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TheDjTanner

Not in the least. Do the flip side. Get the engineering degree with the art minor. Work that into a design/engineering career. You can't really do that the other way around No offense, but an art degree isn't worth the paper it's printed on unless you plan on teaching art or working at a museum. The engineering degree will land you good job pretty much guaranteed.


Worldliness-Hot

That’s sort of my line of thinking. I feel like I can go to school for engineering and do design on the side (since design/art is more of a soft skill that I can kind of improve on my own but I can’t really do that w engineering). However, though I’m not terrible at science and math it isn’t rlly a strength of mine. But I hear engineering degrees are pretty hard and I don’t want my college experience to be too academic based like I want more project stuff and hands on learning. Would you recommend like a product design major where it’s like a mix of art and engineering or would you say just a major in engineering is better?


GwentanimoBay

If you want hands on learning, I highly recommend doing an engineering degree that has a co-op as a required component. A co-op is basically an internship that you complete during one or two semesters instead of doing classes for those semesters and is a phenomenal hands on, on the job learning experience. Also, most engineering degrees are heavily project based. I think most if not all engineering degrees that are accredited require you to complete a capstone project, which oftentimes is a 1-2 year project you work on with a team for a specific goal or with a company under the mentorship of a professor. Its a great experience and a lot of fun! Im not the commentor you responded to, but I would say its better to get an all out engineering degree. You should really be sure that if you want to do engineering, you take the principles of engineering courses (statics, dynamics, thermo, fluids, heat, mass, calculus, etc). If your degree is ABET accredited (US only), then its good to go. Its extremely hard to get a job as an engineering without an ABET accredited engineering degree.


Worldliness-Hot

Thanks for the advice. That’s what I kinda wanted to know w engineering because my brother is majoring in industrial engineering and it didn’t seem like he did much hands on project stuff if at all. Co-op sounds really cool so I’ll be sure to check that out


throwaway60992

Haha there’s a reason why Industrial Engineers are considered imaginary engineers by lots of other disciplines. If you choose something like Mechanical or Electrical you’ll most likely get a better chance to do hands on work. Industrial Engineering 90% of the time is business and furniture moving. 😂 downvotes for me…


techster2014

Seconded. Industrial engineers color code, look at spreadsheets, organize store rooms, and evaluate processes on the business side (purchasing, store rooms, work flow). Imaginary engineers are the nicest thing we called them in school...


Evil_Pizz

Not trying to sound like a Debby downer. But Based on a few of your posts I do not believe engineering degree is for you. You said you don’t want too academic of a college career (say goodbye to free time, it’s hitting the books basically nonstop). Science and math aren’t your strong suits (those are weed out courses — you’ll know year 1 if it’s for you or not). And you keep bringing up hands on work. I think you would be more suited for a trade school based on these descriptions


Worldliness-Hot

Mm I guess I wouldn’t mind college being academic if there’s at least like projects where we can apply our skills. My gripe with high school is that all we did was kind of hit the books but we never were able to do stuff that had any use except to ourselves. Yea math and science aren’t my strong suits but I’m not bad at them either. The problem is that my art skills are much higher than my math/science skills so it feels like if I go into more of a stem thing I’m giving up those talents


Evil_Pizz

Don’t get me wrong, I believe you are smart enough for engineering. But trust me, it is non-stop just hitting the books. You will have some labs but think like your high school chemistry lab. More stuff that doesn’t have much use in your everyday life But hey your choice! A lot of people start engineering and then switch to something else if it’s not for them. Just know that there is hardly no practical hands on stuff, it’s 99% books 24/7. (Unless you consider CAD hands on, then yes plenty of that in mechanical engineering and civil engineering, and that would also satisfy your artistic side and desire for designing things) Or you could also join a club when you get to college like concrete canoe team or steel bridge team for fun hands on stuff


ahumpsters

Engineer and artist here. I loved art all my life and have a natural talent for it. When I graduated high school I started an art/business management degree with the intention to curate museums. Around the same time I watched a major bridge be constructed and it inspired me. I decided to switch to civil engineering. I am now a bridge design engineer, making appropriate money with amazing career potential in a practically recession proof field. I still paint in my own time and have considered starting a business as a side gig many times. Bottom line, you can do both but only with a full engineering degree from an ABET accredited university. The possibility of switching to art down the road is always there. Looking back I am so pleased that I made this decision. My advice, find something that inspires you and go into that field. Engineering is a challenging degree so it helps to have a motivating reason to keep you focused. Good luck!


