<p>I’m a high school senior and I’ve always been interested in architecture. I want to major in architecture, but I heard that it is difficult for architecture students to find a job. I’m also a little interested in Environmental, Structural, and Civil Engineering. Is it reasonable to minor in one of these?</p>
<p>I am not aware of anywhere that even allows students to minor in engineering.</p>
<p>i dont think its possible…</p>
<p>No. I beg to differ. It is possible to minor in engineering. Some schools do not allow it at all (I don’t think my school allows minor engineering). To minor in engineering, the policy may only opened to students who have meet the requirements. Good examples would be Cornell, MIT, and Standford if you happen to just search minor engineering via Google. Speak to your CE undergraduate advisor about your interest pursuing a minor in CE.</p>
<p>It is reasonable to minor in CE or environmental for an architect. It can be beneficial if and only if you like the minor. </p>
<p>Look at what RPI says
[Program:</a> Civil Engineering Minor - Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute - acalog ACMS?](<a href=“Program: Civil Engineering Minor - Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute - Acalog ACMS™”>Program: Civil Engineering Minor - Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute - Acalog ACMS™)
</p>
<p>In our school arch students take its own specialized caclulus-based physics. I never had a chance looked into the CCNY arch program, so I can’t comment on how much self-study is needed for an arch to minor in ce.</p>
<p>A minor won’t allow you to get the job opportunities of a civil engineer, just like a minor in architecture won’t get you jobs in that field.</p>
<p>Where is Standford?</p>
<p>And what is the point of minoring in engineering.</p>
<p>Stanford. Just a typo. </p>
<p>Well, first of all: the OP’s main interest is still in architecture. Unless he decides to switch to CE, then a major in CE is definitely preferable (like duh?). Moreover, he has the says about what matter to him.</p>
<p>Asking why one should minor engineering is equivalent to ask why should anyone consider minor history when they are engineers. In fact, the same question should go to every minor, and regardless of what they major in. Nobody should called himself a civil engineer unless the person has completed the four-years education, and is a licensed professional. Right? </p>
<p>There is no problem with him interested in pursing a CE minor at all.
Why should an arch consider a CE minor?
[UC</a> Berkeley Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering](<a href=“http://www.ce.berkeley.edu/semm/degrees/joint_architecture.html]UC”>http://www.ce.berkeley.edu/semm/degrees/joint_architecture.html)</p>
<p>Either way is a complementary. Is it useful? Is it worth the time? It’s personal at the end. </p>
<p>For both fields, graduate degree is probably more preferable than a bachelor degree.</p>
<p>If you wanted to just broaden your knowledge that could help you in architecture, I don’t see what would be wrong with taking some structural classes. But then again, I don’t know of any minors in engineering either. In order to take the upper-level structural courses you need about 10 foundation courses (all the math/physics + statics/mechanics), so that’s something to think about.</p>
<p>If the OP just wants to learn more, then there’s absolutely no problem with it. However, the OP mentioned the poor job prospects for architecture graduates, which leads me to believe that s/he believes a job in civil engineering can be obtained with a minor. </p>
<p>Perhaps the OP can clarify.</p>
<p>To the OP, even if you could get a minor in engineering, it would not qualify you for engineering jobs. The minor might be personally beneficial but will not really open any doors. I think the main reason that engineering minors are so rare is because there are so many fundamental math and physics courses required as prerequisites. It is not like getting a business or liberal arts minor.</p>
<p>I do not recommend getting a minor in engineering. If you are worried about the disadvantages of an architecture degree and are interested in engineering then go all the way!
