Should I Switch from Math to Engineering for Better Career Opportunities?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the considerations of switching from a mathematics major to engineering, particularly focusing on career opportunities, gender dynamics in the fields, and personal preferences regarding hands-on work. Participants explore the implications of such a change in terms of work environment and future prospects.

Discussion Character

  • Debate/contested
  • Conceptual clarification
  • Exploratory

Main Points Raised

  • One participant expresses uncertainty about switching to engineering due to a preference for theoretical mathematics and concerns about hands-on work.
  • Another participant suggests that engineering may be perceived as boring for those who enjoy pure or rigorous applied math.
  • A participant questions the gender dynamics in mathematics, noting that math majors may also be predominantly male.
  • Some participants acknowledge that engineering is male-dominated, while others argue that mathematics is approaching gender parity.
  • One suggestion is to consider adding an engineering minor to explore the field without fully committing to a major change.
  • A participant highlights the potential for graduate studies in different fields, indicating that a math background can lead to opportunities in engineering or other STEM areas.
  • Another participant emphasizes the importance of standing one's ground in a male-dominated environment and notes the growing acceptance of women in STEM fields.
  • A participant shares personal observations about gender ratios in their engineering classes, indicating a significant male majority.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express a range of views on the gender dynamics in mathematics and engineering, with some noting the male dominance in engineering while others highlight improvements in gender representation in mathematics. There is no consensus on whether the participant should switch majors, as opinions vary on the appeal and challenges of both fields.

Contextual Notes

Participants discuss the implications of gender dynamics and personal preferences without resolving the complexities of career opportunities in mathematics versus engineering. The conversation reflects varying experiences and perceptions that may not apply universally.

SMA_01
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I'm in my second year in University studying mathematics. I really like math, and people are telling me to go into engineering instead due to the better career opportunities. I have considered engineering before but I'm not sure if I will like it because it's more hands-on and I don't think I'm too good with that. Also, I'm a girl, and I know most engineers are males so the work environment may be a bit uncomfortable? How do I know if I'm the "engineering-type"? I'm really confused about what to do right now... :confused:

I want to know how the work environment for an engineer is? Also, would it be a good idea for me to change majors? I mean, what are the career opportunities out there for a math major?


Thanks
 
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SMA_01 said:
I'm in my second year in University studying mathematics. I really like math, and people are telling me to go into engineering instead due to the better career opportunities. I have considered engineering before but I'm not sure if I will like it because it's more hands-on and I don't think I'm too good with that. Also, I'm a girl, and I know most engineers are males so the work environment may be a bit uncomfortable? How do I know if I'm the "engineering-type"? I'm really confused about what to do right now... :confused:

I want to know how the work environment for an engineer is? Also, would it be a good idea for me to change majors? I mean, what are the career opportunities out there for a math major?


Thanks

If you like real math, like pure math or even rigorous applied math, a lot of engineering will seem very boring to you IMO. If you have no experience with hands on stuff engineering is even more difficult; deriving equations is easier than making real world projects like a custom built power system work.
 
Not to sound crass but aren't most math majors guys as well?
 
@clope: thanks for the insight, I guess you're right

@Zen: Well not sure, but engineering is known to be male-dominated, especially in the workforce.
 
No, math is drawing close to achieving gender parity while engineering, computer science, and physics remain heavily male dominated.

See if you can add an engineering minor. You can always get rid of it if it turns out not to be for you.

Also, remember that many people go to graduate schools in a different program than their undergraduate degrees. For instance, there are many schools with STEM Masters programs that will accept people with humanities degrees. Of course, they generally have to take many more courses than your typical master's student since they end up repeating a significant portion of the undergraduate curriculum. It is even more common for someone with a STEM undergraduate degree to get a Master's degree in a different STEM field. For instance, a physics undergraduate who goes on to get a master's degree in computer science or electrical engineering and then a PhD in Astronomy.

You can still wind up in a graduate engineering program even if your BS was in math.
 
SMA_01 said:
I'm in my second year in University studying mathematics. I really like math, and people are telling me to go into engineering instead due to the better career opportunities. I have considered engineering before but I'm not sure if I will like it because it's more hands-on and I don't think I'm too good with that. Also, I'm a girl, and I know most engineers are males so the work environment may be a bit uncomfortable? How do I know if I'm the "engineering-type"? I'm really confused about what to do right now... :confused:

I want to know how the work environment for an engineer is? Also, would it be a good idea for me to change majors? I mean, what are the career opportunities out there for a math major?

Thanks

Hey SMA_01 and welcome to the forums.

With regard to the male domination issue, just stand your ground and don't let people take you for a ride. They will probably respect you if you do that, and if they still persist, then make an example of them in front of their peers. This is, in my opinion, the best way to stop idiots bullying other people. Most likely though, people, whether they are male or female, should treat you with respect.

I can't speak about engineering, but I can speak about math.

With math, if you do something applied, there should be plenty of work if you are competent. Statistics is used everywhere in many industries. The thing about statistics and why it is so useful, is because there is so much data out there, and not enough people to analyze or make sense of it. Think about all the data all these companies and governments have whether it be sales data or national health data. The data is growing almost exponentially, but the people analyzing the data and making sense of it are not.

With the gender issue, I think you'll find a trend that more women will go into the sciences and engineering, because thankfully people are moving on from the early 20th century and prior history that women should "barefoot and pregnant" and "in the kitchen" kind of mentality (although it still exists). Women are being encouraged nowadays and you should take advantage of that because there are a lot of scholarships around for women doing these kind of things. I imagine some day in the future, people won't really think twice about whether segregated class of people could do a particular thing, but unfortunately we are not there yet.
 
Since I'm an engineer taking a lot of math classes I can sort of comment on the gender issue.

In the math classes I am taking now (Linear Algebra and Intro to Proofs), there is a pretty decent split in gender though its skewed toward the male side.

In engineering there is 2 girls (out of ~40 total) in my EE classes, and a couple more in my mixed engineering classes.

But don't let that make the decision for you.
 

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