So I have a question I was hoping to get some advice on.

Next year I'm going to be a junior in college but at the end of last semester I switched my major from math to chemical engineering, so because of this instead of graduating in two more years, it will probably take three more years for me to finish all the chem. eng. requirements. However, I'm done all my general ed. requirements and I since I can't take too many chem. eng. classes at once because they are all prerequisites for the higher ones, I'm going to have alot of room left in my schedule each semester.

Because of this, I figured out that I would be able to do 3 minors along with the chem. eng. major: math, physics, and polymer science without extending my time needed to graduate, and all three of these would probably be helpful for a chemical engineer to have, especially for graduate school, which I plan to do. However, I can also do a double major in Math and chemical engineering, but then I wouldn't have time for any of the minors.

So basically I'm wondering if you think it would look better for future employers and/or graduate school to have a double major with no minors, or a major with 3 minors. I asked my adviser but he's an idiot and really didn't tell me anything.

I'd go for the double major. I'm sort of in the same situation, so I'm double majoring in Political Science and International Relations and minoring in History. I had a lot of hours from CLEPS and classes that I had taken while in high school when I started college, so I can afford to do all of that and still graduate in 4 years.

I think 2 majors would look better than 1 major and 3 minors, but I don't think that it will affect your ability to get a job. Just having a degree makes you desireable.

i think the double major would be "better." you'll learn aspects of physics and polymers with the chemical engineering and math double major, covering whatever you lose by not taking minors in those areas. any more you need to know will be learned in graduate school or on the job, i think.

You probably have a unit cap so go talk to a counselor.

chem eng / chem is a very good double. i would definitely recommend it, it basically writes you your own pay-cheque.

I'm Double-Majoring in Math and Comp. Sci.

I would do this but surprisingly there's not much overlap between chemistry classes and chemical engineering classes, so it would take too long to do them both. I would only do the double major in math since I'm already more than half-way done it since I just switched out of it. I just figured out that even with the double major, I'll still be able to do one minor, so I'm pretty sure I'll do that. A double major with one minor isn't too shabby anyway.

You should see if your school offers a 5 year masters.

I'm not entirely sure how I would describe my course, as I don't refer to my subjects as majors, nor do I have the opportunity to take any unrelated subjects [Masters w/ Honours Mathematics & Computer Science] so I'm not sure how it reflects here relative to over in America, but the combination of the two subjects I take at least sounds impressive, even if your transcript is nothing of the sort...

Either way, going down two paths opens more potential doors than simply one if you're looking for niche employment [ie. scientist] - and if you have a passion for two or even more subjects, what's stopping you? There are more employers and graduate schools around than you can shake a stick at, and it says more about you if you did what you wanted to rather than simply conforming to a requirement.

Good luck!

Danreil:

If polymer science was not one of your intended minors, I would say just do a double major in Chemical Engineering and Mathematics. But the fact is that Polymer Science (Plastics Technology) is a hot field. The rising crude prices could slightly sour the demand for plastics - but in the long run polymer science will take you places.

I myself stuck to one major, and have a BSE and MSE in Industrial Engineering... but really would not mind getting a certificate in polymer technology. Also, apart from Math, you need to concentrate on process monitoring techniques and various statistical softwares. Good luck!

--Zodiac228--