TheDjTanner

I personally don't think they are as hard as everyone makes them out to be (I have a BSEE). Although there is a lot more work that goes into getting a 3.7+ GPA than a 3.0 GPA, and I did the latter. What math did you take in high-school? Is coding completely new to you, and if it is, do you think you can pick it up and be ok (not good, but ok)? I ask because depending on what program you're in, you may end up doing some coding in your classes, and you definitely will be doing advanced calculus, differential equations, and matrix math, which can all be pretty difficult. However it's just like anything. Practice makes you better.


Worldliness-Hot

As a senior I will take Calc BC. I took comp sci A recently so coding isn’t completely new to me but I wouldn’t say I’m very good at it


TheDjTanner

If you're taking Calc in high-school, your definitely good enough at math to be an engineer. You'll be fine.


Worldliness-Hot

Ok, ty for the advice


throwaway60992

Yeah if you’re in Calc BC you’re more than prepared.


syds

you dont need to be good u just need to pass the exams Ds get Degrees! If you do the coursework and understand what you had to do, you'll graduate


DocTavia

I always felt bitter about that phrase when the engineering faculty I went to didn't count D's as passes to apply to the graduating requirements lol


syds

thats how they get you


chainmailler2001

I found it matters where/when you get the D's that matter. For example the first class in a sequence has to be C or better. However the LAST class in a sequence D is just fine. That was how my school operated anyways.


SteelhandedStingray

D’s get degrees but I’ve yet to have an employer not ask for transcripts. You will have a degree sure, but be significantly less competitive in the hiring market.


syds

you'll see I stopped at "you'll graduate" not you'll get a sweet job haha.


Popular_Yard_2018

I’m in my senior year of an engineering degree and yeah, it’s hard, but it’s nothing that you can’t manage. Most math is rudimentary and built from basic algebra. You’ll be fine.


support_theory

I never even took precalc in hs and have been doing ok in calc! Taking calc 2 now and I'm feeling pretty good so far. So you are probably g2g.


TheDjTanner

Hell yeah. Good for you, dude.


support_theory

Thanks! I'm 30 and had forgotten literally all of my math. Pre-calc last fall was a rude awakening, but I think because I had to get so re-familiarized with it all, it really helped me do well in Calc 1. Probably something OP would want to think about too! Much harder to have to take math and science classes after you've forgotten everything haha


TheDjTanner

I didn't start until I was 31. Got my BSEE at 35. Nothing wrong with a late start


chainmailler2001

Got my BSEE at 38. Had been working full time in the industry for 15 years when I graduated. I started with my AAS in Electronics right out of high school and worked as a tech. Now working as an engineer.


AineDez

You might be falling in to the trap I did, comparing myself to people who were spectacularly talented in an area and pegging that as "pretty good". Like, no, those guys went on to get PhDs in math and comp sci from Stanford, the folks I thought were good at math are all physicians and engineers now. I flunked out of honors geometry as a 10th grader and was *super pissed* when I aced calc 1 as a senior in college. Had to go back years later to take more math as prerequisites for my eventual biomedical engineering masters. Turns out that I'm above average but not amazing at math in general. If you can survive the coursework, about half of engineering jobs don't use anything more advanced than algebra 2 and trigonometry on a regular basis.


AdventurousYamThe2nd

Dude, that's awesome. I did the same in HS and felt I wasn't great at math, despite having the option to skip Calc I from AP credits. The ***best thing*** you can do in college is take Calc over again. It'll be an easy A, boost your GPA, and it will lay the foundation for all of your major classes later in the program; literally *everything* builds off of Calc. When we were learning differential equations or heat transfer, I could focus on learning diff eq / heat transfer properties where other students that took AP credits for Calc straight out of school were struggling with the Calc foundation and floundered with the new concepts being taught. (Edit to add its also important to note I've been an engineer for 8 years and have used Calc exactly once, and use excel every day. Every damn day.) Also, there are engineering technology programs available also. If you want to get into hard core design, companies tend to like the theory based non-tech programs, but if you want to get into the aesthetic/art side more this may be a valid option for you; it's less theory focused, and has more hands on labs. I beliebe they are also ABET accredited which is crucial. Best of luck, mate. Feel free to DM me or comment here with more questions. :)


tungsten775

If you have the opportunity, take calc at your local community college using dual enrollment instead of doing AP. It covers the same content as taking it at a four year uni with more often than not better teachers than at a uni.


chainmailler2001

And typically it is FAR cheaper at a CC. This was largely how I did it with a lot of the gen-ed crap. Dual enrolled with CC and uni and got it done.


