Other Becoming an Engineer: Considerations and Personal Experiences

[John Mario]

At the suggestion of Shahil, I'm starting this thread as a general guidance thread for prospective engineers. Some typical questions:

-Should I become an engineer?
-What engineering discipline should I study?
-Is engineering difficult?

I encourage people to post personal experiences in school and in the professional world regarding the field of engineering.

Some background info on me - I'm a mechanical engineer working in the field of HVAC design. I started off studying aerospace engineering, but the math was just too much for me. I like mechanical engineering because it is a very wide field with all sorts of job opportunities everywhere.

The most important discipline in Engineering is the ability to analyze and resolve a problem; even when one is under pressure to meet a deadline. This requires a practical application of one's knowledge. I am a retired Electrical Engineer.

 

[John Mario]

Engineering management is typically done at the graduate (MS) level. For example - http://memp.pratt.duke.edu/
http://engineering.jhu.edu/msem/index.html?gclid=COmqmfWJxKUCFUGo4Aod1i33YA

However I have encountered one person doing a bachelors program in Engineering Management.

I believe it is better to get a scientific/technical/engineering degree first, and then do engineering management. One could do engineering and business/entrepreneurship programs as an undergraduate.

The VPs, president and CEO where I work have MS or PhDs in various engineering disciplines, and they perform management as well as engineeing functions. Based on my experience, the best managers are those who understand the science (physics) behind the engineering and technology, as well as business knowledge such as planning, finance, etc.

I agree. Someone with hands-on experience is much more likely to recognize a reasonable projected time to complete a design.

 

[John Mario]

I'm three quarters of the way through first year (electronic) engineering, but seriously considering switching to a physics/maths double major. My academic advisor is pretty focused on preventing engineering 'dropouts' and seems to think that if, like me, you're getting straight firsts, you'd have no reason to switch. I'm kind of frustrated by the narrowness of the physics ahead of me (after Physics I everything is tightly focused on circuit theory, power electronics, etc) and the fact that our engineering courses never seem to go to the roots of anything, while our out-of-faculty courses do it quite well. I'm also apprehensive of the idea (introduced by my lecturers) that most of engineering is dealing with people-problems. (Working with people on science problems is cool; but I don't like the concept that half or less of my work will actually be science related.)

I know that I'd probably need an academic or research type job to focus on pure physics; right now that sounds awesome. I'm just not sure how much this is 'grass is greener' syndrome, and how true the idea that I'd need a large handful of luck to even get a job like that is. (It seems as likely as I could hope for that I could find an engineering job if I graduate with good marks and a BSc(Eng), but I know I'd need a much longer/harder/more costly qualification to actually do pure physics as a career.)

Advice on whether I've misjudged engineering and/or am being a silly fool to even think this way would be great. Thanks.

Communication skills is a requirement today. You may have to explain your design to a customer and listen to the customer's comments, questions and criticisms of your design.

Writing is another required skill. I had to write my design documents and submit them to the customer. The customer commented on my design documents. This is one way to ensure that your interpretation of the customer's needs matches the customer's actual needs.

In school, math is the tool used to explain a concept. Some teachers insert practical examples in their lectures. I was fortunate enough to have a professor who worked as an Engineering Manager during the day and taught an Engineering course at night. First he would teach the theory and math. Then he would explain what works in the real world.

 

[Tshephisho]

Im'm interested in studying mechanical engineering next year but I like working more with my hands, taking things apart and puting them back again, figuring out why something does not want to work and trying to find a solution to make that thing work by making use of "trial-and-error", my question is what career path within the mechanical field should i pursue, mechanical techinician or mechanical technologist or engineer, oh I'm also into cars, love everything about them.

 

[John Mario]

Im'm interested in studying mechanical engineering next year but I like working more with my hands, taking things apart and puting them back again, figuring out why something does not want to work and trying to find a solution to make that thing work by making use of "trial-and-error", my question is what career path within the mechanical field should i pursue, mechanical techinician or mechanical technologist or engineer, oh I'm also into cars, love everything about them.

I can only relate to my observations having consulted with a mechanical engineer on several occasions. The mechanical technician does most of the hands-on testing. I don't know about the mechanical technologist. I know the engineer becomes involved when the technician reports a problem.

 

[i_wish_i_was_smart]

I can only relate to my observations having consulted with a mechanical engineer on several occasions. The mechanical technician does most of the hands-on testing. I don't know about the mechanical technologist. I know the engineer becomes involved when the technician reports a problem.

