<p>So I’ve been thinking heavily on doing either computer science, petroleum engineering, or electrical engineering. I’m leaning more towards PE. Duke only has offers BME, Mech E, Electrical & Computer E and Civil & Environmental E. Does anyone know if there’s a way I could end up in petroleum engineering while still going to Duke, or am I better off going to a school that offers it as a clear cut major?</p>
<p>I’m far from an expert, but I think I read somewhere that majoring in ME for your undergrad would allow you end up in petroleum engineering. I would post this in the engineering majors thread and ask there (though I’m pretty sure someone else already asked the same question).</p>
<p>If you want to get into petroleum engineering you should major in petroleum engineering. Or you can look up what oil companies recruit at Duke.</p>
<p>Of course I would do that if Duke offered PE, but they don’t…</p>
<p>I think what 211mod0 meant was that if you want to do petroleum engineering, you should GO to a school that offers petroleum engineering. </p>
<p>The fact is if that’s what you want to do, taking a circuitous route such as going through ME is usually not a very good idea as you very well may need postgraduate education before being able to become a PE. If you’d like to keep it as a serious option, then go to a school that has it and the other majors that you are considering. If you come to Duke, your probability of going into petroleum engineering is likely to go down a lot.</p>
<p>I agree with SBR, but I’ll say that I do know several Duke engineering graduates who obtained jobs with major oil firms including ExxonMobil, Chevron, and Shell. So, apparently, some oil companies don’t necessarily require a petroleum engineering degree for its entry level engineering positions. But mechanical engineering is definitely a different curriculum than petroleum engineering.</p>
<p>One of my interviews was with a Duke graduate. I believe he was an econ major and got his masters in petroleum engineering at A&M. Also, the founder of Chesapeake was a Duke alumni. So it does happen. But, you need to look at who recruits at Duke. Google their career fair and see which oil companies attend and who they are recruiting. Duke’s an awesome school but you’ll have more oil companies recruiting at schools that offer a petroleum engineering degree.</p>
<p>Oh I don’t dispute that it’s possible to work for an oil company after graduating from Duke or that oil companies recruit from Duke. It’s just that I think some Duke graduates who go to those companies don’t necessarily end up in the same positions as petroleum engineering grads. Is it possible to get entry-level engineering positions at oil companies as a Duke student? Sure. But Duke will not be on those companies’ radars as much as a school with a strong PE program and if that’s what you want to do, it’d be crazy to throw away an advantage like that.</p>
<p>You can get entry level positions, however they won’t be in petroleum engineering specifically. Its really a yes and a no. Can you get hired by an oil company? Yes. Will you do a petroleum engineers job? No. I do know that drilling companies hire Mech E’s as drilling engineers. If that is your cup of tea go for it. Go look at the shell, chevron, and other’s websites, look at the jobs, and see what they require. Different jobs are Petrol Engineering specific, like well design or reservoir engineering. They tend to hire Petrol grads because they have studied that area. It is always better to be educated in an area that actually draws the industry you are looking to be employed by.</p>