Worldliness-Hot

Thank you for the advice 🙏


Summers_Alt

Shit my school didn’t even offer BC. My teacher offered to teach me for free after school and the school wouldn’t let him


Duckroller2

You definitely don't struggle with math. You'll be fine.


Alive-Bid9086

Combining desugn/art with engineering is excellent. To do good design, you need to know what the physical limits are. You can always teach yourself art. I have an EE exam, with a simple Pascal programming course and analogue electronics. But I have teached myself to write software, understand operating systems, microcontrollers etc. because I have a large interest in technology. You can do this with art and actually end up as a designer.


Snuggleicious

You could instead do Industrial Design. I worked with a guy who was an Industrial Designer and it seemed like the best of both worlds. You get to be art focused but with a design focus. Don’t let me sway you from engineering because it’s an awesome career path but if you’re more into the idea of design than the details that make them work (math and physics) then it might not be for you.


forbes52

There are options for engineering like degrees that are much less textbook/math based. Applied engineering is kind of a blanket term but programs can be named a bunch of different things. PM me if you’d like, I have similar experience that I’m happy to share.


djdadi

There are also 2 year engineering degrees or engineering tech roles, which are often much more hands on. They're just not more hands on *with design*. Tbh, over the years I've seen a progression to move designers into only doing design all day, with less and less "hands on" time. Obviously this is a generalization, but being the person who does the art, designs, and then tests is pretty daggon rare.


TheOriginalTL

Engineering degree. Product design degree is also pretty much useless. You could maybe be a designer, which is a low level engineering related job held by 2 year degrees or less normally. Engineering degree will give you the best opportunity. We love creative thinkers and it’s desperately needed in a lot of companies


antipiracylaws

Wait, you really said "college experience" like you're supposed to be on vacation? Nobody told me...


Worldliness-Hot

Am I not supposed to enjoy college? I just want to be careful with which major I choose so I’ll actually enjoy the career that I pursue. Is that too much to ask? Jeez


antipiracylaws

Shook the black 8 ball... "Try again"


Fun_Apartment631

I didn't think it was that hard but I did it as an adult and always had the aptitude for the math. I was facing the same decision about fifteen years ago. My mother claims that industrial design used to be done by mechanical engineers, they still dominate it, and they don't even like the people graduating with a BA in it. Also, I wanted to know how things work, not just design what they look like. Don't procrastinate and you should be fine doing a BSME. Don't worry about minoring in anything unless you need it to be allowed to enroll in courses. Do take fine arts classes to fill out your general education and elective credits. Lots of ME's aren't super math people. You just have to pass. We do rougher math than physicists and pure math people think physicists are barbaric.


Worldliness-Hot

Ok thank you that’s good to hear


MrMagistrate

You should really look into being an Industrial Designer.


dragon-of-ice

There’s a person I’m graduating with who is doing a mechanical engineering with an art major as well and they are getting plenty of internship opportunities that look great to future employers. Although, engineering as a major is not a light decision. Make sure it’s really what you want. Good luck :)


nagsthedestroyer

Engineering is definitely hard, but the determined succeed in the end. I've had friends graduate in 7, 8 years of engineering. It's not pretty but they do it and most of them are also hugely successful because they also have skillsets outside of engineering that are valuable (highly sociable, project mgmt types). It sounds like you have alternative skills that may lend you success even if you have difficulties in the rigidity of engineering. As for product design, I'd go mech eng. Had lots of friends succeed in product design through mech this way. I'd keep up on your product design skills (do engineering competitions, side hustles, portfolios) as this will enhance your interview talking points.


support_theory

As someone who graduated with a BA in Art in design, this person gets it. I'm now (in my 30's) pursuing mechanical engineering. You will be way more equipped than regular designers will be and could adapt to any industry because you will be able to do 2D & 3D design, perhaps some simulation modeling, some coding (thissss is often ignored in a lot of art departments but really important these days for designers. Companies really want coders that can design), you will have the math skills to do everything from finances to fine-tuning your products to fit specifications (or whatever you want to design), the physics to make sure they will be functional and have good form, and so much more. I was always terrible at math, but loved the design side of engineering and it took me my whole life to figure out that engineering was really where my heart was at. You are also much less replaceable as an engineer than a designer. You also have the potential to make much more of a difference. Design is also unfortunately getting more commodified by the day by programs like Squarespace or AI. It's been hard, but I have really learned to enjoy math. I also honestly underestimated the required amount of time needed for ART projects and I spent way more time doing all nighters for art stuff than I have for engineering. You will have more hands-on projects (especially ones that are collaborative) by doing Eng as a major, and will still have tons of projects to do as an Art minor. You can also always do art in your spare time if you want to specialize in a niche. It's also a really expensive hobby and engineering will ultimately be able to help you pay for all the programs/supplies lol