Hey I'll add to this

If you enjoy fixing cars and troubleshoot their problems- become a Thechnician (technicians are mechanics)

if you like to test new car parts until they fail and collect data on it to then submit said data to an engineer to fix the problem - become a technologist

if you like to design new car parts and and trouble shoot why they fail in some manner or another to find a proper solution to your problem - become and engineer

this is just one example of many


i myself became an Engineer to find intuitive solutions to problems, you might build 2 bridges of the same design, but garanteed you will have different problems, this is why onsite civil engineers have not gone out of style yet
i didnt become a mechanic for the simple fact that i didnt think i was going to enjoy it as a profession, i love working on cars... as a hobby, i didnt think i was going to get the mental stimulation that i wanted out of a job, did i make the right choice? well i still love to tinker on my car on my time off, and i love my job... best of both worlds really

now the reason i chose my dicipline
i chose the type of engineering i am in because of a childhood job i had, i was working as a shop boy on a mine site in the Canadian arctic, as soon as i stepped off the plane, that type of lifestyle called to me, as the summer went on i met many engineers who shared with me their insight into what the job is and it all got me hooked on more and more. where before the sumer i had many career paths i wanted to take, at the end of the summer that choice was clear, i had to become... a drunken Mining Engineer haha

point is you have to choose the dicipline that makes you tick, the one that makes you want to achieve the unachievable, the makes you thrive as a professional and as a human being...

... and that is worth more than the paycheck at the end of the week

 

[musk]

It's really awesome to see how much help the members are giving to the ppl who can't decide what major to enroll into. Anyway i have some questions. I am a 1st year ME student and so far it's been 'O.K.' I chose ME mainly because i thought i was crazy about physics but didn't like the opportunities a physics course would offer (scientist, lab, teaching). And yeah, I didn't also like the fact how physicist where payed so low for their work. I am fairly good at math and physics and i can say that i like them, they are interesting but they don't quite make my blood boil when i hear talking about them. What really makes me go crazy is modern physics. I absolutely love everything about it, from relativity, quantum mechanics, astrophysics and others. I literally sit in front of the TV and don't move at all while watching documentaries about it (like a kid watching cartoons). Not to mention that i swallow every book i can get on that subject (now reading The Large, The Small and Human Mind by Penrose :P).

However even considering my love for modern physics I wouldn't like going 5 years through hell just to teach or be enclosed in some laboratory. I'd like something practical. My ideal course would be Modern Physics Engineering, but unfortunately i never heard about it =/, so i assume it doesn't exist. Overall that has been my dilemma since i finished high school and for now i am not quite sure if i made the right decision. thanks i'll keep checking this forum :)

 

[p1ayaone1]

It's really awesome to see how much help the members are giving to the ppl who can't decide what major to enroll into. Anyway i have some questions. I am a 1st year ME student and so far it's been 'O.K.' I chose ME mainly because i thought i was crazy about physics but didn't like the opportunities a physics course would offer (scientist, lab, teaching). And yeah, I didn't also like the fact how physicist where payed so low for their work. I am fairly good at math and physics and i can say that i like them, they are interesting but they don't quite make my blood boil when i hear talking about them. What really makes me go crazy is modern physics. I absolutely love everything about it, from relativity, quantum mechanics, astrophysics and others. I literally sit in front of the TV and don't move at all while watching documentaries about it (like a kid watching cartoons). Not to mention that i swallow every book i can get on that subject (now reading The Large, The Small and Human Mind by Penrose :P).

However even considering my love for modern physics I wouldn't like going 5 years through hell just to teach or be enclosed in some laboratory. I'd like something practical. My ideal course would be Modern Physics Engineering, but unfortunately i never heard about it =/, so i assume it doesn't exist. Overall that has been my dilemma since i finished high school and for now i am not quite sure if i made the right decision. thanks i'll keep checking this forum :)

There is a discipline called "Engineering Physics" offered at some schools, but if you're interested in modern physics, you might enjoy semiconductors (that would be in ELEC) or nano/materials engineering. For now, you'll have to slog through Introduction to This and Fundamentals of That until you get to the good stuff ;)

 

[eventob]

I am currently studying petroleum geosciences engineering. I am thinking about maybe taking an exchange semester to some other school (preferably in the US or Canada) (also considering Australia or ZA), but I'm not sure which one to choose. My university has an exchange programme with New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology and San Diego State, but I may also arrange it with some other school.

Any thoughts? Probably not a lot of people in here studying petroleum/geo engineering?

I am also a bit uncertain whether I should attend grad school after I've finished my bachelor degree. Is it worth the two extra years and the money to get a masters degree?

Anyways. I was going to study business administration, but I decided to go for engineering ... Was admitted into two different universities, one business school and one engineering school ... So I had to decide in the last minute. I don't regret choosing engineering, even though the science subjects can be very challenging from time to time. :)

 

[p1ayaone1]

I am currently studying petroleum geosciences engineering. I am thinking about maybe taking an exchange semester to some other school (preferably in the US or Canada) (also considering Australia or ZA), but I'm not sure which one to choose. My university has an exchange programme with New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology and San Diego State, but I may also arrange it with some other school.

