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Learn more about Materials Science & Engineering from Vanessa Meschke, a current student.
One of the College of Engineering's 12 Undergraduate Majors.
Exploring Engineering Majors
Guide and resources to explore engineering
Students enter college in a variety of places on what major they want to pursue. Many students arrive knowing exactly what they want to and then they take a class and realize they have narrowed their interests. Other students come in with a general idea and they go to a seminar and hear someone from industry speak and leave knowing they have found their passion. Other students come in sure that they want to save the environment, but they aren’t sure what major will get them there. Wherever you fall on the “declaring a major” spectrum, this guide is meant provide direction and resources for researching and exploring engineering. One tip as you get started: begin with the end in mind. Don’t focus as much on your major as on what you want to do. Research to find out which majors will get you there – because there are typically multiple majors.
Assessment: life priorities, interests, aptitudes, skills, achievements, personality, values
- Use resources in the Career Exploration Center, ranging from assessments to workshops to the career library to advising appts. with career advisors.
- Use CareerLocker to assist with identifying your interests, skills, and values.
- Use self-directed/assessment O*Net Career Exploration Tools to help you plan for your major and career.
- If you are undecided about your intended major, identify your interests/strengths as they relate to the 12 engineering majors
- Learn about the Grand Challenges for Engineering as you consider majors
- College of Engineering Choosing a Major.
Research majors and careers
- University of Tennessee’s What Can I Do With a Major in Engineering?
- Occupational Outlook Handbook and O*NET OnLine
- University of Tennessee Knoxville’s website (see links under “Continue Your Research”)
- Search engineer profiles and other videos in the National Science Foundation’s YouTube channel
- Use the College Library Career Collection to learn more about careers.
- Use Google or Youtube to research other videos of engineering careers – professional associations put together great videos regarding different niches within the major fields
Dive deep into resources to understand engineering at UW-Madison
- Undergraduate catalog
- Undergraduate majors and certificates in engineering at UW-Madison
- Peruse handbook and sample planning grids
- Run a ‘what-if DARS’ to see how the courses you have taken meet degree requirements for any given major on-campus. Use the DARS quick guide if you need help.
Connect to engineers in the field
- Conduct an informational interview. Talk to engineers about what they are doing and what they like and dislike about their jobs.
- Read current job postings. See what employers are looking for in the skills and responsibilities of various positions and compare that skill set to your own. There are myriad roles within a certain field and a variety of organizations – big companies, small companies, start-ups, government, not-for-profit, public and private – that all hire engineers.
Gain experience and develop transferable skills
- Join engineering-related student organizations and professional societies
- Get involved in undergraduate research
- UW undergraduate research opportunities
- Use discoveryportal.org to find a researcher with common interests
- CoE undergraduate research opportunities
- Student job center
- Get involved with volunteering
- Professional and career development
- Engineering Career Services
- Find the group ‘Hire a Badger Engineer‘ on LinkedIn
- Browse company websites to learn their values, who they are hiring, qualifications sought, etc.
- Informational interviewing
- Tap into the power of the global Wisconsin alumni network
- Gain international experience
Assessment: life priorities, interests, aptitudes, skills, achievements, personality, values
- Use resources in the Career Exploration Center, ranging from assessments to workshops to the career library to advising appts. with career advisors.
- Use CareerLocker to assist with identifying your interests, skills, and values.
- Use self-directed/assessment O*Net Career Exploration Tools to help you plan for your major and career.
- If you are undecided about your intended major, identify your interests/strengths as they relate to the 12 engineering majors
- Learn about the Grand Challenges for Engineering as you consider majors
- College of Engineering Choosing a Major.
Research majors and careers
- University of Tennessee’s What Can I Do With a Major in Engineering?
- Occupational Outlook Handbook and O*NET OnLine
- University of Tennessee Knoxville’s website (see links under “Continue Your Research”)
- Search engineer profiles and other videos in the National Science Foundation’s YouTube channel
- Use the College Library Career Collection to learn more about careers.
- Use Google or Youtube to research other videos of engineering careers – professional associations put together great videos regarding different niches within the major fields
Dive deep into resources to understand engineering at UW-Madison
- Undergraduate catalog
- Undergraduate majors and certificates in engineering at UW-Madison
- Peruse handbook and sample planning grids
- Run a ‘what-if DARS’ to see how the courses you have taken meet degree requirements for any given major on-campus. Use the DARS quick guide if you need help.
Connect to engineers in the field
- Conduct an informational interview. Talk to engineers about what they are doing and what they like and dislike about their jobs.
- Read current job postings. See what employers are looking for in the skills and responsibilities of various positions and compare that skill set to your own. There are myriad roles within a certain field and a variety of organizations – big companies, small companies, start-ups, government, not-for-profit, public and private – that all hire engineers.
Gain experience and develop transferable skills
- Join engineering-related student organizations and professional societies
- Get involved in undergraduate research
- UW undergraduate research opportunities
- Use discoveryportal.org to find a researcher with common interests
- CoE undergraduate research opportunities
- Student job center
- Get involved with volunteering
- Professional and career development
- Engineering Career Services
- Find the group ‘Hire a Badger Engineer‘ on LinkedIn
- Browse company websites to learn their values, who they are hiring, qualifications sought, etc.
- Informational interviewing
- Tap into the power of the global Wisconsin alumni network
- Gain international experience