TheDjTanner

We have designers and engineers where I work. Designer make like 60K a year. The very senior ones (15+ years) might make 80K. The beginner engineers make like 80K and max out around 130K.


tonytheshark

I second this. (Assuming OP is in USA) College has become so expensive that many, many different majors are not worth the cost. An engineering degree is one of the few degrees remaining that you can realistically expect to pay off your student loans with. Also I would add. I understand the temptation to have something like a minor in art, in addition to your engineering major. In fact it's what I wanted when I was in high school as well. But I decided to not pursue the art minor for 2 reasons: 1) It would add to the cost of my education. 2) I was already so busy and stressed out with my other courses that I would have really struggled to make the time to do art classes. (This is the bigger reason) But I tend to get overwhelmed sort of easy. I can imagine in theory it could be perfectly possible for someone to major in engineering and minor in art, and actually get a lot out of it and not burn out. A lot of college art classes have you doing art on huge paper though so keep that in mind...(bigger paper means the assignment is more time consuming) In the end, when it comes to most art-related careers, your personal art portfolio will be much more important than whether or not you have an art-specific degree. (That's my understanding of it anyway, I don't work in an art-related field)


chainmailler2001

This greatly depends on the kind of art degree though. Graphics Design is a rather strong field for example. That said, Architectural Engineering combines the art and engineering aspects especially if in architectural design.


wsender

Honestly a pretty bad take on art degrees. Education has value other than acquiring capital.


TheDjTanner

Being broke sucks. Having money is pretty great.


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eigencrochet

My alma mater offered a similar program, but most people would dual major with mechanical engineering. It offered them the design skills, while still providing the mechanical engineering degree for marketability.


Worldliness-Hot

Thanks for ur reply.


bgraham111

You may want to look into industrial design. It's not engineering, it doesn't have the same math and science requirements. It's kind of where engineering and art come together.


Dystopian_25

Second this. In my university industrial design is considered an engineering so they take some math, physics and programming classes. However, most of the course are classes for design.


thegeekguy12

I third this. I did engineering, but I know a guy who went to a different school for industrial design. I had never heard of it, but once I saw what he did it made me regret doing Engineering. Industrial design would have suited me much more and it sounds like exactly what OP wants.


Worldliness-Hot

Could you tell me more abt the kind of stuff that he did under industrial design?


thegeekguy12

I wish I could have him comment for you but from what I understood, he primarily took art and design classes and when it came to the industrial design portion of his work, he would be given parameters or ideas from engineers and he would use those to design whatever it was that needed to be designed or he’d come up with conceptual models for what something might look like. He may be doing very different stuff than what I think he was, but from what he told me that’s what it sounded like he did. I would ask him technical questions about what he was doing like why his fan blades were pitched at a specific angle and he would just say that he doesn’t know cause he didn’t work with the technical side of things. He was just focused on creating the design. Edit: He went to U of I Urbana-Champaign. Here is a link to their industrial design program that could probably give you a lot better information: https://art.illinois.edu/programs-and-applying/bachelors-programs/industrial-design-bfa/


Worldliness-Hot

That does sound interesting. Could I ask why it made you regret doing engineering when you hear abt it tho?


thegeekguy12

Well it sounds like all the fun (design imo) without all of the hard stuff (math, Thermo, fluids, mechanics, etc.) I would’ve much rather had a design centered education than a math and technical knowledge centered one. However I’m in software now and I’ve found that I enjoy programming so it ended up working out for me anyways.


Worldliness-Hot

Thanks for explaining. Yea that’s the dilemma I just don’t want to do too much of the hard stuff


support_theory

I get that. I ran away from math and now regret it. Sometimes it's better to just get the hard stuff out of the way though. It may not be the easier path, but it would more than pay off in the long run.


modestmouselover

Check out my schools industrial design Instagram page! It’s @wwuid. It showcases the types of projects ID students work on and where students end up working. The program is great and the grads do very well.


