engineering school

[CoupedUpSubie]

I have a BS in Marine Engineering Technology.

I also am licensed to work on any vessel of any horsepower motor(diesel) or steam. I currently deliver supplies to rigs and platforms.

If I went for a masters it would be a business degree as that would increase shoreside opportunities. I would go back to Maine Maritime Academy for that degree.

[cdrazic93]

Originally Posted by strat61caster

I don't have much of an interest pursuing further education, digging deeper into Mechanical Engineering theoreticals only helps if your doing hard analysis: Structural, vibration, heat transfer, dynamics, fluids. All of which culminate in better design and planning and such but there's no reason you can't develop those skills on the job while collecting at least a middle class salary.

Essentially the program i will be aiming for has all students work on formula SAE and Baja SAE projects. But it makes sense, i wouldnt go to graduate school right after getting my BS. Id go into a car company gain experience and see if it still interests me. Basically thats what this program offers, vehicle based material engineering, pastics and compsites, design, industrial design and electrical engineering. This is all revolving around CAD work as well.

[cdrazic93]

Originally Posted by Gunman

I have an AAS in Mechanical Technology, and currently work as a "design engineer". In the racing industry I can wear the "engineer" title

I would love to do this...work for an F1 team? Hell yea. If i could work for a car company...designing engines, that would be my dream job.

[00NissanNinja]

I have a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering and currently working aerospace and software engineering for the air force. Honestly I'd take a job first and kind of start to see where you'd really like to focus in on for your career. Getting in industry and working jobs really helps you get a sense of what you want to learn more about or you might find what you thought you'd like sucked as a job. But if you really have an idea of what you'd like to do and be more of an expert in a certain discipline then that is what you go for.

For me I want to be very certain of what I want to do career wise before I really focus in on something and go for a masters (and also the student loans need to die haha). Also like people above said sometimes you get companies that will fund you to get higher degrees.

[cdrazic93]

Originally Posted by 00NissanNinja

(and also the student loans need to die haha).

I hate student loans.

[serialk11r]

I'm not an engineer but I do math, am familiar with software engineering, and I have countless friends who are data science/engineering/etc. I think the extra school could be good for you depending on background, but only if you don't have to pay for it. I'm applying to PhD programs, but no way in hell I would do that if there wasn't a stipend. Lost earnings from not working is one thing, lost earnings PLUS debt (or a drained bank account) is another.

This is for engineering (EE, CS, MechE, MS, ChemE) in particular because you generally don't need a graduate degree in industry, whereas your options are much more limited with some other majors ([cough] bio -> med school).

[s2d4]

My degree was a 4 years Bachelor of Engineering in EE.

HV/Automation of fixed plant equipments on mines/ports.

However the uni has now changed it to a 3 years Engineering science degree and 2 years Masters of professional Engineering before one becomes a qualified engineer.
Unfortunately there is a lot more general units as well as minors in the first 3 years as they only focus in their discipline in the Masters course, whereas our only common year was 1st year...

Apparently this is more in line with the American system, I see it as paying more and wasting more time. Rather inefficient but the uni makes more money since hardly anyone would be employable if they don't do the Masters course.

[Gunman]

Originally Posted by cdrazic93

I would love to do this...work for an F1 team? Hell yea. If i could work for a car company...designing engines, that would be my dream job.

Not F1, but: Design Engineer Job

[stugray]

Originally Posted by cdrazic93

Attention all engineers:

What kind of degree do you have?.

One thing to be careful of; SOME of the people who say they have "degrees" do not always have a "4 year degree".
Things like BSEET are not necessarily the same as a BSEE.

The "T" usually stands for "technology" and means the program offered some of the core classes as a real degree, but far less of the theory & math to back it up.
OTOH - some of the "T" degrees actually offer MORE hands on training, so pick your poison.

Where I work, they were not even aware of the difference until I pointed it out to my functional manager.

So sometimes a "BSEET" degree can get the same job as a regular "BSEE", but it is a BIG gamble.

[Special_K]

^^Truth! I graduated with a 4 year BS in Industrial Design, which is a technology major but I immediately started working as an engineer. I may not be able to send a rocket to the moon, but I can do everything my company needs me for. Besides, I've learned WAY more being out of school simply out of necessity... I can't back up all my work with all the super detailed math formulas like a true engineer, but I can design a machine on monday, watercut it on tuesday, weld it on wednesday, and mill it on thursday. The tech side let's you be more directly hands on in the project, but I'm having to learn the engineering theory on my own.

Prime example, I was working on a project in school with a mechanical engineering major, we were building a cart and wanted to know the tipping point of it. He went spent a few days doing his wizard magic on paper to figure out the tipping point, I went to the shop and built it and tipped it over to figure it out... Long story short, we both came up with the answer. Different means, to a similar end.

[cdrazic93]

http://engr.wwu.edu/ENGD%20Home/

Thats the program overview.

[jvincent]

So, back to the most pertinent question, what do you want to end up doing?

The vehicle design degree summary suggests that the end goal is the technical management of design teams. I.e. you probably won't be doing a lot of actual hands on work.

Were you to go to Stanford for a Masters in Electrical, what would the focus of your masters be?

[cdrazic93]

Originally Posted by jvincent

So, back to the most pertinent question, what do you want to end up doing?

The vehicle design degree summary suggests that the end goal is the technical management of design teams. I.e. you probably won't be doing a lot of actual hands on work.

Were you to go to Stanford for a Masters in Electrical, what would the focus of your masters be?

Electrical systems. As in hybrid technology/electric cars and power systems.

[jvincent]

Got it.

I was going to suggest that if you are pursuing an advanced degree in EE with the intent of going into the automotive field that a systems focus would be best.

The basic electrical components in a car are, relatively speaking, straight forward and require fairly specialized study, IC design or battery design as examples. Hooking all that stuff up into a reliable, cost-effective system is a different problem all together.

Good luck with what ever you end up doing.