Hey. I'm interested in majoring in Chemical Engineering.....I'm also wondering how hard is the major? How many hours per week do you study? Anyone have experience in Chemical Engineering before AND after getting your Bachelor's Degree? Is internship or much research is needed to work?
It is hard. We take the same fundamental physics and mathematics as other engineers, but we also have to take a lot of chemistry (Gen Chem, OChem, and PChem) and biology classes that other engineering students do not take. Also, the competition among us is pretty harsh. For example, I am part of 2 research groups, one in the chemical engineering department and another in the aerospace department. I also tutor for a community college, and I teach Brazilian Jiu-jitsu classes at my gym. I also devote time for my girlfriend... Chemical engineering students are the cream of the crop. They work really hard. In my school, majority of us are well-rounded individuals and usually 90% of each graduating class already have full-time job offers before graduation.
It is different for each person, but I always begin studying at 8 am then go to classes, study in between classes, study after last class, and then go to bed at 1 am. Of course, it is different each day since work, research, and extra-curricular activities take time as well.
Well I think I like chemical engineering. I do like chemistry and Physics and math. I'm just scared if the major will be difficult. Is it easy to find a job when you graduate?
"Hard" is such a negative word! Nothing is hard buddy! Replace "hard" with challenging! You can do it! Anyone can with determination!
As for a job, it's all on you. Join engineering organizations, participate in extracurriculars, maintain a solid gpa, improve social skills, look for internships, etc. These all will look good on your resume and interview.
Very challenging. I study civil engineering, but I have friends in chemical engineering at Cal Poly-Pomona. I thought mechanical engineering was challenging until I heard that chemical engineering is like mechanical engineering on steroids. They have to take Organic and Physical Chemistry (two year-long chemistry series that are brutally hard). It's indeed very, very, very tough, but fulfilling as they have high employment ratio and have some of the highest salaries (just below Petroleum Engineers). Also, because they typically are a small department, usually you will have to go through some crazy-hard professor who will weed people out in transport phenomena or thermodynamics.