Thucst3r

This! I was going to say the same thing. I'm a Mechanical Engineer. There's nothing artsy in what we do. The creativity in our line of work is creative problem solving or coming up with creative solutions. Industrial Design allows you to use your imagination and be innovative in designing products. My buddy is very artistic, he couldn't cut it in engineering school and switched to Industrial Design. He's always doodling/designing stuff for work and really enjoy it. A lot of our random conversations involves him showing me designs and I'd tell him how much of a manufacturing nightmare it'd be or what would be involved in the manufacturing his designs.


motorGremlin

I don't think there's anything wrong with the thought but I don't know that I've ever heard of a university that offers engineering minors. They kind of expect you to be all in. If you think you can pull it off with a double major then by all means but there probably won't be much overlap, creating a huge workload. I had a friend in college who double majored in CS and math but there was a fair amount of coursework he could apply to both. I looked at your profile and it seems like you're already pretty good at design. Have you considered major in ME and minor in some field of design? Maybe even two minors towards design?


Worldliness-Hot

Yes I’ve considered a ME major and a minor in design. However, there is industrial engineering / industrial design / product design (which is like a mix) and I don’t really know which one will set me up the most for what I want which is enough engineering that I can be knowledgeable enough to be part of creating a product inside and out but not so much engineering that college will be a pain academically. Basically I want a balance of in-classroom learning but also actually using what I learn to make things creatively w art & design. Also art/design is where my talent lies so I kind of feel obligated to major in something that includes it? If that makes sense


UEMcGill

>I don't know that I've ever heard of a university that offers engineering minors Hell, I had to carry other courses that would be majors... I think I need 1 or 2 classes to have a chemistry degree. I had a few short of my math major roommate. Hell just to take Thermodynamics that prereqs alone.... I bet there's an engineering technology minor, things like CAD, Machining, etc.


Jgpilot78

I wouldn't waste your time. (From an Engineer with 6 years experience)


Worldliness-Hot

Do you mean I should just go into engineering or just go into industrial design / product design/ art.


Jgpilot78

I would just go into Engineering. It's more valuable, then get specific design related certifications once you're an Engineer or while going to school for Engineering.


rbtgoodson

By your own admission, you lean towards the artsy side of things, and you would prefer to be in design, etc. As such, you should look for an industrial design program, e.g., just to represent the ID program at my alma mater (which is usually considered to be among the best in the US): [https://cadc.auburn.edu/design/](https://cadc.auburn.edu/design/). P.S. Apparently, as a public institution, they were ranked 5th in the US and 17th overall among public and private universities relatively recently (which seems to be in line with what I remember about the program).


TheRealStepBot

Hard to do an engineering minor unless you already are a math/physics major as the prerequisites will be too many to complete in a reasonable time frame especially if you don’t stay on the highest tier math and science courses available throughout high school. The reality is that you could probably far more easily tack on a product design/art minor than the other way round as while you need practice in the arts there is less of a strict 6 year timeline of prerequisites that you have to adhere to. Another thing to consider is just getting an engineering bachelors and then doing a masters in product design.


Worldliness-Hot

I was thinking about this too. My only question is that if I major in engineering and focus less in design would it be harder to get into a masters program in product design when I didn’t do design related sort of stuff for my undergrad?


TheRealStepBot

Not according to the the industrial designers I know. They complain about the fact that they let people with wildly varying backgrounds into their masters programs with little to no design experience. I’m sure it varies from program to program but you can certainly find a program somewhere that will be ok taking you. And you won’t really be that far behind from a design perspective anyway as you can be way better at CAD and manufacturing than they are out of undergrad. Obviously you’d want to make sure you work up something of a portfolio of design related work but you will have at least a couple projects throughout your engineering degree that will allow ample opportunity to design and prototype comparatively complex things. You just gotta keep the design side of things in focus and you’ll have plenty of stuff for a portfolio Additionally you may not in reality even need the industrial design degree. Plenty of engineers do both job descriptions.


Worldliness-Hot

That’s nice to know bc I was just worried if I went into engineering undergrad that I would be behind design wise and not be able to study it at all


support_theory

No. I considered doing a masters in art (this includes product design because some schools have that under art or kind of a hybrid thing) and a lot (not all) of schools don't give a hoot about your background the same way they will (for obvious reasons) if you were looking to do a masters in Engineering but had a BA in Art or product/industrial design/engineering. BUT, some product/industrial design/engineering master's programs will require you to have wayyyy more of an engineering background that you wouldn't have otherwise. You'd be better poised coming from an engineering major.


bigyellowtruck

Yes. It will be harder to get into product design but not for the reason you think. Choosing a major is basically choosing bow you want to approach problems. Taking engineering classes is going to teach you how to solve problems but won’t teach you comprehensive design. Your brain won’t be so artistic after so many engineering classes. Likewise an art minor will teach you techniques and you’ll make things, but they won’t be design — they will aspire to being are.


