Exploring Majors
All external transfer students enter Cornell Engineering affiliated with an engineering major, while all first-year students enter as unaffiliated (undeclared) students. Students admitted as first-years must apply to affiliate with their intended engineering major once they meet that major’s affiliation criteria and before the start of their fifth semester at Cornell.
We know some students are certain of the major they wish to pursue, while others are less sure. Students who are unsure or undecided are encouraged to be proactive, learn about various majors and career options, utilize the many resources that are available, and develop a plan for affiliation (see Applying for a Major (Affiliation). With that in mind, Engineering Advising offers several suggestions:
- Explore our schools and departments.
- Review information about our 14 different Engineering undergraduate majors and minors.
- Familiarize yourself with specific major curriculums.
Career Services
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Engineering Career Center
Explore undergraduate engineering career resources
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Post Graduate Career Survey
See what Engineering graduates are doing after they graduate
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Cornell University Career Services
Find university career guides and assessment tools
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Peer Advisors
Connect with an Engineering Career Center Peer Advisor who can provide a valuable student perspective.
External Resources
Questions to Consider
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Learn About Yourself
- What subjects or activities am I passionate about?
- At the end of the day, what do I always have energy for?
- Am I more excited by working with people or things?
- Am I a “hands-on” kind of problem solver or a theoretical problem solver?
- Do I most enjoy working by myself or in a group?
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Learn About Majors
- What are the required courses?
- Do the required courses sound interesting to me?
- Do I have the ability to handle all of the major requirements?
- How many semesters will it take for me to get my degree?
- What do people in this major do after graduation and for careers?
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Learn About Careers
If you know what you want to do…
- Is there a specific major required/most beneficial?
- What kinds of degrees do people in this job/career possess?
- What is the outlook for available positions in this career?
- Will your degree lock you into a specific job/career without the opportunity for advancement or change?
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Learn About What People Do
If you’re not sure what you want to do…
- Learn what people in certain major(s) do for jobs/careers.
