As a student trying to decide my major, I grappled with choosing between engineering and business. Both fields offered exciting career prospects, but I felt drawn to elements of each discipline. Ultimately, I decided on a double major in engineering and business – and it was one of the best decisions I ever made!
Double majoring opened up a world of opportunities that wouldn’t have been possible with a single major. In this article, I’ll share my experiences and advice for students considering an engineering and business double major.
Why Double Major in Engineering and Business?
Pursuing a double major in engineering and business can prepare you for careers that combine technical and business skills. With expertise in both areas, you’ll have a competitive edge for jobs like:
- Management consulting at firms like McKinsey, Bain, or Boston Consulting Group
- Product management at tech companies like Google, Meta, and Microsoft
- Technology strategy roles at Fortune 500 companies
- Starting your own engineering-focused company
Double majoring also leaves your options open if you’re not yet sure what you want to do after graduation. You’ll have the qualifications to pursue diverse opportunities and pivot between technical and business-focused roles.
The knowledge and skills you gain with this combination are highly versatile. Here are some of the key benefits of double majoring in engineering and business
Engineering
- In-depth understanding of technical systems and ability to solve complex problems
- Hands-on engineering training and practical lab experience
- Valuable hard skills like data analysis, modeling, and critical thinking
- Exposure to the latest technologies and innovations
Business
- Strong business acumen and ability to understand organizational needs
- Knowledge of important business functions like marketing, finance, and management
- Soft skills like communication, collaboration, and leadership
- Understanding of how to apply technical skills in a business context
Challenges of a Double Major
While rewarding, taking on two majors also comes with challenges. Here are some issues to consider
Time Commitment
Double majoring requires extra classes and coursework. It can extend your time in school, often requiring an additional semester or year to complete both programs. You’ll need to balance a heavy course load and make time for all of your studies.
Maintaining Strong Grades
The heightened academic demands can lead to lower grades if you spread yourself too thin. It’s essential to stay organized and on top of assignments to thrive with the increased workload.
Difficulty of Upper-Level Courses
As you advance, classes become more rigorous in both business and engineering. You’ll need to push yourself to excel in two challenging subject areas.
Limited Flexibility in Scheduling
Fitting in required classes for both majors can make scheduling more difficult. You may have less flexibility if program courses conflict.
Increased Tuition Costs
Depending on your school, completing additional semesters or credits beyond your original graduation timeline can increase tuition expenses.
Though certainly demanding, confronting these challenges is worthwhile for gaining expertise in both engineering and business. The key is staying committed, getting organized, and leveraging all the support resources at your disposal.
Tips for Thriving as a Double Major
If you pursue an engineering and business double major, here are some tips to help you thrive:
Get Advising Support
Meet with academic advisors in both departments early on to map out your curriculum. They can help identify efficient pathways to fulfill requirements. Advisors can also connect you with useful school resources.
Take Core Classes First
Complete foundational courses in math, science, writing, and intro business as soon as possible. This will leave more flexibility later for your advanced engineering and business electives.
Find Efficiencies in Requirements
Look for classes like statistics, economics, and accounting that may fulfill core requirements for both majors simultaneously. This can help streamline your course load.
Be Strategic With Electives
Use electives to complement your majors, like marketing courses for engineers or programming classes for business students. This can strengthen interdisciplinary skills.
Create a Study Schedule
With more assignments and exams, meticulous time management is essential. Schedule blocks for each class, assignments, reviews, and breaks to balance school and life.
Leverage School Assistance
Seek out tutors, study groups, writing centers, or other academic support if needed. Don’t be afraid to utilize school resources.
Talk to Upperclassmen
Connect with students who have completed or are currently double majoring. They can provide invaluable advice on navigating programs and managing workload.
Stay Organized
Use calendars, to-do lists, notebooks, and project management tools to stay on top of due dates and tasks. Organization is key to success.
Prioritize Your Health
Make time for exercise, sleep, healthy food, and social activities. Don’t burn out! Maintaining mental and physical health will keep you focused.
With some strategic planning, resourcefulness, and dedication, it’s completely possible to take on a double major successfully. And the reward of multidisciplinary skills will be well worth the effort!
Potential Career Paths
Pursuing a double major in engineering and business can prepare you for many exciting career opportunities, including:
Management Consulting
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Draw on business training and analytical engineering skills to evaluate organizations and propose solutions to improve strategy, operations, and processes.
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Work for prestigious consulting firms like McKinsey, BCG, Bain, Deloitte, Accenture, etc.
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Industry focus may be technology, manufacturing, healthcare, finance, retail, and more.
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Travel to client sites and work in a fast-paced, intellectually challenging environment.
Product Management
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Leverage technical background and business acumen to oversee product strategy and development at technology companies.
