Thinking about business, but after spending so much time in engineering/science

[mr_coffee]

Thinking about business, but after spending so much time in engineering/science...

Hello everyone,

This is a big step and I don't know if I want to do it or not. Heres how my changing of majors already occured. I went from being a Software Engineer then got hurt in a car accident and was forced to switch colleges and majors.

I took a year off to find myself living in a wheelchair now about 2 years later I can walk. Well before I could walk I went back as a Computer Engineer, not realizing what a computer engineer actually had to do everyday I then switched to the closet thing to Software Engineering, Computer Science.

So right now I'm a computer Science major, I put in I'm saying about 3 years already with everything. I still have about 4 semesters left I think and i'll have a Computer Science Degree.

The reason now I'm having second thoughts as being a Computer Science graduate is because it will require me to sit 8 hours a day with very little social interaction or making me get up and walk around.

My best therapy for me to walk is walking in every day life or on the job. Like they old saying goes, if you don't use it you loose it.

I can barely sit down anymore for more than an hour without getting into extreme pain and I noticed I can't stay focused anymore when I'm debugging code or programming in general.

Here's the courses I've already taken and right now have a 3.75 GPA:

--FALL SEMESTER 2003 ----------------------------------------------------------
College: BEHREND COLLEGE Major: BEHREND COLLEGE
Campus: ERIE SEM CLASS: 02

Course Credits Grade Grade Points
PSU 007 BHRND 1ST-YR SMNR 1.0 A 4.00
CSE 103 INTRO PRGMG TECH 4.0 A 16.00
MATH 140 CALC ANLY GEOM I 4.0 A 16.00
CHEM 012 CHEM PRINC 3.0 B 9.00
CHEM 014 EXPER CHEM 1.0 A 4.00
ENGL 015 RHETORIC & COMP 3.0 A- 11.01

*DEAN'S LIST SEMESTER 16.00 3.75 60.01
Cumulative 16.0 3.75 60.01
Total 16.0

--SPRING SEMESTER 2004----------------------------------------------------------
College: BEHREND COLLEGE Major: BEHREND COLLEGE
Campus: ERIE SEM CLASS: 03

Course Credits Grade Grade Points
CSE 120 INTERMED PROGRMG 3.0 A 12.00
MUSIC 005 INTRO/WESTRN MUSIC 3.0 A 12.00
M I S 204 INTRO BUS INF SYS 2.0 A- 7.34
PHYS 211 MECHANICS 4.0 B 12.00
CMPBD 127 INTER PROGRAM LAB 1.0 A 4.00
MATH 141 CALC ANLY GEOM II 4.0 A 16.00

*DEAN'S LIST SEMESTER 17.00 3.73 63.34
Cumulative 33.0 3.74 123.35
Total 33.0

--FALL SEMESTER 2004 ----------------------------------------------------------
College: BEHREND COLLEGE Major: BEHREND COLLEGE
Campus: ERIE SEM CLASS: 03

Course Credits Grade Grade Points
CENBD 360 OBJ-ORIENTED DSGN 3.0 W 0.00
PHYS 212 ELECT & MAGNETISM 4.0 W 0.00
MATH 250 ORD DIFF EQUATIONS 3.0 W 0.00
CAS 100B EFFECTIVE SPEECH 3.0 W 0.00
ESACT 303 STRENGTH TRAINING 1.5 A 6.00
MATH 220 MATRICES 2.0 WN 0.00

SEMESTER 1.50 4.00 6.00
Cumulative 34.5 3.75 129.35
Total 34.5

--SUMMER SEMESTER 2005----------------------------------------------------------
College: ENGINEERING Major: ENGINEERING
Campus: DU BOIS SEM CLASS: 03

Course Credits Grade Grade Points
ENGL 202C TECHNICAL WRITING 3.0 A 12.00

SEMESTER 3.00 4.00 12.00
Cumulative 37.5 3.77 141.35
Total 37.5

--FALL SEMESTER 2005 ----------------------------------------------------------
College: ENGINEERING Major: ENGINEERING
Campus: DU BOIS SEM CLASS: 04

Course Credits Grade Grade Points
CSE 271 INTRO DIGITAL SYS 3.0 A- 11.01
MATH 220 MATRICES 2.0 B+ 6.66
PHYS 212 ELECT & MAGNETISM 4.0 A 16.00
MATH 231H CALC SEVERAL VAR 2.0 A 8.00
CSE 275 DIGITAL DESIGN LAB 1.0 A 4.00

