uwbball

hi all,

im thinking of majoring in geography and possibly economics. i'm thinking about going into urban planning. but also i have an interest in civil engineering---- would an undergrad degree in geography make me a potential candidate for a masters in civil/environmental engineering?

thanks

Student35

For a master's in engineering you are more than likely going to need undergraduate major or post-bac study in engineering. There are many prerequisites to engineering (chemistry, physics, calculus, etc.) that you will need to fulfill somehow. Not to mention many of the upper level work you will need to catch up on.

With an undergraduate degree in geography and economics, you will probably be looking at graduate work in city planning or public administration.

thatgirltoo

An undergrad degree in physical geography *might* prepare you for masters in civil/environmental engineering, but I wonder if it might not be better to major in civil/environmental engineering with a minor in physical geography (if there is time)? Physical geography at many schools that I've looked at do require a basis in chemistry, calculus, biology, and maybe the very basics of physics, but it might not be as rigorous as what you would need for the engineering degree.

That said, it seems a lot of geographers do go into urban planning in some capacity. GIS is really big right now, and in use by urban planners and city governments. I am interested in urban planning/population planning and will be majoring in human/cultural/economic geography. Geographers also go into many environmental jobs, maybe not engineering though.

Corbett

Probably not. A strong foundation in math and physical sciences is a fundamental prerequisite for engineering grad school (just as organic chemistry is a fundamental prerequisite for medical school). Many engineering MS programs do consider applicants without engineering degrees, but typically such applicants have degrees in math or a physical science.

A geography degree, by itself, would probably not be considered a sufficient foundation for graduate study in engineering. To have a chance, you would probably also need to take a lot of math and physical science courses -- beyond those required for the geography major -- and have a strong track record in those courses.