From Computer Engineering to another field

AI Thread Summary
Attending a college that only allows a single major in computer engineering raises concerns about future academic flexibility. Graduates can typically pursue graduate studies in economics or computer science without a bachelor's in those fields, but top-ranked programs may have specific prerequisites. The discussion touches on the perceived difficulty of economics compared to computer engineering, with some finding introductory economics easier than other scientific subjects. The feasibility of self-studying economics and related fields through textbooks is also debated, with an acknowledgment that foundational knowledge in mathematics is essential for graduate-level economics. Overall, the conversation emphasizes the importance of understanding academic pathways and the potential for self-directed learning in new disciplines.
Bipolarity
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I am soon going to be attending college where the only major I will follow is computer engineering (my college doesn't allow switching majors).

1) Once I complete my engineering degree, will I be able to pursue graduate school in economics/computer science? Or do I necessarily need a bachelor's in those fields to be considered for grad schools?

2) What about for the top ranked graduate schools in the US?

3) How easy is economics compared to computer engineering?

4) Can I pick up all economics,computer science and econometrics from textbooks off Amazon?

So far (I am a high school senior) I picked up my first book on micro and macro and it is fairly packed with some calculus. Yet I find it incredibly easy compared to physics,chemistry,analysis all of which I find to be significantly more difficult and time consuming.

5) Is economics really this easy? Or is it just that it's very low level economics that I'm doing right now?

6) What level of mathematics is needed for graduate level economics?

BiP
 
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Bipolarity said:
I am soon going to be attending college where the only major I will follow is computer engineering (my college doesn't allow switching majors)

BiP

...What kind of College or University doesn't let you switch majors? Maybe you should go to a different school. That sounds shady; also, there is no reason to get a degree in a field you don't like and then go back again for one you do want. This sounds like a mistake. Maybe I misunderstood you.
 
BorrgSentinel said:
...What kind of College or University doesn't let you switch majors? Maybe you should go to a different school. That sounds shady; also, there is no reason to get a degree in a field you don't like and then go back again for one you do want. This sounds like a mistake. Maybe I misunderstood you.

The Cooper Union. It's a professional engineering school.
But you haven't really answered my question :/
I am not worried about wasting my degree on a field I don't like. I'm worried about whether I will be able pick up the field that I do like from reading Amazon textbooks.

BiP
 
Hey, I am Andreas from Germany. I am currently 35 years old and I want to relearn math and physics. This is not one of these regular questions when it comes to this matter. So... I am very realistic about it. I know that there are severe contraints when it comes to selfstudy compared to a regular school and/or university (structure, peers, teachers, learning groups, tests, access to papers and so on) . I will never get a job in this field and I will never be taken serious by "real"...
Yesterday, 9/5/2025, when I was surfing, I found an article The Schwarzschild solution contains three problems, which can be easily solved - Journal of King Saud University - Science ABUNDANCE ESTIMATION IN AN ARID ENVIRONMENT https://jksus.org/the-schwarzschild-solution-contains-three-problems-which-can-be-easily-solved/ that has the derivation of a line element as a corrected version of the Schwarzschild solution to Einstein’s field equation. This article's date received is 2022-11-15...
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