*DEAN'S LIST SEMESTER 12.00 3.81 45.67
Cumulative 49.5 3.78 187.02
Total 49.5

--SPRING SEMESTER 2006----------------------------------------------------------
College: ENGINEERING Major: ENGINEERING
Campus: DU BOIS SEM CLASS: 05

Course Credits Grade Grade Points
PHYS 214 WAVE MOTION&QUAN 2.0 A- 7.34
HIST 001 WESTERN HERITAGE I 3.0 A 12.00
MATH 251 ORD & PART DIFF EQ 4.0 A 16.00
E E 210 CIRCUITS & DEVICES 4.0 A- 14.68
ART 002 LRNG & WEB-DSGN 3.0 A 12.00

*DEAN'S LIST SEMESTER 16.00 3.88 62.02
Cumulative 65.5 3.80 249.04
Total 65.5

--SUMMER SEMESTER 2006----------------------------------------------------------
College: ENGINEERING Major: COMPUTER ENGINEERING
Campus: DU BOIS SEM CLASS: 05

Course Credits Grade Grade Points
ECON 002 MICROEC ANLY 3.0 A 12.00

SEMESTER 3.00 4.00 12.00
Cumulative 68.5 3.81 261.04
Total 68.5

--FALL SEMESTER 2006 ----------------------------------------------------------
College: ENGINEERING Major: COMPUTER SCIENCE
Campus: UNIVERSITY PARK SEM CLASS: 06

Course Credits Grade Grade Points
CSE 260 DISCRETE MATH/CS 3.0 B- 8.01
CSE 331 COMP ORG & DESIGN 3.0 C+ 6.99
ART 297A WEB GRAPHICS/DSGN 3.0 A 12.00
CAS 100B EFFECTIVE SPEECH 3.0 A 12.00

SEMESTER 12.00 3.25 39.00
Cumulative 80.5 3.73 300.04
Total 80.5

As you can see I was doing pretty good in all my courses, except this semester I got a C+ and B-.

Due to my condition now I found I lost my love for programming, I want to get out and socialize and interact with people which will force me to become normal again and being a programmer won't force me to do this if I'm sitting at a desk all day debugging code.

Does anyone know any business branches I could go into with my background or having a strong background in computers/math help me in the business world? I"m lost on what branch of business will offer me the best transition.Thank you for your time.

 

[apples]

It's simple, if you have always liked science, took interest in it, then don't leave it regardless of what others say about the current jobs available. But if you're just dragging yourself along, barely passing half the courses, then switch over to business, science is not for you. About the branch business that would be suitable for you, some one else will have to help you with that. I have never had any interest in business.

 

[mr_coffee]

Thanks for the responce,

Well I'm not persay, dragging myself along because I'm getting good grades in all my courses and I did love it before but now physically I don't think it would be a job that would be suitable.

Maybe I'm wrong though, are there any programmers out there or Computer Science majors who are out in the job market, maybe you can tell me how your work day goes.

 

[leright]

Thanks for the responce,

Well I'm not persay, dragging myself along because I'm getting good grades in all my courses and I did love it before but now physically I don't think it would be a job that would be suitable.

Maybe I'm wrong though, are there any programmers out there or Computer Science majors who are out in the job market, maybe you can tell me how your work day goes.

If you don't have the same passion about the subject that you had a year or so ago then maybe you should consider switching majors. However, since you have made significant progress toward the computer science degree maybe you should stick it out, finish the compsci degree, and then also take some business classes on the side as electives. That would minimize your graduation time, since you wouldn't have to start over on a different type of degree, and you could still get into a management position. Later, you could pursue an MBA.

But most people that go into computer science and then become programmers eventually dislike their job after years pass. Writing code will get quite old after a while for most people.

 

[mr_coffee]

leright,

thanks for that advice I was talking to my parents and I suggested the exact same thing you just said. Finishing this up, get a job, then go back to school and get my MBA.

I think that's what I'm going to do. Thanks :)

 

[Rocket_guy]

I would like to add something ..
what exactly matters here is where ur interest lies in! It happens sometimes that we find ourselves getting bored of things we were really fond of sometime back. It does happen, especially if we don't get appropirate results out of certain things, we start getting bored of them. Studies are no different.

