Engineering
"Engineers have a hand in designing, creating, and modifying nearly everything we touch, wear, eat, see, and hear in our daily lives" (American Society of Engineering Education).
Engineering applies knowledge from science and math to real-world challenges in an effort of improve the world we live in. It is a broad discipline that encompassess teamwork, problem solving, design thinking, communication, organization, and project management. At the Wellesley, students are encouraged to explore engineering as a discipline through introductory courses, cross-registration with Olin or MIT, research at the We-Lab, and involvement with the Engineering Society.
For information about the engineering cross-registration, certificate programs, or the double-degree programs with Olin and MIT, visit the Engineering Opportunities pages.
General Career Advice
A lot can be accomplished in the engineering career field depending on what area you specialize in as well as on whether you are exploring career paths with an undergraduate degree or a graduate/post-graduate degree.
Areas of specialization within the engineering field include: aerospace engineering, agricultural and biosystems engineering, bio- and biomedical engineering, chemical engineering, civil engineering, computer engineering, electrical engineering, environmental engineering, industrial engineering, mechanical engineering, materials science, and nuclear engineering. Researching the application areas of engineering will be important as you seek ways to apply your engineering knowledge and experience.
Regardless of your desired career path, each student interested in engineering should plan to pursue opportunities that provide valuable experiences and skills - such as campus involvement, research, internships, volunteering, and community engagement. Not only are these great experiences to add to your resume, but they can also help you determine what type of work environments, activities, projects, and “X factors” are a good fit for you.
Pursuing a Graduate Degree in Engineering
Graduate school is often part of the future career trajectory for those interested in engineering. Some students choose to enter graduate school immediately after Wellesley, while others may choose to work for a few years before returning to school. Since Wellesley does not offer an engineering degree, some students may explore bridge programs that provide additional engineering coursework to supplement the liberal arts education and to ready students for the engineering graduate-level work.
If you are considering pursuing a graduate degree in engineering, there are plenty of great resources out there to help you start asking the right questions. Check out the Graduate School resource page in Handshake for a broad overview about graduate school, including the application timeline, asking for references, and financing your education.
When looking for engineering graduate programs, you will need to do some in-depth research about those programs to gain a better understanding of their admissions requirements, the focus of their degree, research areas of the faculty, and the curriculum for the degree. While there are both objective and subjective factors that go into deciding what type of graduate degree or graduate program to pursue, some questions to start with include:
- What are the research specialties/areas of the faculty?
- What research projects do the current graduate student work on?
- What are facilities, laboratories, libraries, etc. like?
- What are the outcomes of the graduates - academia, research, industry, government, or other professional areas?
- What is the quality of life for a Master’s or PhD student?
If you are looking for an in-person consultation about graduate school, a good place to start would be by meeting with Frances Adjorlolo ’08, who is the Career Community Advisor for Technology, Engineering, & Physical Sciences. Additionally, you should plan to speak with the faculty in the chemistry department, as your faculty (especially your advisor) will be an essential resource in your graduate school application process.
Career Resources and Professional Organizations
Organizations on Campus
Wellesley Engineering Society (WES)
Engineering Career Resources
REU Sites: Engineering (National Science Foundation)
Professional Organizations
- Society of Women Engineers
- Biomedical Engineering Society
- American Institute of Chemical Engineers
- American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME)
- Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc.
- National Society of Black Engineers
- Society of Asian Scientists & Engineers
- Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers
Graduate Programs for Non-Engineering Majors
Boston University - Late Entry Accelerated Program (LEAP)
Updated September 4, 2017
If you have additional resources, please feel free to send them to Frances Adjorlolo at fadjorlo@wellesley.edu.
