Would it be a good idea to double major in business and engineering?

Sulaymanshah · 10-15-2007, 12:01 PM

Or is the better option a MS/MBA program?

Japher · 10-15-2007, 12:04 PM

I think a BA/BS in business would be worthless if you have a BS in engineering, it might even hurt you.

Best Combo: BS Engineering + MBA (<--- many execs with this combo)

Better Combo: MS Engineering +MBA (<--- lot more execs with this combo)

SGupta · 10-15-2007, 01:31 PM

Quote:

I think a BA/BS in business would be worthless if you have a BS in engineering, it might even hurt you.

Best Combo: BS Engineering + MBA (<--- many execs with this combo)

Better Combo: MS Engineering +MBA (<--- lot more execs with this combo)

In your opinion why is the second option preferable?

Is MEng "better" than MS or vice-versa?

Sulaymanshah · 10-15-2007, 01:55 PM

Quote:

Is MEng "better" than MS

He was referring to a masters degree, not materials science...

tom725 · 10-15-2007, 02:00 PM

actually M.Eng. means 'Masters of Engineering'

"In the United States, the Master of Engineering (M.Eng.) degree is generally a Professional degree offered as a coursework-based alternative to the traditional research-based Master of Science (M.S.) It is typically a two-year program, and many universities allow students to choose between the Master of Engineering and the Master of Science."

M.S. is research oriented where as M.Eng. isn't...

(PSU offers a M.S in IEOR and a M.Eng. in IEOR...M.S. is research oriented but the M.Eng. requires more credit)

But most colleges offer M.S.

Myrmidon73 · 10-15-2007, 04:37 PM

If you go the MS Eng --> MBA route, does your undergrad school matter? Also is it absolutely necessary to be an engineering major to get into a really good (ie top 10) Master's program?

I mean, I know you can do a different type of engineering at a Master's level (like EE ugrad, BME grad), but what about a different major? Like Math and/or economics?

ken285 · 10-15-2007, 07:28 PM

Most MS programs involve research and a thesis, but not all.

silverbullet · 10-15-2007, 10:17 PM

there are many schools that offer MS Engineering Management. It sounds like that is what your looking for.

Myrmidon73 · 10-16-2007, 07:27 PM

Does a degree in MFE look just as good as a traditional MS for business-type jobs (like in consulting, hedging, banking...etc)?

sakky · 10-16-2007, 09:03 PM

Quote:

I mean, I know you can do a different type of engineering at a Master's level (like EE ugrad, BME grad), but what about a different major? Like Math and/or economics?

Sure, why not? Vernon Smith got his BSEE from Caltech. He then went on to get a PhD in economics at Harvard, and ultimately won the Nobel Prize in Economics in 2002 for his groundbreaking work in experimental economics.

RelientK · 10-22-2007, 08:56 PM

So which degree is better to work in management for an engineering firm: a Masters in Engineering Management (MEM) or a Masters in Business Administration (MBA)?

sakky · 10-23-2007, 06:56 PM

Quote:

So which degree is better to work in management for an engineering firm: a Masters in Engineering Management (MEM) or a Masters in Business Administration (MBA)?

I would go for the MBA, if for no other reason, it gives you better bargaining leverage. For example, with an MBA, you can credibly threaten to work in other fields like consulting or finance, and hence you can use that to extract a better compensation package or better work conditions from an engineering firm. Obviously that engineering firm is probably not going to match the comp package you would get elsewhere (as consulting and especially finance pay much better), but you can at least improve your negotiating position. Keep in mind that the only way to maximize your gains from any negotiation is to have another strong option, or at least have the other party believe that you have another strong option.

Keep in mind that companies are not really your friends. Let's be frank. Companies want to pay you as little as possible while having you assigned to the least desirable tasks that nobody else wants to do. They will give you better tasks and more money only if they feel that they will lose you if they don't.

Sulaymanshah · 10-24-2007, 11:08 PM

Is even econ + engineering a bad idea?

I'd really like to mix engineering with business/econ.

westsidewolf1989 · 10-24-2007, 11:14 PM

yeah i'm also interested in both areas. however i think it would be very hard to do both at a public school, maybe less so at a smaller private school, but still hard. u wud have to give up ur electives, and plus engineering is hard enuff on its own without having to do economics. unless ur doing a program that allows you to combine the two easily (i.e. Jerome Fisher Program(M&T) at Penn)