Is a BEng + BCom Double Degree a Good Choice for an Engineering Career?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the potential benefits and considerations of pursuing a double degree in Engineering (BEng) and Commerce (BCom), particularly in the context of an engineering career. Participants explore the compatibility of the two fields, the impact on career opportunities, and the feasibility of managing the workload associated with such a combination.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Debate/contested
  • Conceptual clarification

Main Points Raised

  • One participant suggests that combining engineering with a focus on Organizational Management in business could enhance career prospects, particularly in corporate management roles.
  • Another participant expresses interest in quantitative finance due to its mathematical content but acknowledges that engineering studies will also involve significant mathematics.
  • A participant raises the possibility of pursuing multiple majors within the BCom, although they express concern about the potential workload.
  • One participant shares an example of an extreme academic workload, suggesting that year-round study could alleviate the need for overloading courses.
  • Another participant questions whether it might be more beneficial to complete a single engineering degree followed by an MBA, reflecting the mixed opinions on the double degree approach.
  • The original poster indicates uncertainty about whether to maintain the BCom in their preferences, citing conflicting advice from different sources.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express a range of opinions on the value of a double degree versus a single degree followed by an MBA. There is no consensus, as some advocate for the double degree while others suggest a more traditional path of pursuing an MBA later.

Contextual Notes

Participants mention the potential for common courses between the two degree programs, but specific details about course overlap or institutional policies are not provided. Concerns about workload and the difficulty of engineering studies are acknowledged but not resolved.

Who May Find This Useful

Students considering a double degree in engineering and business, academic advisors, and individuals exploring career paths that combine technical and managerial skills may find this discussion relevant.

danago
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Hey. I have a few days to submit my final preferences for uni. I am going to go into engineering (chemical probably), and ill probably do it as a double degree with a bachelor of commerce (maybe majoring in quantatative finance).

Anyway, does this sound like a good combination? Would the two degrees go together well in an engineering career? Does the addition of the business degree open up a large new range of potential careers?
 
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Sounds great. You may want to focus you business classes towards Organizational Management. Together with your engineering degree this intangible difference will vault you over middle management(finance) into corporate management & Strategy. With that bigger picture in mind, you can always make sure you have great finance people around you as you run the company.

In other words, You never see a Navy Seal, Delta Force or Army Special Forces guy make it to be a four-star general etc. Their skill are so critical that they reach the top of their specialty and remain there. Whereas a General officer with a broader range of Organizational-Operational skills will quickly climb the ladder. Well, It's the same in business. If you have organizational and operations business skills then you also know how to marshal the best people for key positions to keep your business growing.
Finance is great but overly specific, I would stick with some type of management track which gives you the skills to manage and marshal your people. You engineering hard skills will put you over the top.
 
Thanks for the great advice :smile:

The university which i am looking at offers 12 majors (http://www.uwa.edu.au/prospective/undergrad/courses/commerce ). The only reason i thought of doing quantatative finance is because of its mathematical content, but i guess ill be doing enough of that in engineering anyway :P I don't have to decide what I am going to major in until the second year, so I've still got time to decide.
 
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Hmm i guess if i really wanted to (and if it would help) i could always do a double or triple major in my BCom. That might be pushing it in terms of the workload though, since engineering isn't exactly the easiest degree (or so I've heard).
 
UWA is a great University by the way! Keep working hard..
 
Well if you continue your studies year round including summer then you won't have to overload. Here is an extreme example. Here at the University of Alabama a student completed his BS-physics in 2years. He averaged 30 credits per semester. That is double the workload of the average physics student. Also, there should be common courses to both Degree programs. Myself, I am Electrical Engineering/Physics major and I will be going to Graduate school for a Masters in Business.
Keep in touch!
 
I was looking at a few MBA programs and it made me think; would i be better off just doing a single engineering degree now, and then doing an MBA later on?
 
Ok well I've put my first preference as BEng + BCom, however i still may drop the BCom. I am getting mixed ideas from different people; Some say definitely do the double, while others say do the single degree and then do an MBA later on.

Id like to hear more people's thoughts on the topic.
 

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