difference between structural and mechanical engineering

ralphy

I really have trouble deciding which of these two programmes I should choose.
I do really enjoy math and mechanics, and by reading which kind of subjects they have, the both seem very interesting. But it seems that structural engineers have a lot more "calculation" subjects, is this right?
If I want to learn very challanging math and mechanics, which one of these programmes should I choose? And do you have any other information that can make my choice easier?

brewnog

Mechanicals probably have more 'calculation' subjects, though both are heavily technical. The scientific principles behind both disciplines are the same, but since mechanical engineering is a broader field, there is an expectation to be able to work from first principles more readily.

If you want to learn maths and mechanics out of enjoyment, I suggest you take a maths/mechanics oriented degree.

If you want to use maths and mechanics (with a load of other tools) to solve real-world problems, choose an engineering discipline that you have a passion for.

stewartcs

The mathematics and mechanics should be very similar between the two programs, take a look at the course descriptions between the programs and see which one you prefer. Also, you may certainly take more courses, or minior in a specific subject area that you are interested in, mathematics is an excellent choice as a minor for an Engineering major.