Katherine, Widener University asked Jennifer Vilbig, Vilbig & Associates AddedMonday, April 20, 2015 at 5:26 PM Lack of knowledge in engineering Hi Jennifer! So, I'm coming to the end of my freshman year in college. Currently, I am an Anthropology/Pre-Physical Therapy major, but am considering changing to Civil Engineering. In high school, I didn't really take any courses pertaining to engineering, I did take pre-calc. I guess what I'm most concerned about is being behind with my lack of knowledge on the topic of engineering in general if I were to change my major to Civil Engineering. If I put in the time and hard work would it be manageable? What are some things I could do over the summer to help me better my knowledge of the field? Thanks so much! Related to Civil, Self Doubt Reset Sort By Default Jennifer Vilbig , Vilbig & Associates Answered Monday, April 20, 2015 at 5:26 PM Hi Katherine! It is fantastic that you are considering this before the summer starts! You may want to check with an advisor at your university, but math typically tends to be a prerequisite for many of the engineering core classes. I'd highly recommend that you take calculus this summer (or even pre-cal if you think your high school class didn't prepare you). Look into a community college, they'll tend to have more inexpensive classes and will hopefully transfer! Don't worry about being behind, there are all types of students, and it takes some people long than others to find their passion. You CAN do anything you set your mind to! I got mostly got B's (and a few C's) in math in high school, so don't worry! The thing about engineering is that no one really knows what to expect coming from school into the workforce. The engineering curriculum really only prepares you to solve problems, and you'll get a bunch of on-the-job training after you graduate! As for learning more about civil engineering, the American Society of Civil Engineers is a great resource, and student membership is free. You can also read industry news, like Engineering News Record (ENR) or sign up for the ASCE newsletter . Talk to some students at your university about their experience in civil engineering and what they want to do with their degree, contact your university ASCE section officers! They've probably had internships, so could help you understand more about working as a civil engineer. You could also go to an ASCE meeting. If there is a professional section in your area, many include technical speakers (but it won't be too technical for you because the industry is so diverse.) And you could ask around to see if anyone is willing to let you job shadow them for a day! Hope this helps and good luck with finals! -Jennifer