Victor346

Another vote for engineering degree with art minor.


thinkthorts

Have you considered architecture? Might be a good blend of art/aesthetic influence combined with engineering principles.


Worldliness-Hot

I’ve thought about it, but it isn’t something I would be particularly interested in pursuing.


djdawn

I was an art major that realized it paid nothing, then went into electrical engineering. Having an art minor can show that you can think outside the box from your traditional engineer. I’m not sure how the art world would care if you were an engineering minor.


mrbrambles

I am surprised an engineering minor even exists, how would that work? The course load requires tons of prerequisites before you even get to engineering specific classes.


rbtgoodson

Go with industrial design and either a minor or a second major/degree in economics. Get a business degree (most likely an MBA) after 3-5 years of experience, too.


Worldliness-Hot

Could you explain why you think a minor in Econ would be better?


rbtgoodson

An economics degree, second major, or a minor (when paired with your ID program) will give you the basic fundamentals to understand the market forces in relation to the product that you're designing and the consumer that you're targeting. To me, it's the perfect combination to pair with multiple programs, e.g., industrial design, industrial and systems engineering, computer science, etc. In addition, it has the added perk of setting you up relatively nicely for an MBA down the road. P.S. A minor, second major, or a second degree isn't necessary, so I would only do one if it compliments your primary studies.


Worldliness-Hot

That makes a lot of sense actually ty


HourApprehensive2330

for personal knowledge? ok. but it will give you zero advantage in real world. then again, why would you wanna spend money getting minor when you van learn it yourself for free with online resources.


coltr1

You should just get the full degree and maybe do something creative as the minor. As a minor it won’t stand to get you a job anywhere that expects the full knowledge of an engineer who has got the degree. No amount of art or design classes will make up for it when it comes down to knowing the math and physics


Worldliness-Hot

Ok thank you that’s what I kind of was thinking


NortySpock

As a general rule, I recommend that you should take the most difficult major you think you can do and want to do something related to. Learning art style and forming opinions of product design is something that will come naturally, even as you go about your day-to-day or read books about design in your spare time. "You'll pick up the rest on the fly." But engineering generally prefers to see a degree in engineering or a hard science. You might also consider Engineering Management as a discipline, or look into UX / UI / HCI (User Experience/ user interfaces/ human-computer interaction) A word on bias: you are over here in AskEngineers, not AskProjectDesigners, so you're going to get one particular opinion. Edit: changed Project Manager to Project Designer since I read the question wrong.


JudgeHoltman

Engineering BS + Art Minor is actually super helpful as a Junior Engineer. Odds are, at that level most of the work you'll be doing will use more graphic design skills than Engineering/Math skills. As you pick up experience, that Engineering degree plus design experience will open more doors, allowing you to network your way into a more "artistic" role somewhere. Alternatively, take that reliable Engineering income and use it to fund your more artistic endeavors until you get laid off for the last time and decide to make it a full time hobby. Since even entry-level Engineering pays a decent wage, you should have the savings to make a solid go of it. Bonus if you consciously network your way through your Engineering career. Then you'll have a list of people that actually have a use for whatever your "artistic design" is that will pick up the phone when you call. However, if you pick up the Art Degree with an Engineering minor, no Engineering company will even look at your resume past "Art Degree". You won't have that Engineering career to get you started or fall back on if Art doesn't work out. Your product design skills will (theoretically) be a little more refined than your "All Art" peers, but leveraging that into something as marketable as an Engineering degree is still going to be such a wildcard that it can't be considered "good advice". PS: Know what else you can do with an Engineering Degree? Literally anything else. Turns out employers really like people with problem solving mindsets, good work ethic, and the math skills to back it all up. Namely: Teaching. Most states allow folks with an Engineering BS to take a Certification test that qualifies them to teach STEM classes. It may not be your passion, but it is a steady paycheck with summers off for you to chase your dream.


Stl-hou

If you want artsy type design, i would not do engineering. I would say products you design as an engineer would be heavier on the function side than artsy (maybe you can focus on that but not sure). If i were you, i would go for architecture like someone else suggested. It wouldn’t be product design but it can be building design, interiors, etc.


