Choosing a Degree: Arts & Science vs Applied Science & Engineering

General Advice

While looking from afar the degree options might seem very similar regardless of the institution you choose to attend, it’s incredibly important to look into the details of the degree/program you’re hoping to pursue. Looking at the syllabi for courses you might want to/need to take in your desired major will help you assess if they actually prepare you for the industry or field you want to see yourself in, as well as understand what each degree actually entails. Additionally, it’s incredibly important to understand what you want to do after undergrad as well. While science programs will better prepare you for research or graduate school, they don’t prepare you as well for industry work. These two paths are very different and knowing what you want to do before going into post-secondary education is important in choosing programs and courses to take. If you’re looking to spend more time in post-secondary doing extracurriculars or having fun, it might be wiser to opt for an arts and sciences degree that can be more forgiving with the time commitment. Ultimately, understanding what you want out of your time in post-secondary will be the biggest factor in deciding which faculty to enter.

Arts and Sciences

While it will vary on the institution you are attending, arts and sciences will typically give you a lot more freedom for scheduling and courses compared to engineering. Arts and sciences degrees are usually structured so that you can choose one major and two minors or two majors. Your institution will have a comprehensive list of minors/majors you can take with prerequisites and required courses listed. Majors and minors are essentially groupings of courses that fall under an overarching field (majors being the broader of the two, hence the name). Because minors are less extensive, opting for the one major two minors structure will result in courses that have more overlap in the field they occupy. Comparatively, double majors often have more contrast, which allows you to be more adaptive for what field you go into after graduating. For example, computer science/business double majors are quite common and can span a lot of fields whether it be purely software/computer science-based or solely in business management. Arts and science are typically the better choice if you want more flexibility with scheduling and career direction in post-secondary. You’ll also have more time to commit to extracurricular activities and have fun outside of classes.

Applied Science and Engineering

Widely regarded as one of the most academically rigorous undergraduate degrees, a degree in applied science and engineering may not be for everyone. Compared to the arts and sciences, engineering tends to be much less flexible, with little to no room for electives and course selection (especially in the early years). However, there are more options for technical electives in the later years of your degree in whichever specialization you choose. Most engineering schools also offer the option for co-op programs, which is a work term in which you will work for a company for up to a full year during your degree to gain industry experience. Having this experience can be valuable in searching for employment after your degree. Because engineering is usually more academically and technically rigorous than arts and science programs, you will likely find getting a well-paying job easier out of undergrad.

Because our work focuses primarily on STEM fields, this guide will be centered around the difference between the Arts/Sciences faculty and the Applied Science and Engineering faculties. More specifically, this guide will go through some of the options you have depending on which you decide.