How much chemistry is involved in genetic engineering?

Is your undergraduate major important to employability after earning an MS in Environmental Engineering? Please see details more information.

• I am a 25 year old with a BA in Spanish and Latin American Studies currently working as a teacher with a little more than 1 year of post-college professional job experience. Since graduation I have hoped to return to school to switch fields and pursue environmental and water resources engineering and began taking pre-requisite classes in the evenings this semester. In total I plan on taking 50-55 credits of classes which will include 2 years of calculus, 1 year of physics, 1 year of chemistry, as well as some introductory engineering and science classes before entering a masters program. From what I have read, I understand the master's degree is the first professional degree in environmental engineering and it appears that the post-baccalaureate work I plan on completing will qualify me for admission to many programs. However, I have also read many comments in civil engineering forums saying that undergraduate degrees are worth much more in the workforce and am concerned about employability later on. I am wondering if after completing an MS program I will be at a disadvantage for finding employment in the field without an ABET certified undergraduate degree in engineering? Also, as this path will delay my ability to obtain the PE license I wonder if this will be an obstacle  to professional advancement? Any insight from people involved in the field will be much appreciated. Also, to clarify, I am open to completing and undergraduate degree as well if that proves to be a much better route to entering the field. However, there are many advantages to the MS program since I already have a BA which makes me ineligible for many need and performance based scholarships and grants, etc. Thanks again.

• Answer:

  It is true that having an undergraduate degree in science or engineering is more useful to some employers than others. For instance, a lot of public sector job postings require some kind of undergraduate degree in engineering (but they also have alternative qualifications, like showing work experience in a related field and having an Engineer-in-Training certificate). But other organizations may not mind if you have an unrelated degree, as long as you demonstrate competency and your Master’s Degree is relevant. You’ll enjoy better hiring prospects in the private sector with your mixed background in Spanish and Latin American Studies. If you obtain an Engineer-in-Training certificate (or whatever analog your State has to something that comes right before the P.E.) and your MS degree in Environmental Engineering, you will look just as attractive on paper as the guy next to you. Most employers assume that if you were competent enough to get into a prestigious Environmental Engineering program and do well in the classes (which by the way involve a lot of water chemistry, math, and more math), you are probably suited to work on real life environmental projects. You should identify where you want to work and see if you can reach out to them for input. Believe it or not, a lot of employers are quite forward with advice on what kind of education they are looking for in potential hires. An informational phone call is also a great way to establish connections early. You can keep some of your contacts at Engineering Firm A and Engineering Firm B updated about your educational progress as time goes on, and nurture that connection over time. People hire people —they do not hire degrees! Your background in Spanish might actually be an incredibly powerful thing for you. With an MS in Environmental Engineering from a US school and a firm background in Spanish, you could probably get some very interesting Environmental Engineering work in Latin America. And guess who has operations in Latin America and who are desperately looking for engineers who are competent in Spanish? URS, Bechtel, Schlumberger, etc… Also, the public sector offices in South America are probably crying for competent help in Environmental Engineering. You could be huge there. Ultimately, your commitment to the practice and your interpersonal skills will trump any perceived shortcomings in your undergraduate background. Your MS will also open more interesting doors than a BS in a related field could do. People still perceive an MS as more prestigious and quite challenging to obtain. An MS also demonstrates commitment to a certain path (a lot of people just randomly pick an undergraduate major, while people put a lot of thought into picking a graduate degree to get). Tips: i) Phone some of the places you want to work for, get their advice. ii) Apply to prestigious Environmental programs. The reputation of your school is valuable in Environmental Engineering. I’d recommend UCB, Stanford, Johns Hopkins, UC Davis, and a handful of other schools in the US that are at least in the top 20 for the field. iii) Get your EIT as soon as you can, as this will help you obtain your PE later. In California, you can’t get a PE unless you’ve had an EIT for a certain number of years. Good luck! And I am glad to hear that you are interested in helping us improve our quality of life through environmental engineering. M.S. Environmental Engineering, UC Berkeley 2012 Engineer-in-Training Certificate, California