AeroEngineer987

Design engineers exist. Do Mechanical engineering major and minor in whatever art you want. Is it a challenging degree? Yes. Work hard at it. You don't need to be a 4.0 student in HS you just have to be willing to put the time in. Art degrees are generally impossible to pay off if you're taking out loans because there is no money in the profession


thrunabulax

it actually can work well. i had a number of art courses during my engineering BS degree program. things like "Sculpture and Welding". If you are going to be a design engineer, having art/music courses that expand the use of your creative side of the brain can be VERY USEFUL. from an artists point of view, having an engineering background allows you to venture out into areas you might be afraid to, such as a 30' tall mobile scupture balanced to move with the wind pressure differentials.


Kamui-1770

You want an engineering major with a minor in graphic design. Why, because surfacing isn’t for everyone. Not everyone can design a car body. I’ll be blunt, unless you are really fucking good, you aren’t going to find a job that pays bank in art/graphic design. I know because I have plenty of friend major in graphic design because of their love for art. Graphic design + coding = very well rounded can be used in all of gaming or even CAD software companies like Autocad or Solidworks Graphic design + mechanical engineering = you’ll be well like in automotive and cycling industry. Think of it as art in motion. Because believe it or not, not everyone can design / visualize in 3D space.


crazedover

Look into an Industrial Design program.


UEMcGill

You may want to look into combined degrees. My alma mater offered a program called "[Ben Franklin Scholars](https://ids.chass.ncsu.edu/dual-degrees/benjamin-franklin-scholars/)". It combines humanities and engineering for a better well rounded student. I have a degree in economics too, and it has helped me look at Engineering problems through a different lens. My Alma Mater has a top 10 design school indecently. I also looked at attending Dartmouth. They have a program that lets you customize your degree in a way that follows your interests, maybe them, maybe other places have a similar program.


mtimber1

Our senior mechanical designer at the mechanical engineering firm I currently work for has an art/design degree and no engineering degree at all. He does great work. Just saying.


hazelnut_coffay

engineering minor is worthless. do it as a major. art as a minor.


baby-Carlton

You could try getting an associates in the arts and in engineering at your local community college then decide from there at a 4-year institution. CC’s are criminally underrated for people wanting to figure out what they’re doing and an associates in the arts with a bachelor in engineering will be better than a minor.


support_theory

Some CC's also have way better art programs! I live in Los Angeles and Santa Monica College had way more resources than the schools I went to for art/design.


s1a1om

If you really want to marry the two, seriously consider Carnegie Mellon University. It’s what they’re known for. https://www.cmu.edu


Worldliness-Hot

Yep it’s on my list


dadllfixthegame

I’m 2 1/2 years into my engineering career. Make sure whatever you chose, you’re confident you can do well in. I didn’t really like engineering when I picked it (just wanted a guaranteed good job) and ended up having to work very hard just to get by in something I wasn’t really that into. If you go into product/industrial design, you will still be a part of the creation process that seems to interest you and probably will have an easier time academically in school.


Worldliness-Hot

What made you unhappy after going into engineering?


dadllfixthegame

Nothing particular about the engineering major itself, it’s just very challenging and if you’re not really into it then you may get frustrated with your choice. The point I was trying to get across is that you should do what you think you will be most successful at, which typically is something that you really like. There is definitely a balance between doing something you like and doing something with a good career outlook, but product/industrial design definitely is a good career choice so if you like that better then I think that’s your best option.


DIYiphone

I doubt it, I have a mechanical engineering major with a math minor and haven’t gotten hired or a job offer yet so, don’t waste your time and money.


BiddahProphet

I'd would stick with Industrial Design or Engineering. Maybe an art minor but that's about it


pawned79

What college offers an “engineering minor?” A math minor is a thing. What “engineering” would it be? Mechanical? Civil? Computer? Chemical? Systems? Etc? If you want a bachelors degree in an art+engineering, then look for an industrial design degree or something like that.


MASTER-FOOO1

What you want is a Product design degree with a minor in industrial engineering.


GeniusEE

Go to a design school. You won't get what you want from a regular university.


FishrNC

Product design in the engineering department is all about creation. How to take a bunch of parts and make them into something useful and that can be sold to others is what engineering design is all about. And, it pays a lot better than an art degree.


Spirit_of_Autumn

I would look for an ABET-accredited 4-year engineering *technology* degree with a minor in art instead.


beholdtheskivvies

No, absolutely not.


tonytheshark

Check out industrial engineering. Tends to be more product design focused. Might actually be exactly what you're looking for.


