Kemi
Does double majoring in business and engineering sound like a good idea?
My friend is currently majoring in both engineering and business. She has to take a lot of classes and it seems to be extremely stressful. Will it be worth it? #business #engineering
3 answers
Donald Knapik
Donald’s Answer
While a dual major will present a significant challenge, the payoff may indeed be sweet. Many engineers lack the business acumen to understand what it takes to bring their exciting, innovations and products to market as it is indeed difficult to translate new products and ideas into business profits. The Business major may not fully understand what it takes technically to develop new products and services to fill business opportunities. The dual major will hopefully have a good foundation to move ahead in either, and may have a better opportunity to move ahead at higher levels once she or he has established their credible reputation on either side. Good luck to your friend.
Regards,
Don Knapik
Thank you!
Kemi
Greg Parker
Greg’s Answer
If you can do it, I recommend it highly. Many engineers lack business skills. Recently I hired someone who was good in business and I could teach them the technical or engineering side. Of course, that situation may not apply everywhere. But, for the most part an engineer with good business skills can readily apply their thinking and create more value for the company they work for. I got my MBA 15 years after I received my electrical engineering degree. Up until the time I enrolled for the MBA, I thought I may not need the business degree. I am glad I decided to go through with it.
Nicole Baillie
Nicole’s Answer
In your quest to ask and get an answer for a friend, it is important to note that the value of time spent and levels of stress that can occur, will be different from person to person. As a matter of ability to build a sustainable career, the time, effort and yes stress that one person had to sustain in their college journey may serve them well if the job they choose is one that comes with demands on time and effort. Over time, there is a risk/reward assessment that employees, job hunters have to determine for themselves.
What can also be true is if the college journey is, in a person's mind, a nightmare, that student/job-seeker may decide to distance themselves from that major(s) altogether. Doing research on that risk/reward...that is how to I find the balance between a job with tasks that I enjoy, that also pays to a desired level of comfort...now THAT research is time well-spent. And the answers to "was it worth it", will likely change over time.
Hope you find this answer helpful. Best of luck to you!