Do you even need an Engineering degree to work in the field of Engineering?

There are certainly majors that are more linear than others in regards to career paths. You pretty much need a Nursing degree to be a Nurse, an Actuarial degree to be an Actuary, and a Pharmacy degree to be a Pharmacist with few exceptions. Engineering is a bit like that, but you may be surprised to learn that there are many UConn alums working in what would be considered engineering careers with degrees that are NOT from the School of Engineering.

At UConn, Engineering comes in 11 flavors if you combine CS and CSE. Engineers build our apps, our bridges and roadways, and our airplanes. They design lifesaving technology, cars, and computer hardware. Many of those who work in those fields are Engineers and many of them got their degrees in Liberal Arts, Fine Arts, Health Sciences, Agriculture, you name it.

Take Jason for instance. He graduated from UConn with an English Degree, eventually went on to obtain a Master’s in Educational Technology and has served both as a Chief Information Officer for the University of Connecticut as well as Vice President for Information Security Services for a Cybersecurity firm.

What about Melissa? Melissa is a Solutions Engineer and Geospatial Technology Specialist. She also has a Bachelors in Natural Resources and Geomatics from UConn. This is a career more closely aligned with a degree in Civil or Environmental Engineering but there are many pathways to careers than one might expect.

We can’t leave out Taylor. Taylor is a Manager at one of the most recognizable aerospace companies in Connecticut. With a broad range of experience in Data Analytics, programming languages, and process improvement, Taylor manages a team of engineers and he does this with a Mathematics degree.

And don’t just take it from me; you can hear directly from Jason, Melissa, and Taylor next week at the Pathways to Engineering event. At this event you will also learn how to find even more alums with interesting careers and educational backgrounds. RSVP here!

By Eran Peterson
Eran Peterson Associate Director, Student Engagement