I feel u need a break. you need to go out, have sometime with pals, or spend sometime alone , but u need to figure out what do you exactly want to do? Switching over a course isn't a good sign. What made u decide so? Are you really bored of computers? or do you find business more interesting? Or you are just upset becoz u scored low in last sem? I had been through the same thing .. I switched from my Mechanical engineering to computers diploma .. but after a few months I realized where my real interest was. After the switching .. I had to reswitch into my Mech. thing. It wasn't a gud experience but anyways it made me realize what I really needed.

Are you trying to do the same thing? and I don't think that the programmers job make them stay away from society! Join group or club of some like minded people .. and u will get enough social life..but just don't switch the trade becoz u are bored with computers "for the time being".

If you want to change the course becoz it doesn't supports your physical conditions, then you can go for an MBA in Information technology or can try for MBA in software technology .. find out more for yourself .. Frankenstein can be my Icon but studying business is definitely not my cup of tea.. that's why I don't have much Idea about that!
Anyways .. its you who know urself the best .. just make the right choice!
Good Luck Mate!

 

[mr_coffee]

I actually now think this sounds more appealing than the business minor.

Engineering Leadership Development (814-865-4020) The Engineering Leadership Development Minor is an interdisciplinary program designed for engineering students who wish to supplement their major field of study with knowledge of leadership concepts, principles, practices and techniques. The minor was developed as a result of strong industry, recruiter, and alumni support for training, educating, and developing engineers who are not only technically competent but also interpersonally aware and capable of leading teams.
The minor provides students with the opportunity to develop essential non-technical professional skills necessary to become leader-engineers in today's evolving global society. The program aspires to produce "world-class engineers": engineers who are aware of the world, solidly grounded in their technical discipline, intellectually broad minded, effective in group operations, and people oriented.

 

[Rocket_guy]

All fields are equally important .. everyone is needd in this world .. choice is urs!

 

[AsianSensationK]

This may be a late reply, but if you were to switch to business, finance would be the obvious choice, since it utilizes a great deal of computer science and mathematics for modeling portfolios and pricing derivatives.

Of course, switching late in the game isn't really a good idea. If you're thinking about business school later on, make sure you have the first two courses in accounting under your belt. These two courses in accounting are "foundational" to business.

 

[verty]

Mr Coffee, think back if you can about all the classes you have liked, or all the nonfiction books that you enjoyed reading, or perhaps all the teachers/lecturers that you got along with and what type of people they were.

Then if you can, think about why you chose Computer Engineering, what you were thinking at the time. What experiences resulted in you making that choice? What about it seemed appealing?

If you can identify what is common between all these things, I think you will learn about what it is that you want. I don't think you want just an MBA or whatever, it is surely better to have another qualification and I think computer science is a good one to have. But really, do all this thinking and come to a proper decision.

 

[turbo]

My cousin is a whiz at programming, but his talent for working with people quickly led him into managerial positions, and for decades he has held a series of jobs on high-profile projects for a major defense contractor. They still call on him for help with buggy code, but his primary responsibilities revolve around organizing the work flow, managing his staff, meeting project goals, developing proposals for new or ongoing projects. If you have a head for business, remember that teams of programmers need to be headed up by someone who understands what they do for a living, and not all programmers want to be or can be managers.

 

[interested_learner]

You could finish your science degree and then go into finance. Many companies hire engineering majors for finance work.

 

[mr_coffee]

Thanks guys!

Verty,
When I think about all the classes I've enjoyed and the books I've been exctied to buy early to read up on were all programming books, or they were related to programming in some way. Weither it be design or learning a new language.

So I am going to finish up my computer science degree. The only reason I switched to Computer Engineering is because I was scared of outsourcing and I figured if there was a lack of programming jobs I could always go into hardware design but that usually requires a masters or higher not a 4 year degree if you want to do hardware. I also dislike hardware design so I figured if I'm not enjoying it, don't go for it. So I switched to Computer Science.

I'm going to go out there and get a job and see what its really like and see where it takes me. I always worry about the future too much and freak myself out somtimes.

If I go out there and I find that I have the same personality as your cousin Turbo then I guess it will lead me into a Project Management position without having an MBA :)

Thanks for the advice everyone!

 

[turbo]

If I go out there and I find that I have the same personality as your cousin Turbo then I guess it will lead me into a Project Management position without having an MBA :)

He doesn't have an MBA, either - he has a 2-year degree from a technical college and a lot of talent, drive, and initiative.