u/user246478

Hi everyone!!

I’m entering my junior year of college and making a late switch to engineering from environmental sciences for many reasons. However, I’m stuck between environmental or civil engineering and would like some help.

Environmental pros:
- Classes are closely aligned with what I’m interested in
- I wouldn’t have to take the more “difficult” classes like statics, strength of materials, structural analysis, dynamics, concrete, etc.

Environmental cons:
- Possibly more niche and not as many job opportunities after graduation
- Still some large classes required like chem 2, organic chem, and bio that wouldn’t be needed for civil
- The program at my school is currently not accredited but is anticipated to be by the end of this year
- New program at my school so only a handful of people majoring in this

Civil pros:
- More broad, more job opportunities after graduation
- Could still work in Env Eng but not vice versa
- Would not need to take chem 2, organic chem, or bio
- accredited and more people with this major

Civil cons
- Not as closely aligned with my personal interests
- Would have busier semesters the next few years as I have fewer civil courses completed already compared to environmental
- Would have to take difficult classes like dynamics, strength of materials, statics, structural analysis, reinforced concrete design, etc.

Any advice is much appreciated!!

Second time posting in this group but I wanted the perspective of those who are about to graduate with a BS in Env Sc.

Do you have any regrets or wish you had done something else like environmental engineering? If not, why are you glad you did environmental science?

The engineering program is pretty small at my school so I don’t have a lot of graduates to ask and I’d love some insight as I decide whether or not I should stick with Env Sc.

Hi everyone!!

I’m finishing my sophomore year right now as an environmental sciences student but considering a switch to engineering for better pay and stability after graduation while still making an impact.

I’m mostly interested in doing some sort of environmental work (sustainability, green infrastructure, water, etc). I plan on moving to Chicago after graduation and was wondering about the differences between environmental and civil job prospects.

Environmental would be easier for me to complete with the courses I’ve already done, but I would hate to spend an extra year doing environmental engineering instead of environmental science only to have just as tough of a time after graduation finding a job.

Thanks!

Hi everyone!

I’m currently finishing up my sophomore year in college as an environmental sciences student. I enjoy it but I am getting very worried about job and salary prospects after graduation as I’ve heard nothing but not so great things from current grads or even students like me who can’t find internships.

I started this fall out with courses for engineering but didn’t do anything last summer to prepare, so I immediately felt overwhelmed and like I was in the wrong major so I switched to env sc.

Now, I’m wondering if it would be worth it to make a late switch to engineering again and just really work hard the next four years to set myself up for a lifetime of success. I think a lot of what I’d be interested in doing for a career would be more with engineering anyway, as I haven’t really gotten into any field work so far with env sc.

Would it be worth paying for an extra year of school and going into debt (I should make it through around 3 years of school without taking out any loans), and working harder at the difficult classes? I would have to take around 10 credit hours this summer and stay a full extra year after the typical four years of college in undergrad. I worry that I’m putting myself in the same position I started the year in, but I think suffering a little for 3 more years would be worth having a lifetime of good pay, stability, and an easy job hunt after graduation.

Any advice is much appreciated!

Hi everyone!

I’m currently finishing up my sophomore year in college as an environmental sciences student. I enjoy it but I am getting very worried about job and salary prospects after graduation as I’ve heard nothing but not so great things from current grads or even students like me who can’t find internships.

I started this fall out with courses for engineering but didn’t do anything last summer to prepare, so I immediately felt overwhelmed and like I was in the wrong major so I switched to env sc.

Now, I’m wondering if it would be worth it to make a late switch to engineering again and just really work hard the next four years to set myself up for a lifetime of success. I think a lot of what I’d be interested in doing for a career would be more with engineering anyway, as I haven’t really gotten into any field work so far with env sc.

Would it be worth paying for an extra year of school and going into debt (I should make it through around 3 years of school without taking out any loans), and working harder at the difficult classes? I worry that I’m putting myself in the same position I started the year in, but I think suffering a little for 3 more years would be worth having a lifetime of good pay, stability, and an easy job hunt after graduation.

Any advice is much appreciated!

Hi everyone!!

I’m currently in undergrad finishing my sophomore year as an environmental sciences major. I’ve switched around majors a couple times and started this year in the fall with courses to do civil/environmental engineering instead of environmental sciences.

I didn’t do anything last summer to prepare for the courses so I immediately felt overwhelmed and like it wasn’t right for me, so I switched to environmental sciences.

However, I was unable to get an internship this summer and every graduating senior I know is worried about getting a job or just going to grad school to put off their job search. If I do stick with environmental sciences my plan is to get my masters in education afterwards and teach science.

After seeing how stressful it is to worry about getting an internship, job, and worrying about money I am starting to wish I had powered through engineering instead to set myself up for a lifetime of success and stability. I also think a lot of what I could do with environmental sciences is actually what I could do with engineering, or it would take years of networking and gaining an experience to get there with envsc. I haven’t felt very challenged this year in school, so I know engineering would be very difficult but it may be best for me.

If I do switch, I’d have to take summer classes (probably retake calc 1 since I haven’t taken it since high school & take physics 1) this summer and also stay a fifth year in school (more expensive because scholarships run out after 4 years). I’m also worried I’d be putting myself back in the same boat that I did this fall.

Any advice would be much appreciated!!

Hi everyone!

I’m currently finishing up my sophomore year in college. I’ve jumped around between majors a few times now and still feel stuck on what I ultimately want to do. This time last spring I decided I wanted to work towards civil/environmental engineering starting in fall of 2025. When I started my sophomore, I was extremely overwhelmed by the classes and unsure on if it was really what I wanted to do. I switched to environmental science a week after school started and have really enjoyed the classes so far. This summer, I did not land an internship and have felt very discouraged and unsure on what my life after college will look like.

If I do stick with environmental science, I plan on going back to school after getting my BS and getting a MS in education and teaching science. I am now wondering if I should switch back to engineering and really just work hard the next few years to get the degree.

Unfortunately, I would probably have to take summer classes and/or stay an extra year at college to get my bachelors degree in engineering (another year of rent and tuition without my scholarships that expire after 4 years)

Any advice would be much appreciated!

Hi everyone!

I’m currently finishing up my sophomore year in college. I’ve jumped around between majors a few times now and still feel stuck on what I ultimately want to do. This time last spring I decided I wanted to work towards civil/environmental engineering starting in fall of 2025.

When I started my sophomore year in the fall, I was extremely overwhelmed by the classes and wondering if it’s really what I wanted to do. I switched to environmental science a week after school started and have really enjoyed the classes so far.

This summer, even after applying to ~30 internships I did not land one. I have felt very discouraged and unsure on what my life after college will look like, if I will be able to find a good job in this field, or what my pay will look like.

I have considered teaching, and my current plan as an environmental science major would be to get my masters in education after graduation and teach science. I am now wondering if I should switch back to engineering and really just work hard the next few years to get the degree.

Unfortunately, I would probably have to take summer classes and/or stay an extra year at college to get my bachelors degree (another year of rent and tuition without my scholarships that expire after 4 years)

Any advice would be much appreciated!