Is Engineering Right for Me Given My Theoretical Inclination?

  • Context: Engineering 
  • Thread starter Thread starter ThiagoMartins
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Engineering
Click For Summary
SUMMARY

The discussion centers on a recent Electrical Engineering graduate who excelled in theoretical courses but struggled with practical applications, leading to doubts about their suitability for an engineering career. The individual performed well academically in subjects like Calculus, Physics, and Control Theory but found laboratory work and project execution challenging. They are contemplating whether to continue in engineering, potentially focusing on theoretical areas such as Digital Signal Processing (DSP) and RF communication, or to transition to a pure science career in Physics or Mathematics.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of Electrical Engineering principles
  • Familiarity with theoretical concepts in Calculus and Physics
  • Basic knowledge of Digital Signal Processing (DSP)
  • Awareness of RF communication and integrated circuits
NEXT STEPS
  • Explore graduate programs in Electrical Engineering that emphasize theoretical studies
  • Research career paths in Digital Signal Processing (DSP) and RF communication
  • Investigate opportunities in pure sciences such as Physics or Mathematics
  • Consider internships or projects that focus on theoretical applications in engineering
USEFUL FOR

This discussion is beneficial for recent engineering graduates, students considering a shift to theoretical fields, and individuals evaluating their fit within practical engineering roles.

ThiagoMartins
Messages
1
Reaction score
0
Hi to all, I just got my bachelor degree in Electrical Engineering finishing first in my class. I also got my Engineer certificate in my country via thesis dissertation.

My problem is I think I don’t have the necessary to be an engineer. In college, I did very good and had no problem getting excellent grades on "theoretical" courses(Calculus, Physics, Circuit Design, Control Theory, etc), but when I had to work in laboratory and was asked to build certain projects I always sucked. I recognize that I had no interest in these kind of tasks and preferred to study “theory” instead of building a Power Supply or program a microcontroller but even when I tried to my results were really poor. It was frustrating for me, I had no problem understanding “difficult”concepts but when it came to a real world applications I was useless in my groups project. My lack of lab/technical/practical skills(and maybe passion) makes me think that I made a mistake by choosing an engineering carreer.

My question is should I stay in Engineering and look for an area where I could fit and be useful? In which areas you recommend me to try? (I liked areas such as DSP, RF communication and integrated circuits but I think I liked them more for their Physics and Math content than for their actual applications)

Or maybe should I switch to a “pure ”science career like Physics or Mathematics taking into account that I am 25 years old?

I’d appreciate your opinions.
 
Physics news on Phys.org
You might try grad school in engineering. It tends to emphasize the theory more.
 

Similar threads

  • · Replies 1 ·
Replies
1
Views
2K
  • · Replies 5 ·
Replies
5
Views
2K
  • · Replies 9 ·
Replies
9
Views
2K
  • · Replies 2 ·
Replies
2
Views
1K
  • · Replies 6 ·
Replies
6
Views
3K
  • · Replies 19 ·
Replies
19
Views
4K
  • · Replies 13 ·
Replies
13
Views
3K
Replies
28
Views
3K
  • · Replies 19 ·
Replies
19
Views
5K
  • · Replies 21 ·
Replies
21
Views
5K