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I am doing a double degree (bachelor of electrical engineering - bachelor of math) and I am in year 2 (my double degrees takes 5 years). My final goal is to enter electrical engineering graduate school. I love math and I am getting excellent grades for my bachelor of math degree but since my goal is entering electrical engineering graduate school, I feel that I am wasting my time by making my bachelor degree much longer. On the other hand, I think that I may forget the majority of my math theorems in a few years. I am thinking of dropping my math degree and just continue with my bachelor of electrical engineering but I can not decide for sure.

How would a double degree in math and electrical engineering help me in electrical engineering graduate school? Will I have any disadvantage if I just enter graduate school with a straight bachelor of electrical engineering? When it comes to graduate admission, does the graduate committee look more favorably to someone who has done a double degree in electrical engineering and math than someone with a straight electrical engineering degree? If you enter electrical graduate engineering school with just a straight electrical engineering degree, would then learning the required math be doable?

Edit: I am thinking of control theory and/or signal processing in graduate school.

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    If your target research area benefits from having a stronger math background, then your major in math could help strengthen your profile. Can you clarify your target EE research area?
    – Mad Jack
    Commented Dec 19, 2016 at 16:20
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    This depends a lot on what you intend to specialize in when you get to grad school. Some disciplines of electrical engineering use very complicated math; some disciplines just need vector calculus and Laplace transforms. Since you're just in your second year, you probably haven't been exposed to all those areas yet.
    – John Feltz
    Commented Dec 19, 2016 at 16:22
  • There's always the possibility of minoring in mathematics if you prefer (at least for most institutions in the U.S.). Fewer required courses, but it'll still show up on your transcript.
    – tonysdg
    Commented Dec 19, 2016 at 18:41
  • Just as a passing comment, you might be interested in what Michael Robinson has been doing: drmichaelrobinson.net. He started with Electrical Engineering and then moved into Applied Mathematics.
    – J W
    Commented Dec 19, 2016 at 21:34
  • @MadJack: I edited my question now. My target EE research area is control theory and/or signal processing.
    – user62977
    Commented Dec 20, 2016 at 1:20

2 Answers 2

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I just acquired a bachelor of electrical engineering. In Brazil, engineering programs are 5 years by default. Next month I start my graduate studies and, from my experience, I think engineering programs should be more math-intensive (we do not have a mathematical analysis course, for example).

Let me explain why: I want to do research in computational electromagnetics and transients in transmission lines. I began studying more advanced topics in signal processing and numerical methods. I realised that I lacked the understanding of some mathematical concepts that appear in those topics (convergence, Lebesgue and Hilbert spaces). I also realised I did not have enough intelectual maturity because the mindset we learn in engineering is "do that to solve this problem", and not "show that this result is true and serves your purpose", which I think is more important; specially if you are going to publish a thesis and solve a problem no one ever did.

And as a side note: Claude Shannon, known for founding digital circuit design theory in 1937, did a double degree in electrical engineering and mathematics if I remember right.

To address your questions

How would a double degree in math and electrical engineering help me in electrical engineering graduate school?

Studying proof-writing mathematics gives you intelectual maturity.

Will I have any disadvantage if I just enter graduate school with a straight bachelor of electrical engineering?

I'd say yes IF you are going to a more math-intense area like signal processing. Because you will have to learn topics that are not present in engineering courses like convergence and Hilbert Spaces (at least in Brazil).

When it comes to graduate admission, does the graduate committee look more favorably to someone who has done a double degree in electrical engineering and math than someone with a straight electrical engineering degree?

I do not know. If I were from a graduate committee I would look more favourably to a student with a double degree in engineering and math.

If you enter electrical graduate engineering school with just a straight electrical engineering degree, would then learning the required math be doable?

Yes. I think that most graduate engineering schools assume their students have an engineer-only degree.

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Yes, it would help if you study Applied Mathematics.

However, how much it would help depends on your intended field of study. If you plan to go into Computational Electromagnetics or Digital Signal Processing or similiar fields, then it's great. If not, I advise you not to invest more than one semester in studying Math.

To give you a perspective: I graduated with a BS (GPA:3.5) and MS (GPA:3.5) in EE only. I took the subject Math GRE and scored in the 30% percentile.

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