<p>Hi guys,
So I’m currently working on getting a bachelors in chemical & biomolecular engineering… but I have a STRONG passion for music.
I’m wondering if anyone can think of a possible connection between the two. I wouldn’t want to give up one, and I feel like I can be happy if I figure out how to combine them.
You’ll be hero! <3
This can hopefully help anyone else with similar goals.</p>
<p>Alonzo, if you’re already at University enrolled in chem E, what you can do will depend on your specific school.</p>
<p>However, if you don’t mind/can afford spending the extra money, AND can handle the workload, there are a few, albeit rare, dual degree students between engineering and music at schools like University of Michigan, where my son attended, and as part of a multimedia/music composition program, also took some engineering classes.</p>
<p>Many of the engineering/music students there would eventually drop one or the other because making the scheduling work between the two is exceptionally difficult. Umich engineering is exceptionally rigorous and requires a lot of team projects outside scheduled class times…and so does music, so together, they can be something of a nightmare.</p>
<p>If what you’re really asking is whether there’s a vocational overlap, I would say there is more vocational overlap in electrical engineering and programming. Eg. I’ve occasionally seen open jobs for Eng grads with music in automotive multimedia systems, etc. for audio engineering (eg Harmon) and places like Bose recruit from Michigan’s music ENG program for system design.</p>
<p>That said, chem e is a very high demand field right now with an active shortage of engineers in the industry, so if you were to extend your studies to include music (if able, according to talent, acceptance to a program, and scheduling possibilities) you would be in the rare position to quickly pay off any student loans the extra year or so might cost you 
</p>
<p>Good luck on your journey, but you’ll need to look into it at your specific school. If you’re not at college already, tell us so we can suggest schools where, in theory, its possible to pursue both degrees!</p>
<p>Hello @kmcmom13
Thank you so much for replying to this. You’re the first person to actually put some thought into what I’ve asked an give me some insight on what you know.</p>
<p>I go to Johns Hopkins University. I’m currently a second-year student and majoring in Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering. But the truth is, I’ve always had a very strong passion for composing music (which is something, I’ll never stop doing).</p>
<p>The medical industry had always interested me as a serious choice for a career. Last year I was majoring in Molecullar & Cellular and was Pre-Med, but I realized I didn’t want to go that route.
So instead I switched to an engineering that seemed similar to what I was doing already, ChemBE. But now, after my first semester of ChemBE I am not sure if I really like what I’d be doing for the rest of my life if I pursue a career as a chemical engineer. Also, this major has had me more stressed out than anything in the world. Making me more sleep deprived and miserable more than I ever have been. I know that the whole thing with life is that through overcoming struggle you can find success, but I simply don’t know if I am passionate enough about this field for the sacrifice.</p>
<p>Anyways, sorry for all the rambling. I sincerely wasn’t sure where to post this initially but I just wanted to explain myself a bit more.</p>
<p>Hopkins has Peabody, but like I said, I’m already dealing with engineering by itself and becoming extremely overwhelmed. So I thought my solution to this would be if I could maybe find a vocational overlap and then I’d have more motivation for this. I already have a lot of experience plus love for music and hopefully that would be enough with my ChemBE degree to get me started somewhere.</p>
<p>If you don’t want to read all that^</p>
<p>Basically I want to love what I am doing/studying but I’m finding it hard to because I can’t find a link between my decision for a career and my passion.</p>
<p>Hope this makes sense.
Thanks so much for reading all that <3</p>
<p>Music is much easier to do as an EC. Chem E is difficult to do as an EC.</p>
<p>If you would be miserable working in industry or academia as a Chem E, stop pursuing it. </p>
<p>Acoustic engineering would be the only overlap I know of in music and engineering.</p>
<p>You have to fish or cut bait. Chem E is very difficult. You can compose music without a degree, and my nephew who is a composer (at age 20) went to college for two years for music and dropped out to work, doing music direction for musicals, teaching piano, and composing.</p>
<p>Go to the Peabody and talk to them about possibly transferring. See how you feel about it. Does your family have enough money for you to pursue two degrees, one in music and one in Chem E?</p>
<p>It is more important to be happy than to make a lot of money, especially with the tough job market and you losing interest. Talk to someone about pursuing music as a major. You will not know if you don’t at least ask and find out what they think.</p>
<p>@rhandco </p>
<p>I’m sorry by EC, you mean Electrical and Computer Engineering?</p>
<p>I actually have checked out Peabody. But I didn’t feel like getting a music degree would be necessary for me (specially since a lot of it is training in music theory and classical composition which is far from what I make). Music is an art and I have actually gotten very lucky back in high school and last year my music got more attention than I would have expected and it made me realize that it could be more than a hobby. And well, like you said yourself, about your nephew.</p>
<p>It’s true what you are saying happiness is much more important. That’s why I made this post, I’m trying to find answers to what I should do about my situation.</p>
<p>Maybe changing to major that can overlap with music more may be better?</p>
<p>My daughter is currently at U Mich pursuing dual degrees in music and either biomedical or chemical engineering (she will declare which next semester). She is insanely busy but absolutely loves it. She has not figured out career path yet, but wants to continue pursuing both passions as long as possible. Eventually one may win out… However she knows of a neurosurgeon who performs opera, so you never know!</p>
<p>@MomOf2TeenGirls</p>
<p>I would love to do something like that but the problem at Hopkins here is that music majors have to go to Peabody which is a school (part of Hopkins though) that is a few miles away from the main Homewood campus.</p>
<p>Other than that, I barely am finding time for just one major (ChemBE). So idk if i can handle two. </p>
<p>My D also considered Peabody/Hopkins so I’m familiar with the separate schools and some of the requirements and logistics. It’s doable, but not easy. As you are aware, engineering is difficult on its own. Good luck with sorting out your options and I hope you find a path that works for you!</p>
<p>Alonzo, one thing that might make a dual degree a little more bearable in your circumstance would be if you’re in a position financially to takes classes during the summers and not worry about it taking an extra year.
For example, my son learned early on that an 18-credit semester would tax him much more than a 15-credit semester. A semester loaded with particularly tough courses is worse than one with a little more balance (eg at Mich, one might not want to take 18 credits the same term they’re taking orgo2, which is notoriously tough…)</p>
<p>With composition, its possible that since its such a passion for you, you might find the effect of the dual degree balancing in some ways. As they say, sometimes change is as good as a rest So talk to Peabody about what’s possible and go from there.</p>
<p>Check out Oberlin’s TIMARA program, Brown’s undergrad technology strand within the music major and its grad MEME program, Dartmouth’s Digital Arts grad program, Cal Arts, UMichigan’s PAT, Royal Conservatory of the Hague’s sonology program, or the electronic studio at any conservatory or college, to get an idea of some of the areas of music that might interest you and intersect with engineering. I don’t know enough about the different types of engineering to be specific about what you might do (software engineering is relevant but otherwise any field related to the study of sound) but you might want to familiarize yourself with what is going on with electronics and technology in the music field. </p>
<p>Composing can be hard while busy or stressed by classes in an onerous field like chemical and biomolecular engineering, but then again, as said above, it might balance out the use of both sides of your brain. Still, many who choose even a BA (gentler than a BS) who have a courseload of several classes, can struggle to find time to compose and often write music during breaks and vacations. Not everyone, so it depends on your work patterns and energy.</p>