Programs Major In Lieu of Nuclear Engineering?

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Adam Cole, a freshman at Chesapeake College, is considering a major change from Business Administration to better prepare for a graduate program in Nuclear Engineering, which is not offered at his current school. He is exploring options such as Chemical Engineering, Physics, and Math, and is contemplating a double major in Chemical Engineering and Physics with a Math minor. The discussion highlights the importance of choosing a university that offers a degree in Nuclear Engineering for undergraduate studies, with suggestions to consider transferring to schools like the University of Tennessee-Knoxville or North Carolina State University, which provide in-state tuition rates for out-of-state students under certain conditions. Participants emphasize that obtaining a degree specifically in Nuclear Engineering would be beneficial, and some share personal experiences and insights about their own educational paths in the field.
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Hi everyone, my name is Adam Cole. I am currently a freshman at Chesapeake College on the Eastern Shore of Maryland. I have a few questions. I'm actually a Business Administration major, but I am going to be changing it soon. Chesapeake College is only a community college so I need to transfer to a four year school. My top choices are Johns Hopkins University and University of Maryland: College Park. I am extremely interested in Nuclear Engineering, but neither JHU nor UMD have an undergraduate Nuclear Engineering program. UMD does have a graduate program though. My main question is which major would best prepare me for their Nuclear Engineering graduate program? My second engineering field of interest is Chemical Engineering, so I was kind of thinking that. Someone said to major in physics, and I also thought about math. I was formulating the thought of double majoring in Chemical Engineering and Physics and minoring in Math. Any help as to which path would be best is greatly appreciated.
 
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If you want to major in something, does it not make sense to attend a university that offers that major? You're planning to transfer anyway - shouldn't you go somewhere that offers what you are looking for?
 
There were a couple of students who went straight into working in the nuclear engineering industry from my school last year after just an undergrad in mechanical engineering (taking a couple nuclear courses in 4th year mind you). If you want to go to grad school, you can take mech.engineering, chem. engineering, or even chemistry (my prof who worked in the nuclear engineering industry for many years got an undergrad in physical chemistry, then masters and phd in nuclear engineering).
 
I don't really want to go out of state and UMD and JHU are pretty good schools. That is one issue I was debating on, if mechanical or chemical engineering is better to lead into nuclear engineering. I'd rather stay around here anyways since all the government agencies are around here and that is where I am hoping to land a job after school.
 
I would suggest you actually get a degree in Nuclear Engineering for your B.S. if you're interested in it.

My suggestion would be the University of Tennessee-Knoxville or North Carolina State University for transfer programs. Both fall under the academic common market getting out of state students in-state rates if your home state doesn't have the degree. UofM has a graduate program in it, but not a ranked one.
 
Let me clarify, University of Maryland, http://www.ennu.umd.edu/ isn't even ranked.

University of Michigan at Ann Arbor, the school I want to go to for my PhD is ranked number one.
 
crazyisraelie said:
I would suggest you actually get a degree in Nuclear Engineering for your B.S. if you're interested in it.

My suggestion would be the University of Tennessee-Knoxville or North Carolina State University for transfer programs. Both fall under the academic common market getting out of state students in-state rates if your home state doesn't have the degree. UofM has a graduate program in it, but not a ranked one.

This is the best advice so far. If Nuclear Engineering is what you want to do, you should definitely get your undergrad degree in NE. Both UT and NCSU are excellent schools for NE. I have close ties to Tennessee (postdoc'd there) and have met a few faculty from NCSU who were all very nice and sharp researchers.
 
crazyisraelie said:
Let me clarify, University of Maryland, http://www.ennu.umd.edu/ isn't even ranked.

University of Michigan at Ann Arbor, the school I want to go to for my PhD is ranked number one.

Oh, gotcha. And I'm actually at Michigan for NE right now (undergrad). It's great here :)
Good luck with your application. I hope you get in!
 
  • #10
DR13 said:
Oh, gotcha. And I'm actually at Michigan for NE right now (undergrad). It's great here :)
Good luck with your application. I hope you get in!

Congrats on being at Michigan, and thank you.
 

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