Geological vs. Mechanical Engineering

[dudleykid]

Hello. I am currently finishing up my first semester as a junior in geological engineering. I have been thinking about changing to mechanical engineering. I chose geological engineering because I wanted to get into the energy industry either geothermal (because I am from Nevada) or oil. I feel like I was doing that for the money and power. I realized that I don't really care about the money anymore. Either way I will make good cash, right? I want to love my job. I enjoy the outdoors and I love to fly fish and hunt. I think having a job designing hunting and fishing gear for a outdoor company like Cabelas, Scheels, or Patagonia would be the ideal job. I also got into geological for the traveling and I believe ME's travel just as much if they want to, right? If I do change I think I will be set back about one year or so. I have also considered grad school, would it be ok to graduate with a GE degree and then go to grad school for ME? I would love advice!

 

[hollidca]

In ME we have an entire module for 3 or more years based around renewable energies, fossil fuels, fluid dynamics, thermal dynamics and the like. So you're still covered for gas/oil etc. Also because we get an far wider understanding of other engineering disciplines we are more likely to get hire to work on an oil rig for example than other engineers. ME will take you wherever you want it to! But don't change your course on a whim, think about it very carefully! If you want to design products, then maybe product design would be a better option for you?

I hope this helps.