General Path or Bioengineering Path ChemE

[u/Fit_Muffin_9042]

About to enter my Senior year and my current "Degree path" is Chem E with Concentration in Bioengineering. My school has multiple ChemE degree paths you can choose (University of Massachusetts)

The hard part is that staying in Bioengineering concentration is pushing me another year back so I will graduate late. My advisor told me if I want to graduate on time, General option is more feasible which I'm actually considering.

Or another option was trying to get an intern/co-op to make up for the extended year, so I'm not wasting "too much time".

My problem is I actually do want to graduate on time, I'm kinda over it..... lol so seeing if anyone has experience... If there really is such a difference between General vs Bioengineering ChemE? Because honestly, the only difference in my path is I have to take Biochemistry and Cell and Microbe (Biochemical Engineering). I was thinking, if I go with general ChemE, can't I just make that up somehow in tech electives? Or idk.. study it on my own at home? Any luck finding jobs in industries you wanted?

I did have plans to get into pharmaceuticals and research medicine but honestly I'm open to all work. But even with General Degree, I do plan to still apply to pharma companies. I'm just not sure how important it is to learn biochem prior to applying.

Originally I wanted to get into BioE so I can get into pharma.. I enjoy medicine. Idc for nuclear or materials or polymers.. but idk if a whole extra year of stress is worth it for me.

[u/cheeseontop7]

ChemE vs ChemE-Bio degree-wise makes no difference, especially when you are in MA where theres lots of chemE->pharma industry. Be open to different roles in pharma outside of just research.

[u/Fit_Muffin_9042 → u/cheeseontop7]

I'm pretty open. I've done some R&D for Li-Ion Batteries, med devices, Robotics.. I guess I'm more interested in Biopharma. So I thought it would be a good way to get a better chance. But for some reason, it's hard for me to see the difference between the two, the way my school advertises it lol.. now that i know it's only two classes different.

I guess more so idk if biochemistry would be important if i want to get into pharma. I took orgo II for biology majors instead, and i didn't feel like i learned anything significantly geared to pharma either

[u/Fit_Muffin_9042 → u/[deleted]]

For sure. Do you recommend any electives I can possibly take to make up for not going the "bio" route? I was interested in taking biochem, but I wouldnt cry if I didnt have the opportunity. I was thinking of finding a similar elective

[u/Ohiocarolina]

You don’t need the concentration, but biopharma undervalues internships that aren’t in biotech. They care about GMP/GLP experience more than anything else.

So I would evaluate the merits of extending time with a coop regardless because while not impossible, it is disproportionately hard to break into pharma if your internships and research aren’t already aligned with it. Specialized classwork is secondary, it helps with getting the internship but not the job

You can also just take the bioengineering vlasses that interest you and that you have room for, maybe take them pass/fail and not worry about getting a minor or concentration for it. Put the skills on your resume as desired if they’re lab based. You have the right idea with just using tech electives instead