cherrybarry

Which major would be better suited for this field: chemical engineering or materials science?

I've already selected chemical eng on some college apps (I can still change however), but I think materials science may be more suited towards nanotechnology. The reason I didn't choose matsci was that I knew two people with matsci degrees (Ph.D's) that don't have jobs right now. Do chem engs fair much better or not? Also, I thought chem eng is a broader field and would give me more options.

Or should I not worry about which major to choose and pick a school that has a focus on nanotech (ie. research opportunities in nanotech)?

ecnerwalc3321

I would say materials science. Really? My dad is a material scientist and he is actually uring me to be a materials scientist becasue the job outlook is good and probably will get better with the advent of nanotechnology.

nomad

hmm me choosing computer engineering is pretty stupid huh

im_blue

EE and Materials Science are the best majors for nanotechnology.

h88

EE all the way, especially if you're interested in nanoelectronics.

ecnerwalc3321

is materials science considered an "easy major"?

mlf

Materials science is more specialize, and I think the demand for materials scientist tends to fluctuate more than for a more developed field such as chem E or EE, which are much broader fields. Many schools to not offer an undergrad major in materials science. Materials science is probably more closely related to nanotechnology, but chem E and EE can both lead to a career in nanotechnology.

im_blue

All I know is that at Stanford, EE students take MSE classes to boost their technical GPA.

calkidd

ChemEs always have the best job outlook of all engineers. The thing to do for nano would be either to double in MSE (you have to take so many courses for ChemE that at some places the double means an additional three classes) or do a masters in it.

ghhizzmo

Cornell University has one of the finest Nanotechnology programs in the country. It is in Materials Science. They just dedicated a new building Duffield Hall for Nanotechnology. Their webpage is http://www.mse.cornell.edu/materials...echnology.html

meder

I think that chemE would be a bit more suitable and more safe (you might anytime stop loving nanotech)

celebrian25

I agree, with chemE if your interests change, you're not out of a job, or stuck doing something you don't love. Same with EE. The more specialized the engineering degree, the more fluid the job market is. It could be going great, or terrible.

ariesathena

As a chemE who did nanotech, I'll weigh in.

Start off with chemical engineering, then move to materials science (mechanical engineeering) for your masters. Most of the materials science people I know actually did that route, not the mat. sci. undergrad. You can take polymers courses within a chemE department to get the materials. For advanced chem electives, organic chem and inorganic chem would be good... but I took quantum, quantum, and more quantum and was fine.

This is in keeping with my advice to take a broad, "meat and potatoes" engin. major undergrad, then specialize in grad school. Note that, as mat. sci. is still a solid major, that my other advice (always take the one you like better, as you'll have to do it for the rest of your life) still applies.

ecnerwalc3321

would doing materials science as undergrad be boring? I'm thinking about doing material science undergrad and going to grad or med school afterwards. Would this field provide lots of job options after 4 years of undergrad?

jeffl

material science departments are usually the smallest departments in the engineering colleges. there are a lot of jobs out there, but your options are more limited compared to ME, EECS, ChemE, because it is a pretty specializaed field of study.