I recommend a Bachelors in “Architectural Engineering”.</p>
<p>Ga Tech offers minors in engineering. I would suppose it may be more useful for someone earning a mech e degree to minor in aero e, than someone earning a business, architecture, or other non-engineering degree to minor in some sort of engineering.</p>
<p>Not every school offers architectural engineering, so you have find those that do. I think you should major in CE (structural) / Arch E, and if you still want to become an arch, go to graduate school for arch (or do you actually need B.S in arch? That’s I really don’t know)</p>
<p>LOL</p>
<p>Either a B.Arch or an M.Arch is required to become a RA. Getting an engineering undergrad degree and then a M.Arch afterwards is pretty expensive (especially if you’re already leaning towards architecture).</p>
<p>Architecture and civil engineering have enough similarities to be complementary.</p>
<p>So are you suggesting OP to get architecture for B.S, and do M.CE if he wants to find jobs in CE?</p>
<p>No I am not suggesting that. That would be a waste of time and money as well.</p>
<p>If the OP knows s/he wants a job in architecture, then get a B.Arch now. If s/he wants civil engineering, then get a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering.</p>
<p>^ Well, there’s a problem. A fundamental problem. </p>
<p>According to the OP, the job outlook for arch is bad when compare it to CE. By all means, the skills obtained as an engineer probably is more beneficial than those obtained as arch. This is why he’s asking whether getting a minor in CE is beneficial or not. Alternatively, should he get CE instead of arch? That’s very personal. It is a battle between fact and interest.</p>
<p>I just look at the architecture program, and the math requirement is only calculus, and the physics is college physics (in our school we have a specific physics course for arch students). So certainly taking a minor in CE would mean OP has to do a lot of self-study. </p>
<p>I could imagine how difficult it is to study M. Arch for not having a B. Arch. I don’t even know how possibile it is. So let’s cross that out. </p>
<p>Similarly, if he wants to get B. Arch after graduate from B. CE that’s another four years!!</p>
<p>It is true that a minor will not get him any employment as a civil engineer. But it can give him a little insight about what civil engineer does. Moreover, depending on the school, the department of arch and civil engineering might have a collaborative minor for arch major student. OP should find out these facts from the schools that he is interested in. </p>
<p>In my opinion, follow your interest. Do whatever is necessary to make you happy. Potentially every one of us has at least 40 years before retiring (oh the Congress is planning to lift the age of retirement to 70 for SSF). </p>
<p>I mean what if a journalist can make 10 million per year? I just don’t like writing and reading. I would not survive if I have to write and read every day. </p>
<p>If you like what arch does, take arch in college. If you want to do minor, find out what it takes to do minor from the colleges that you want to apply. Does the school allows it? Does the two department has a collaborative minor for arch major? How long would it take you to complete both programs? How much self-study will it take to do the minor CE?</p>
<p>Some might find a CE minor a waste of time. But it can be a complementary. If OP finds it arch bad, he can always go to graduate study and get a master in C.E. By the time he graduate from B. Arch and with a minor in CE he should have a little knowledge about what C.E. is like. He can utilize the two disciplines together. Notice, what I just said is a theory. It is up to the individual.</p>
<p>[Programs</a> - Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute - acalog ACMS?](<a href=“Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute - Acalog ACMS™”>Programs - Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute - Acalog ACMS™)
If RPI states “Recommended 5 minor CE courses for B. Arch”, then I assume it doesn’t hurt to ask and to do.</p>
<p>:)</p>
<p>
What’s the fundamental problem?</p>
<p>
That’s actually the entire point of the system. Those who decide to want to pursue architecture don’t have to commit to a B.Arch program when they’re high school seniors. Instead, they can study whatever they want and then go for a M.Arch. If your undergrad major was similar to architecture, you can get your M.Arch in 2 years. Otherwise, it may be 3 years.</p>
<p>
No, s/he would get an M.Arch. If the undergrad major was civil engineering, it can probably be obtained in 2 years. By the way, B.Arch programs are 5 years, not 4 years. The 4 year programs are B.S. Arch programs, which does NOT lead to licensure.</p>
<p>Not to hijack this thread, but what do you guys think of a computer science minor? I contemplated it as a means to get a solid computer programming background in the event that I want to write programs for others fields (think economics).</p>
<p>Is that feasible.</p>
<p>Thank you! These replies are very helpful! =) Thank you for the links, jwxie!</p>
<p>I’m definately into architecture, since 5th grade, but I asked about minoring in environmental engineering because I’m interested in sustainability, or civil or structural engineering because I thought they are really connected to architecture. I really want to be an architect and not so much of an engineer because I’m an artist. I just want to study more than just architecture to make the most of my college studies and because I thought it will help me in finding a job. </p>
<p>A lot of people recommended Architectural Engineering and I did research about it but as I mentioned above, I’m more into art than math and it doesn’t seem like a reliable major(correct me if I’m wrong). Also, some told me that if I were to major in Architectural Engineering, I might as well major in Structural Engineering instead because structural engineers are more useful. </p>
<p>I’m aware that not many colleges with architecture and engineering allow minoring in engineering so I’m still thinking about what colleges I should apply to. So far I have these in mind:</p>
<p>Cal Poly San Luis Obispo
Cal Poly Pomona
UC Berkely
UCLA
University of Southern California
University of Oregon
California College of the Arts
Cooper Union
Syracuse University</p>
<p>According to the UC Berkely link that jwxie mentioned, it allows minoring in engineering.
I think both Cal Polys and University of Southern California allow it too. I’m not so sure about Cooper Union, Syracuse University, and UCLA. I know California College of the Arts and University of Oregon don’t have engineering, but they’re pretty good for architecture. Any advice or info? =D</p>