisions...decisions...

I think they do that because some of the sciences/arts majors they are so closely related that someone could probably get 3 or 4 degrees in a couple years by taking certain courses that overlap multiple degrees and sort of gaming the system.

Also they want more money lol.

hrdkore
02-05-2014, 12:26 PM
I'm a electrical engineer, enel courses are tough, if you can hack it, another year wouldn't be too bad unless you can find a job now.

*side note* Are you even allowed to get double major within SENG, ENEL?

msommers
02-05-2014, 12:54 PM
If it's being stretched out to two years now, and you're thinking of more schooling, I'd go the Master's route instead of the double major.

sabad66
02-05-2014, 01:31 PM
Originally posted by hrdkore
I'm a electrical engineer, enel courses are tough, if you can hack it, another year wouldn't be too bad unless you can find a job now.

*side note* Are you even allowed to get double major within SENG, ENEL?
why wouldn't you be able to? i'm pretty sure you can double major with any two degrees as long as you fulfill the requirements? :dunno:

pheoxs
02-05-2014, 02:34 PM
Masters > Two Bachelors.

Also @ OP. Once you graduate, no one really cares what your degree is in for stuff like CMPE vs EE. Once you get any bit of industry experience under your belt, that is what matters more.

It may be a bit more difficult finding that initial job into the field you want but if you are just taking an extra year or two to be an EE because it looks like there are more jobs I'd suggest you'd be better off with those 1-2 years additional work experience.

Disoblige
02-05-2014, 03:06 PM
Originally posted by pheoxs
Masters > Two Bachelors.

Not necessarily.


Originally posted by pheoxs

Also @ OP. Once you graduate, no one really cares what your degree is in for stuff like CMPE vs EE.
Yeah they do. Even though there are a lot of similar courses, the people who look at your resume don't see it as the same, and rightfully so.


Originally posted by pheoxs
Once you get any bit of industry experience under your belt, that is what matters more.

It may be a bit more difficult finding that initial job into the field you want but if you are just taking an extra year or two to be an EE because it looks like there are more jobs I'd suggest you'd be better off with those 1-2 years additional work experience.
I think it depends on what OP wants to do with his career. If he wants to work in Oil and Gas, EE is definitely a more versatile degree.

TheOldSkipper
02-05-2014, 03:21 PM
Originally posted by msommers
If it's being stretched out to two years now, and you're thinking of more schooling, I'd go the Master's route instead of the double major.

Agreed. If working isn't an option for you and you really want to focus on another 1-2 years of school then you will likely be able to do a course-based Masters in EE with a Computer/Software B.Eng. under your belt.

Get two birds stoned at once.

tch7
02-06-2014, 08:35 PM
Originally posted by Darkane
I'd take a masters for one year. It could eventually far far outweigh 1 year experience.
Maybe.

An M.Eng. would boost salary maybe a couple thousand, $5k tops for the first few years. By comparison, by working a lot that year and not paying tuition, that put me up about $100k. It'd take quite a few years to break even. The numbers are even less favourable for the OP considering a double major.

As for an upward ceiling and progression, I also don't see the M.Eng. making that much of a difference. An MBA or something along those lines sure, but some comprehensive knowledge of a facet of engineering technical theory is of limited value when seeking a management-type financial-focused position. In any case, how far and how fast you progress has a lot more to it than just the letters beside your name.

themack89
02-08-2014, 03:35 PM
I think an M.Eng will benefit you more than two Bachelors, just in terms of the potential directions you could go (not necessarily salary). Certain jobs they just won't give you a shot at without higher education. I guess the word I am looking for is "flexibility."

bjstare
02-14-2014, 12:14 PM
Originally posted by Disoblige

Not necessarily.


Yeah they do. Even though there are a lot of similar courses, the people who look at your resume don't see it as the same, and rightfully so.


I think it depends on what OP wants to do with his career. If he wants to work in Oil and Gas, EE is definitely a more versatile degree.

100% agree on all points.


Pheoxs needs to specify which employers don't look at discipline after a couple years. Because all that I can think of are very specific with their discipline requirements. Rightfully so; as an EE, I don't have the knowledge to jump in to a Chem job tomorrow. Further, the only people who it really doesn't matter what discipline they are, are those that have moved out of engineering or are in project/upper management.

XylathaneGTR
02-14-2014, 12:36 PM
Originally posted by tch7

An M.Eng. would boost salary maybe a couple thousand, $5k tops for the first few years. By comparison, by working a lot that year and not paying tuition, that put me up about $100k.

I think that depends on the organization. There are a few M.Eng or MSc EITs in my group doing the exact same work that I do, and we started at the exact same rate (large O&G related company in a Project Management related role).