Engineering School Questions

How do I decide on an engineering school program?

While training as an engineer, students learn to apply the principles of science and mathematics to develop economical solutions to technical problems. Their work is the link between scientific discoveries and the commercial applications that meet societal and consumer needs.

Engineers can be classified into 11 types, according to the kind of work they perform:

• Construction engineers
• Consulting engineers
• Design engineers
• Development engineers
• Teaching engineers
• Planning engineers (also called applications engineers),
• Production engineers
• Research engineers
• Sales engineers
• Service engineers
• Test engineers

Some engineers work in laboratories, industrial plants, or construction sites where they inspect, supervise or solve on-site problems. Other engineers work in an office and a few travel extensively to plants or construction sites. Engineers in branches such as civil engineering may work outdoors part of the time.

Engineers in each branch have knowledge and training that can be applied to many fields and because there are numerous separate problems to solve in a large engineering project, engineers in one field often work closely with specialists in science, engineering, and business.

Most of today’s specialized engineering was developed during the last 200 years. Before then, engineering dealt mostly with the construction of roads, bridges, canals, or military structures and devices. As mankind gained more knowledge of science and technology, engineers began to specialize in certain kinds of work.

In the United States, various engineering training programs range from a bachelor's degree in the sciences or engineering (4 years), to an online bachelor's in engineering, to a master's in the sciences or engineering (adding 1 or 2 years depending on the university), to a doctorate of engineering which entails completing original research. Baccalaureate and master's degrees are generally recognized as sufficient qualification in the American labor market.

What are the top engineering school degrees?

The most recent figures from the National Center for Education Statistics show that engineering school programs and related areas are still highly popular four year degrees in America. Of the 1,439,264 bachelor’s degrees awarded in the 2004-2005 academic year, 41,363 were awarded to candidates who majored in one of four fields of engineering. Around 2.9% of four year degrees are awarded to engineering majors, with the four most popular being the following majors:

Mechanical Engineering (14,609): Certified mechanical engineers are involved in researching and designing mechanical devices of all types, including tools, engines, and machines. This is perhaps the broadest of the engineering disciplines, as mechanical engineering graduates can work in an extremely diverse range of locations, both commercial and industrial. For example, after attaining mechanical engineering training, they might be involved in designing industrial manufacturing machines and systems, new consumer tools and equipment, or even new medical devices.

Electrical and Electronic Engineering (14,171): These engineers focus on using electricity to transmit either information (electronics engineering) or energy (electrical engineering). Going to electrical/electronic engineering school in this discipline can prepare a graduate for careers such as designing electronic equipment, designing industrial manufacturing systems, or designing and maintaining power transmitting systems in an industrial or power generation plant.

Civil Engineering (8,186): Civil engineers train to design and manage construction and engineering projects, typically specializing in a particular type of construction such as buildings, dams, pipelines, or transportation projects. Certified civil engineers work in a diverse range of locations, including state or federal agencies, environmental agencies, and construction companies.

Chemical Engineering (4,397): Chemical engineers focus on applying concepts from physics and chemistry to the process of converting raw materials into forms that are more valuable or more useful. For example, they might be involved in designing chemical plants for the large scale manufacture of chemicals used in other industrial or commercial processes. Modern chemical engineer training often involves researching and developing new types of fibers, fabrics, and synthetic polymers for medical or other specialized purposes.

What are the skills of effective engineering majors and professionals?

The practical knowledge that engineering majors learn in college is extremely important once they enter the workforce. However, there are some job-related skills that are also important for success for an engineer to possess after pursuing an accredited engineering program.

Problem Detection and Problem Solving Skills

The ability to think logically and analytical is particularly important for trained engineers in any discipline. This includes the ability to solve problems logically and to detect potential problems before they become serious issues. For example, a mechanical engineer who designs new mechanical tools or equipment must be able to use his or her specialized knowledge to detect weak points in his or her designs and determine how these problems can be solved.

Decision Making Skills

Decision making skills are important to engineers because often they will have to choose from several different methods of solving a problem or designing a system. They must be able to effectively weigh the pros and cons of each alternative to arrive at the best answer to the question at hand.

Creativity

Creativity is an important skill for engineering majors because effectively solving problems and making decisions does not always mean choosing the established route. An engineering professional might use his or her creativity to come up with an entirely new and innovative solution to a problem, rather than using established solutions, and find that the new solution is actually better.

Communication Skills

Communication skills - both written and verbal - are essential for many engineers. Often they must work in a team and be able to communicate their ideas effectively to other team members. They must be able to get their ideas down on paper effectively, and must also be able to explain complex, highly specialized ideas and concepts to people who do not have their level of expert technical knowledge.

Organizational and Management Skills

For certified engineers who are interested in eventually obtaining a supervisory or management role, these are essential skills. Project Engineers must also have excellent management and organizational skills. This skill set must include being able to effectively prioritize and coordinate different aspects of a project to ensure completion, organize their available time effectively, and manage other people in a team.

What is most engineering coursework like?

Engineering is a discipline that relies very heavily on concepts which determine how physical forces work. The physical sciences, including physics, mathematics, and calculus, are important foundation subjects for all engineering majors.

One crucial aspect of engineering coursework is learning basic and advanced theory, such as physical laws, mathematical theories, the inner workings of basic electronic components, system power and control theory, and concepts relating to different discipliners in engineering. These can include geotechnical engineering and environmental engineering.

