Is have a dual degree in environmental and civil engineering worth it?
457893
Yes it will\nAll new building sights need to have an enviromental impact study done.\nWouldn't it be so cool to be able to do the study as you are designing the structure.\nThat way you can design around the impacted areas and even design the structure to acent the enviorment that it is to be built in.\nIt will pay off.
519663
If you're asking about career prospect then very good.\n\nI completed a Chemical Engineering degree six years ago and although I have not staying in the profession I am a successful project manager.\n\nNone of my fellow graduates are unemployed and many are doing extremely well.  It is a really tough degree but you do get back what you put in.
608824
Absolutely.\n\nThe only challenge you have to face -- besides lots of hard work -- is paying for college and the time it will take to do it.  But if you are willing to spend the time and the money there are multiple ways for you to earn a four-year degree in Engineering.\n\nThe first thing you should consider is earning the GED.  This will probably not be difficult for you if you apply yourself.  Are you in high school or at community college for your studies currently?\n\nIf you are in either -- just focus on meeting the requirements and doing your best.\n\nOnce you are done with your GED, you need to focus on the areas that you do best in while you are at Community College .  This will bring up your GPA and give you a much needed boost of confidence.  For whatever subjects you are weak in, you need to help yourself by making sure that you take remedial courses to shore up your weakness so that when you take the required courses you do really well in them.  Especially for the classes that are required for you to get into the program of your choice.  \n\nIf you are not necessarily that talented or gifted academically but really have smarts when it comes to fixing things or making things or putting things together then you really should consider getting a technical vocational degree before you pursue a bachelor's degree in Engineering.  This way you will succeed in earning that Voc/Tech degree regardless of whether or not you earn the Engineering degree.  And once you are done with the Voc/Tech degree (2 or 3 years) you will be even better prepared to pursue the Engineering degree.  You will still have to do well in the traditional academic courses but most of the time students who have this background do better in learning the academics because they have a certain level of understanding for the academics from their vocational training that gives them a good foundation for further study.\n\nConsider smaller public universities that offer 4 year degrees in technology and engineering and if you can figure out a way to afford it go to a private university for your education.  They will almost always treat you better than the big public universities.  Once you get into the University of your choice, any classes that are required that you are not especially good in -- go to the smaller community colleges for to learn and get the credit for that will transfer.  Usually, the community colleges grade on the scale so you do not have to be the best -- you just have to learn the material and do the work.  At the larger universities the professors typically grade on the curve because they usually really do not care about the students or about teaching -- they teach only because they have to and not because they like it or they want to.  Sometimes, you will find a professor or an instructor who really cares about the students and or really loves teaching but this is a rarity.  \n\nThe curve system of grading keeps the professors out of trouble with the administration and weeds out all of the students who either have little talent for the subject or who are ill prepared to be studying it.  This is advantageous for the professors because they can then focus any interest they might possibly have on only the best and the brightest -- but usually they don't care about this unless you are going to or are already in Grad School.\n\nThe community colleges typically have smaller classes and are typically taught by instructors who have either been teaching for a while or who have some genuine life experience -- whereas, at the universities (at least the larger public universities) you are more apt to be taught in a classroom setting of 50 to 800 students per lecture and 30 to 50 students in a Quiz Section or "Tutorial" in which a Grad Student (unfortunately -- this usually means a foreigner whose native tongue is not English.)  While the grad students are genuinely talented and gifted in the subject that they are studying and attemp
346005
No, it's not a necessity, but take my word for it: it will help you find employment and higher paying, more satisfactory jobs in the future.  Generally, paying for your college degree is worth the investment in time and money.  Even if it seems like a lot right now, you'll make it back and you'll be happier in the end.
1129784
I don't know that you would necessarily be able to get a higher salary at any particular job because of having a Master's degree.  However, the biggest benefit that I found after getting my MS in Civil Engineering was that, in a tight job market, I had a significant advantage over the numerous BS applicants for the same jobs.  Potential employers instantly bumped me ahead of similarly qualified BS candidates because in many cases it was the only distinguishing factor and it told them that I was serious aobut the field.  It didn't really give me better negotiating leverage for higher salary but got me interviews for the jobs that I wanted and the higher paying positions.  \n\nAs for ME vs MS, I personally would go with MS just because it is more widely accepted as a traditional Master's program.
435821
yes, I have a bachelors of Science in Civil Engineering, graduated 5 years ago. I do structural engineering. There are several branches within Civil Engineering: Transportation, surveying-drainage & land development, structural, geotechnical, Environmental & Water resources, etc. No matter what branch you do, you'll always get paid well (I'm in Texas). Starting salaries for Civil Engineers are around $40,000.00 a year (and after 4 years is at least $65,000), depending what branch you're in and what city. It's a job you really have to like, because it's stressing, demands a lot of overtime, and you never get credit for your work because Lay people always give credit to the Architect (without knowing that the architect only knows how to make the building pretty and knows nothing about engineering); and since you work for contractors, architects, or politicians, you'll get yelled out all the time; so you need to have a really strong character (usually, women find it more demanding than men). Also, you won't become famous, and very likely, you won't become a millionaire  - Your social status and income are, however, among the upper-middle class. Usually, if you want to make millions then you need to become some high ranking executive (which takes like 30 years of experience to get there). Some engineers decide to go work for contractors; there, you'll make a lot more money, but you need to be able to resist more times of getting yelled at and, also, you need to be willing to use jeans and boots and starts using your hands in the middle of the hot sun or rain. I love what I do, but if I would win the lottery, I would definitely stop working. By the way, lately I've been starving for some "best answer" points.
