CSE major → Masters in MBSE or Bioengineering? (hands-on + design interests, not aiming for pure CS career)
I’m trying to figure out whether MBSE (Materials & Biomaterials Science and Engineering) or Bioengineering makes more sense for me, and I’d really appreciate some honest advice.
I’m currently a CSE major (switched from bio about ~1.5 years ago) with a ~3.5 GPA. My academic background is kind of mixed:
- Strong in biology and chemistry (straight As, had the highest grade in a ~300 student Gen Chem II class)
- Inconsistent in math (A-/B range, but I really enjoyed discrete math and vector calc)
- Weaker in core CS theory (mostly B range, some A-)
My university offers direct admission into Master’s programs in Materials & Biomaterials Science and Engineering (MBSE) and Bioengineering for CSE majors, so I’m seriously considering going that route.
Right now I’m in a lab doing molecular dynamics simulations. I also did a data science internship at LLNL where I worked on data cleaning/preprocessing for a pathogen spread modeling project using ArcGIS, which I really enjoyed.
Over time I’ve realized I tend to enjoy:
- CAD / design-type work
- Spatial/system tools like ArcGIS
- Hands-on lab/experimental work
I don’t mind coding, but I don’t see myself in a pure CS/software-focused career. I’m much more interested in using coding as a tool within a broader engineering or scientific context.
I’m currently deciding between:
- Materials & Biomaterials Science and Engineering (MBSE)
- Bioengineering
What draws me to each:
- MBSE: real-world systems (energy, environment, materials in applications) and more tangible engineering problems
- Bioengineering: strong interest in biology/chemistry, hands-on work, and areas like biomaterials or biomedical devices that combine experiments with some computational work
My goals:
- Get into research relatively easily
- Be able to land a stable job after an MS (open to doing a PhD if it makes sense)
- Work on tangible, real-world problems (ideally involving some design or systems thinking)
My main questions:
- Does having a CSE undergrad hurt me for materials or bioengineering jobs?
- Between MBSE and BioE, which tends to have better entry-level opportunities with just an MS?
- Is one path significantly harder to transition into from my background?
I’m also a bit concerned about the CS job market and don’t see myself pursuing pure software roles long-term.
Would really appreciate hearing from people who:
- went into industry after an MS (not just PhD)
- or transitioned from CS into engineering fields
What would you do in my position?