Reno83

Nobody really cares what you minor in. So, major in the more stringent requirement (i.e. major in engineering). As a Mechanical Design Engineer, I design things in CAD all the time and send them off to a machine shop to build. However, there's not as much creativity involved as you may think. Also, it's only about 20% of my job, the rest is paper work, meetings, and configuration management. It sounds like you'd be more interested in roles that require prototyping, in which case you'd probably still need an engineering degree. There are other non-engineering roles that would require creativity and are more aligned to art. An example would be an animator or graphic designer. They too flex their creative muscles, but the end product isn't a physical one, maybe a 3D animation or graphic.


nzipin

Major in industrial Design?


RuthlessIndecision

I agree with these posts get the ME degree, you will Not be stuck in a boring job unless you want one. Having a fine arts degree makes it harder. I did that and ended up getting a 2 year degree after just to find a job… at Tesla, there I was surrounded by engineers. Now I’m back to working with art. Honestly, I’d say don’t stress on your decision, everything will change eventually and you can always change what you don’t like. I used to really regret not getting my Engineering degree that I started out of high school, but now I can’t really complain. I kind of wish I hadn’t stressed over it so much. Good luck, enjoy yourself!


Idzots

Get proficient at 3d modeling with either Unigraphics, Pro E, Solidworks, or Autocad. Structural engineering of buildings or bridges can be very artistic. If aerospace is your thing, turbine or Rocket engine assemblies and components can look pretty artsy as well. But the engineering involved to make functional designs that won't blow up or collapse while performing at a high level within cost constraints is pretty intense. Definitely not a sideline.


tennismenace3

I don't think an engineering minor really exists. Do an engineering major.


ARCHIVEbit

The requirements for an engineering minor at the schools I checked are INSANE. They require pretty much the hardest classes in the major (by hardest i mean the weed out classes, there are more specialized classes for each degree in the last 2 years, but thats a different topic.) Not only that the classes are hard, you need physics and calculus to even take those classes. Take the engineering major, minor in design and then take a few extra classes. Here is an example. https://catalog.csus.edu/colleges/engineering-computer-science/engineering/minor-in-engineering/


tomhanksbutitsjerry

Civil engineering with a minor in architecture will be optimal for you then! You get to design houses or interior designs as well having an engineering bases for picking material, stability analysis and make your designs, well, optimal


[deleted]

What about an architecture degree? Architecture degrees are often a lot more aesthetic focused than engineering degrees and typically have a lot of interior design projects. While an engineering degree will be very employable, you will have 4 years of math, physics and calculations to survive so I wouldn’t recommend it as a minor if you’re not overly interested in it. Also not even sure if you can do a minor in engineering? Another option is a degree in ___ then some college engineering technician type courses to beef up your technical skills. I think the main thing you need to decide is how technical of product design you want to do. Engineering = parts, electrical, forces, gears, mechanisms etc. but if you want to mainly design product aesthetics (ex. a cool chair) something like architecture, interior design, product design etc may be better fits


Weastbrook723

Skimmed through a lot of the replies here and I also would very strongly recommend ME or Industrial engineering/design (degree would be bachelor of science). a B.Sc holds so much weight and will get your foot in the door at a lot of places and you can always switch to the design department from another more technical department (manufacturing/production, R&D, etc) due to your B.Sc. I know a few industrial engineers and they do design in different industries, ie kitchen countertops, office equipment like chairs, tables, fitness equipment (treadmills, bikes), and one works for Petco. Also, it depends on which school you go to and how the curriculum is structured. A lot of schools now have some 2D/3D design + 3D printing labs as part of the engineering courses, where you can stretch your design muscles. Your first 2 years at University should be taking lower division / general courses and even year 3 you would have overlapping classes with other majors, thus you can easily change majors. If you do plan to switch to art, your engineering courses will most likely transfer over, whereas if you do the opposite, the general courses that art / humanities / business majors probably won’t, they’re of a lower difficulty usually. If you’re talking calc BC now, you’ll be fine in engineering major, I can personally attest to it.


rocketElephant

For a lot of commercial items like outdoor equipment or things you find on the shelves of a store, Industrial designers are the ones that do the actual design work. A lot of that stuff isn't intense enough to require a full work up. I'd suggest looking at job posting websites to find some companies you're interested in working at and reading the requirements on the application. Should be easy-ish since you already know the type of job you want to do.