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Old 04-17-2012, 01:50 PM
 
404 posts, read 901,045 times
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Hello everyone, I'm currently trying to decide what major to choose. I've done a good amount of research and still can't decide. I attended CU Boulder last year as an undecided engineer, but eventually started thinking about switching to business or philosophy. This year I took a year off to ski bum in Breckenridge and hopefully figure out what I want to do with my life. It's helped me realize that I do want to pursue an engineering degree, but not in chemical or electrical as I was previously thinking. My interests have turned more towards civil or environmental.

My ultimate goal is to return to the mountains and be able to live a comfortable life where I could ski as much as possible. Money isn't a huge concern for me, at least not for a while. I would love to be able to work outside, not necessarily all the time, but enough that I don't feel like I'm cooped up in an office 24/7. Even if I couldn't live near a ski resort, I'd prefer to have flexibility in where I work, and not need to be near a big city. Which degree/specialization do you think would allow me to do this?

CU offers environmental engineering with several concentrations, the ones I'm most interested are in bold.
WATER RESOURCES MANAGEMENT AND TREATMENT
AIR QUALITY
ECOLOGY
REMEDIATION
CHEMICAL PROCESSING
ENERGY

CU also offers civil engineering with an environmental concentration, in addition to these with my interests once again in bold:
Construction engineering and management
Environmental engineering
Geotechnical engineering
Structural engineering
Water resource engineering

Which of these degrees/concentrations will allow me to work in the mountains? Which will provide the most job security? Which has the most earning potential? Which would provide the skills required to build myself an energy efficient home? How does water treatment differ on the civil side from the environmental side? These are just a few of the questions I have, any help is greatly appreciated.
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Old 04-17-2012, 02:39 PM
 
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Concentrate in environmental, it will make you more marketable and most importantly, give you more of a background to pass the Civil PE exam which is the much more desirable stamp.

A degree in Environmental Engineering will have more Chemistry and less Structures.


IMO, when it comes down to it, having a degree in Civil Engineering and applying to a job in the environmental field won't hurt you at all. Having a degree in environmental engineering and trying to get into other aspects of civil or construction will.
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Old 04-17-2012, 03:03 PM
 
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If you like structures and more applied stuff like infrastructure design, go Civil. Depends on what you want to do. I would find ecology and related stuff to be boring.
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Old 04-17-2012, 03:19 PM
 
Location: Viña del Mar, Chile
16,393 posts, read 30,826,414 times
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Unless you have a huge interest in Environmental Engineering, I'd try and lean more towards doing Civil Engineering. Like the other poster said, it's a lot easier finding work in Civil and working with Environmental stuff than it is vice versa. Also, I think it'd be great to do Civil Engineering with a concentration in Environmental Engineering because of the push for going green, or simply better protection of the planet.

I have taken courses in Environmental Engineering before my break in college. I was originally going to do Chemical Engineering, and remember... Environmental will be highly chemistry based. A lot of things you do with it will be dealing with all that stuff you learned in chemistry.

Conclusion: Pretty much the same as what everyone said.. major in Civil Engineering. It seems like you'll be most happy that route.
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Old 04-17-2012, 09:12 PM
 
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I agree that the Civil Engineering Degree is a more versatile degree. Environmental Engineering historically has been hooked on with Civil Engineering Departments. Only recently has Environmental been a stand alone department at a few select schools. Given that, the scope of work between practicing Environmental and Civil Engineers is no different. Both work with wastewater, potable water distruibution, storm water management, waste disposal, pollution remediation, etc.

Environmental Engineering programs just allow the student to take more chemistry and environmental classes in lieu of not taking transportation, structures and mechanics of materials classes.

Civil Engineering has always been the poorest compensated of all the engineering disciplines. And Environmental is no different. If you're looking to get rich, neither field is for you. As far as finding a job in the mountaisn, I suppose Civil may give you the best chance out of all the engineering disciplines. A job I keep thinking of off the top of my head would be a field engineer with the Army Corps of Engineers - they have many dam structures in the mountains.
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Old 04-19-2012, 01:31 AM
 
Location: Leadville, CO
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I'm a civil engineering major at CU and my advice is that if you are on the fence, then go for civil. It sounds like majoring in civil engineering with the environmental concentration is what will be best for you. I might go that same route as well, we'll see. My goal is also to get up into the mountains. With the growth up there, civil engineers and related fields will be in demand.
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Old 04-19-2012, 04:07 AM
 
Location: Victoria, British Columbia
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I'm entering my final year of Civil Engineering in British Columbia this fall and am looking to get a position with some degree of environmental focus when I graduate. I would say you'd have more options if you do the Civil program with the environmental concentration. There are very few (probably none) Environmental Engineering jobs that would eliminate you from consideration just because your major isn't specifically environmental. Especially with the demand for engineers in general and "green" trending fields.
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Old 04-19-2012, 09:57 AM
 
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Thanks everyone, you've made the decision pretty clear, civil seems to be the best choice. upon further inspection of the curriculum, it appears that you can specialize in two of the civil fields. Which two would compliment each other well? I'm thinking environmental and geotechnical or environmental and structural. I know I have plenty of time to decide and my decision will be easier once I have a better understanding of each field, but I'm still interested in hearing your thoughts.

Sent from my AT&T Samsung Galaxy Note
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Old 04-19-2012, 10:02 AM
 
Location: Viña del Mar, Chile
16,393 posts, read 30,826,414 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by a bag of it View Post
Thanks everyone, you've made the decision pretty clear, civil seems to be the best choice. upon further inspection of the curriculum, it appears that you can specialize in two of the civil fields. Which two would compliment each other well? I'm thinking environmental and geotechnical or environmental and structural. I know I have plenty of time to decide and my decision will be easier once I have a better understanding of each field, but I'm still interested in hearing your thoughts.

Sent from my AT&T Samsung Galaxy Note

You will have most success in the field you find most interesting. It isn't our job. Get good grades and study what you enjoy and you'll be just fine.
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Old 04-20-2012, 07:25 AM
 
Location: Victoria, British Columbia
30 posts, read 130,003 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by a bag of it View Post
Thanks everyone, you've made the decision pretty clear, civil seems to be the best choice. upon further inspection of the curriculum, it appears that you can specialize in two of the civil fields. Which two would compliment each other well? I'm thinking environmental and geotechnical or environmental and structural. I know I have plenty of time to decide and my decision will be easier once I have a better understanding of each field, but I'm still interested in hearing your thoughts.

Sent from my AT&T Samsung Galaxy Note
Like burgler said, choose what interests you the most. Geotechnical will be dealing with the landscape while structural would be what you're building on top of it.

However if you are working in the mountains, geotechnical would be a lot more useful. I'm working with a mining company right now and nearly everybody has a geotechnical background. A couple of them have worked out in rural mountainous areas (one in California, the other in BC).
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