While the exact curriculum of engineering school classes will vary widely from school to school, a core curriculum (not including electives) for the first year of an engineering school might look something like the following:

• General physics, chemistry, and mathematics courses
• An introduction to modern techniques and skills relevant to engineers
• An introduction to different types of engineers
• Many degrees also require students take a course in English in their first year to strengthen their communication skills

In most schools the first year’s curriculum is generally by design because not all students will have decided which type of engineering they are most interested in. By the second year of an engineering degree program, students will start learning details on one or two specific branches of engineering.

In the latter years of the degree, a student who decides to focus on civil engineering may take courses in specialist subjects such as soil mechanics, fluid mechanics, and structural design. These build on knowledge gained in previous years, using a framework of physics and mathematic concepts learned in the first year of schooling. In short, the first year of engineering school is crucial to later success.

Engineers must have excellent problem solving skills, regardless of the engineering specialty they choose and the exact nature of the work they do. For this reason, another important part of engineering coursework is learning techniques that engineers use to solve problems, whether they are mathematical, physical, chemical, or mechanical.

Do I need to be certified after I receive my degree?

All states within the US require licensure for engineers who offer their services directly to the public. Engineers who are licensed are called professional engineers (PE). This licensure generally requires a degree from an ABET-accredited engineering program, 4 years of relevant work experience, and successful completion of a state examination.

Recent graduates can start the licensing process by taking the examination in two stages. The initial Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) examination can be taken upon graduation. Engineers who pass this test commonly are called engineers in training (EIT) or engineer interns (EI). After acquiring suitable work experience, engineers in training can take the second examination, called the Principles and Practice of Engineering.

Several states have imposed mandatory continuing education requirements for relicensure. Most states recognize licensure from other states, provided that the manner in which the initial license was obtained meets or exceeds their own licensure requirements.

Independent of licensure, various certification programs are offered by professional organizations to demonstrate competency in specific fields of engineering. These professional certification programs are offered by professional societies and may be beneficial for advancement to senior technical or managerial positions.

Does biomedical engineering have a lot of biology course work?

By combining biology and medicine with engineering, biomedical engineers develop devices and procedures that solve medical and health-related problems. Many do research with life scientists, chemists, and medical scientists in order to develop and evaluate systems and products for use in the fields of biology and health.

A fairly new subject matter, accredited biomedical engineering training is generally a five year course designed to ground students in engineering and biology and teach them techniques necessary for modern bioengineering practice. Therefore, elements of tissue engineering and cellular and molecular biotechnology are added to a traditional curriculum of engineering and biology courses.

What is the difference between computer engineering and software engineering?

Computer engineers research, design, develop, test, and oversee the manufacture and installation of computer hardware. Hardware includes computer chips, circuit boards, computer systems, and related equipment such as keyboards, modems, and printers. After training in computer engineering an individual will learn how to create new hardware technology.

The work of a computer hardware engineer is very similar to that of an electronic engineer in that he or she may design and test circuits and other electronic components. A computer hardware engineer, on the other hand, does that sort of work only as it relates to computers and computer-related equipment. The rapid advances in computer technology are largely a result of the research, development, and design efforts of these engineers.

Conversely, computer software engineers design and develop the software that controls computers. Computer software engineers apply the principles of computer science and mathematical analysis to many different things, including:

• Design
• Development
• Testing
• Evaluation of software
• Systems functionality

Software engineers can be involved in the design and development of many types of software, including computer games, word processing, business applications, operating systems, network distribution, and compilers.

In both fields, most employers prefer applicants who have at least a bachelor’s degree and experience with a variety of computer systems and technologies. In order to remain competitive, computer and software engineers must continually strive to acquire the latest technical skills. Advancement opportunities are good for those with relevant experience.

Is mechanical engineering an engineering degree with variety?

Mechanical engineers research, design, develop, manufacture, and test tools, engines, machines, and other mechanical devices. Mechanical engineering majors of all one of the broadest engineering disciplines.

Engineers in this discipline work on a variety of power producing machines:

• Electric generators
• Internal combustion engines
• Steam and gas turbines
• Refrigeration and air-conditioning equipment
• Machine tools
• Material handling systems
• Elevators and escalators
• Industrial production equipment
• Robots used in manufacturing

Another attribute that makes mechanical engineers different than other engineering specialties is that mechanical engineers also design tools that other engineers need for their work. In addition, mechanical engineers work in manufacturing or agriculture production, maintenance, and technical sales. Many even become administrators or managers.

As a consequence of the variety throughout the mechanical engineering field, mechanical engineers are employed in virtually every industry, with most working for manufacturing firms and a substantial number employed by consulting services. Although some engineers spend most of their time in an office, many jobs require working part of the time in a plant, machine shop, or installation site, or testing laboratory.

Should I get an electrical or an electronic engineering degree?

Although the terms electrical and electronics engineering often are used interchangeably in academia and industry, electrical engineers have traditionally focused on the generation and supply of power, whereas electronics engineers have worked on applications of electricity to control systems or signal processing. Electrical engineers specialize in areas such as power system engineering or electrical equipment manufacturing.

Electrical engineers design, develop, test, and supervise the manufacture of electrical equipment. Some of this equipment includes electric motors, machinery controls, lighting, wiring in buildings, navigation systems in automobiles, aircrafts, and radars, and power generation, control, and transmission devices used by electric utilities.

Electronics engineers are responsible for a wide range of technologies, from portable music players to the global positioning system (GPS). Electronic engineers design, develop, test, and supervise the manufacturing of electronic equipment such as broadcast and communications systems.

Many electronics engineers also work in areas closely related to computers. However, engineers whose work is related exclusively to computer hardware are considered computer hardware engineers. Electronics engineers specialize in areas such as communications, signal processing, and control systems or have a specialty within one of these areas.