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Define product requirements, prioritize features, analyze data, and manage cross-functional teams to bring products to market.
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Work closely with engineers, designers, and business stakeholders at companies like Google, Amazon, Apple, Meta, Microsoft, etc.
Technology Strategy
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Use your diverse skillset to assess how technology can provide strategic advantages for organizations.
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Identify opportunities for process improvements, new IT systems implementation, automation, emerging tech adoption, and more.
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Roles may be in IT consulting, strategy departments, or new technology divisions within large corporations.
Entrepreneurship
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If interested in startups, your combined knowledge can help you launch your own engineering-driven company.
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Leverage business skills to handle strategy, marketing, finance, human resources, and more.
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Technical background allows you to oversee product development and understand innovations.
Engineering Management
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Manage teams, budgets, timelines, and other business functions for engineering projects and technology operations.
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Understand technical concepts while executing on organizational strategy and goals.
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Work may involve overseeing manufacturing operations, R&D departments, facility management, infrastructure, and more.
There are so many possibilities! With both engineering and business expertise, you can take your career in many directions. The double major prepares you to succeed in our technology-driven business world.
Key Takeaways
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Double majoring in engineering and business provides versatile skills that open up diverse career paths in technical and business roles.
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Studying both fields allows you to leverage your analytical and practical engineering abilities along with business acumen and communication skills.
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The combined expertise makes you well-qualified for opportunities like consulting, product management, entrepreneurship, and engineering management.
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While challenging, double majoring is manageable with strategic planning, resourcefulness, and diligent time management.
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Seek advising support, take core classes early, find requirement efficiencies, stay organized, and utilize academic assistance.
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The reward of multidisciplinary knowledge and preparation for exciting careers makes tackling a double major well worth the effort.
For students drawn to technology and business, a double major can be the perfect educational path. With focus and determination, you can develop expertise in both fields to propel you towards diverse and rewarding career opportunities. So don’t be afraid to broaden your studies – the investment will undoubtedly pay off!
The IBE Five Year Dual Degree Plan
After four years, students in the IBE Honors Program will receive the degree “Bachelors of Science in Integrated Business and Engineering with a major in XXX” where XXX is one of the many business or engineering majors available to IBE students. Even if the major field is in engineering, the BSIBE degree is an AACSB accredited business degree (AACSB is The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business, the organization that accredits business degrees). Students majoring in engineering essentially get 4 years of business and 3 years of engineering compressed into a 4 year curriculum. Students planning to work as engineers after graduation should obtain an ABET accredited engineering degree (ABET is the organization that accredits engineering degrees). To obtain a Professional Engineering (PE) License, one must hold an ABET accredited engineering degree.
The IBE five-year, dual-degree plan is designed for students seeking an engineering degree in addition to the BSIBE. IBE students majoring in an engineering field may obtain a second B.S. degree in their engineering major field by completing roughly 30 additional credits. These 30 credits are essentially the senior year curriculum for the students engineering major field. Roughly two-thirds of current IBE students who are majoring in an engineering field are following the dual degree option. Also note the you may subtract your AP and other advanced credits you have earned from the extra 30 credits required for both degrees. Thus many of our students can complete both degrees in 9 semesters, or 8 semesters and a summer.
To pursue the dual degree program, you must choose an IBE major that is consistent with your second degree. For example, if you want a B.S. in Chemical Engineering, then your IBE major should also be Chemical Engineering. You could not do your IBE major in, say, finance or civil engineering and then complete the B.S. in Chemical Engineering in 5 years. Many IBE students achieve a “full” engineering degree and an IBE degree with a business major (e.g. a BS in CHemical Eningeering and a BS-IBE in Finance). However, students typically require AP or other advanced credits to do this in five years.
The Best Double Majors For Engineering Degrees
What is a double major in engineering & business?
This also means that you’re pursuing a degree in both engineering and business and have specific course requirements for graduation in each. Though it can be an educational and scheduling challenge, there are several benefits to pursuing a double major in engineering and business.
What is an engineering and business dual degree?
An engineering and business dual degree is a credential that asserts a students’ completion of two major undergraduate degree tracks: engineering and business administration. Typically, students complete the course requirements for both areas simultaneously so that they can earn two degree certificates when they complete their studies.
What are the benefits of a dual degree in engineering & business?
Here are some of the major benefits of earning a dual degree in engineering and business: Engineering and business degrees can both be versatile, and together you can qualify for a wide range of opportunities.
What is a double major?
Generally, a double major refers to a degree in which a student has earned enough credits for majors in two different, but often related, disciplines. Students typically earn one degree with two majors that are on the same bachelor’s degree track. Some universities allow students to double major in two unrelated fields and degree tracks, though.