755817
That is precisely the degree I have. \n\nDNR\nWastewater\nWater Quality\nForestry\nWildland fire suppression\nSurveying\nWildlife\nNRCS\nBLM- Dept of Interior\nLCD\nPrivate company environmental monitoring and planning\nFisheries\n\nThe possibilities are too numerous to post them all here. It's a fabulous degree.
832996
Well, I am a little biased because my degree is in engineering, but I work in business, so I hope I can give my perspective.\n\nI have never used my engineering degree in my job, but I don't regret earning it at all.  It was a tremendous task for me to complete it, and I struggled.  Boy, did I struggle.  Engineering degrees are harder, by far, than business degrees.  However, they do command higher salaries (generally). \n\nI would recommend an engineering degree, however, not for the monetary reasons, but because of how much it expanded my view of the world.  I learned soooo much, even as a C student!  And I feel that every day my understanding of the world grows because of the base I was given in my engineering degree. \n\nI feel that you can learn about business through your work experiences, and by picking up a few choice seminars or books.  So I feel that the money and time spent on a business degree is not well spent.  Most business skills can be self-taught (in my opinion).  I don't think the same can be said for engineering.  It could be done, I'm sure, but I think many of the techniques and skills require resources that aren't available to the average person.  So I think you get more value out of the engineering classes.  \n\nThe adults in engineering did far better than the college age kids, but it will be hard, just the same.  \n\nAlso, engineering seems to be more of a level playing field.  When interviewing in engineering, your degree and skills are evaluated, but when interviewing in business I felt that I was being evaluated more on my personality and if I'd "fit in". \n\nGood luck to you in either case.
221859
There are two schools of approach for careers in geology or environmental science.  Both entail graduate school!  One is the technical root (which I took), with lots of science, including sub disciplines of geology, along with chemistry, physics, and biology.  The other is the non-technical pathway of business and sociology, which can get you nice jobs, but leaves you short when it comes time to address the sticky scientific issues (I am showing my bias here for the first root, aren't I?).  Good luck!
266722
i went through a lot before i settled on mine...which is communications. I now realize thats a BS degree and i wish i had picked English, which is what I love. Basically you need to do something you like rather than just pursue the degrees that are going to make you money. You can get a great job after school is over, but if you are miserable is it worth it?
253336
Get a degree in wildlife management.
1093489
My boyfriend did mechanical because he thought it was generic - that there are many fields you could go into.  Ultimately, he was thinking about going into management.  I did civil because I didn't want to be cooped up inside all day like an electrical.  I don't think civil limits you particularly.  After obtaining a general civil degree I had the choice of going into structural (buildings), geotechnical (soil properties), water infrastructure, construction, transportation, hydrology (flow into rivers).  I would be hesitant to go into electrical or computer science because of the ease with which it can be outsourced.  Finally, environmental engineers have a very strong future.  They would be interested in habitat management - they make sure that a construction project would not be detrimental to the environment, they might be involved in water or wastewater treatment.  Keep in mind that whatever field you choose, eventually you'll probably be doing more project management and less actual engineering.
117303
Construction Management/Engineering. With your Bachelor's you will be at an employment advantage with Construction companies because of the current push towards green building. Another help would be to get yourself LEED certified.
902997
It can be difficult at times, but if your college studies were never difficult, you probably didn't learn as much as you should have.  Then that incompetence leads to shoddy engineers who design shoddy bridges that fail and kill people.\n\nAnyway, I digress.  I think that studying either architecture or civil engineering can be very rewarding.  It may seem like boot camp at times, but once you are finished you will have a degree that can launch a professional career that helps shape the world's infrastructure.  Or you may find yourself in a career track that isn't quite related to civil/architecture; employers like engineering students for their quantitative skills, resourcefulness and work ethic.\n\nSo the bottom line is that engineering can be difficult even for those with great math aptitude, but the personal and professional rewards can well exceed those difficulties faced.
662344
I'd suggest economics.  If you are not too far along in college, you could probably give up enough electives so the double major wouldn't extend the time it takes to get a degree.
22103
If you want an area that pays good and has excellent benefits I would suggest a career in City and Regional planning.  You can use your environmental degree and if you wanted to go back to school you could get your Masters in City Planning.  You can work for your local city, county, state, or federal government.  Another route would be working for a consulting firm that does environmental work and work for cities in that way.  The pay is good at first but gets better as time goes on.\n\nHope that helps.
687942
Most colleges will offer decent programs in both. Grammar and spelling will be very important on your applications.