Any thoughts? Probably not a lot of people in here studying petroleum/geo engineering?

I am also a bit uncertain whether I should attend grad school after I've finished my bachelor degree. Is it worth the two extra years and the money to get a masters degree?

I don't study in that field or go to this university, but McGill (Montreal, Canada) has a mining engineering program. I think it's the only one where they do Co-op, but no idea about exchanges.

 

[rainbowchelle]

I'm thinking of going into electrical engineering (also considering civil, computer or industrial; however electrical seems most interesting to me) but I'm not terribly good at or passionate about math. When I took Pre-Calc and Trig in high school I didn't do so well. I'm not sure if this is important enough to re-think this career path or not. When I took entrance exams for college (I went and dropped out, am going back this Spring) I scored into the highest math placement I could without testing out of it entirely, and I did really well in Intermediate Algebra. I'm just concerned that this might not be good enough because I hear a lot about how math intensive engineering is, and I'm pretty sure I'll have to do a bit more than factoring to graduate. I don't mind doing math and find some of it fun, but I guess I'm concerned that I'd be bad at it and if it's really that crazy important I might as well just decide on another career path.

On the other hand, I find electricity and the physics behind it fascinating. I love to design things and solve puzzles. I'm naturally inquisitive which seems to be a plus for this career field. I love to write and enjoy finding the most efficient way to do things. I think that designing electronics would be really fulfilling, I love technology and looking at the progress we have made so far and thinking about how much further we have the potential to go.

What do you think? Would I make a good electrical engineer or should I go back to the drawing board?

 

[p1ayaone1]

Would I make a good electrical engineer or should I go back to the drawing board?

You'll do great because:

1. You found this forum
2. You used the following words in your post: "fun", "fascinating", "love", "fulfilling", "progress", "potential"

Don't worry about the math. They will drill you over and over on all the little tricks you need to (eventually) solve more involved design problems.

You are leaps and bounds above many other final-year Elec students I know because you already have an engineer's brain. Sure, they might be able to do convolution integrals in their sleep, but anyone can learn how to do that. You can't teach someone to be passionate and inquisitive. Play your advantages, be patient, slog through the math courses and I'm sure you will find an incredibly rewarding career.

 

[rainbowchelle]

You'll do great because:

1. You found this forum
2. You used the following words in your post: "fun", "fascinating", "love", "fulfilling", "progress", "potential"

Don't worry about the math. They will drill you over and over on all the little tricks you need to (eventually) solve more involved design problems.

You are leaps and bounds above many other final-year Elec students I know because you already have an engineer's brain. Sure, they might be able to do convolution integrals in their sleep, but anyone can learn how to do that. You can't teach someone to be passionate and inquisitive. Play your advantages, be patient, slog through the math courses and I'm sure you will find an incredibly rewarding career.

Thank you! That's really encouraging to hear :)

 

[Hellius]

I've pretty much decided on being an engineer. I've created an academic plan and I am shooting for the moon. Problem is, I'm not sure what branch I'd like to get into.

I'd love to learn how to generate electricity and I'd like to learn how to sanitate water for communities. I'd like to invent... anything that comes to my mind and I'd like to develop skills that I can use outside of work. I'd like to do humanitarian work; make sure people have clean water to drink, have safe living conditions, and I'd like to make their lives easier.

I guess I'd like to have an eclectic mix of everything and anything. I think of mechanical for this reason, but I'm not sure if it fits the bill.

 

[Angry Citizen]

Most engineering degrees start off relatively similar. You study the same math, the same physics, the same basic engineering courses. You have plenty of time to decide on a sub-discipline. You might consider civil engineering based on your preferences.

 

[pongo38]

If you stick with electrical and do well, you could consider doing a masters afterwards in water and/or environmental engineering. That choice should be possible in the UK, anyway. You can adapt this suggestion to closely related fields and other countries. What admissions tutors will want to establish is (a) your ability to learn at a higher level and (b) your motivation for the chosen course.

 

[Hellius]

Electrical engineering was the initial discipline I was looking at when I began my search. I've been thinking about civil lately as well.

I do want to have my bachelor's degree be a core branch of engineering, so civil or electrical would work for me. I'm not sure which I'd like more, but I'm leaning towards electrical.

I don't intend to get into any Ivy League or top prestigious school or anything like that, so does the university you attend make a huge difference in your ability to get hired? My school has an agreement with UC Santa Barbara, Davis, Santa Cruz, and San Diego where, if I complete all the lower division requirements for whichever major, I am guaranteed acceptance. UC Santa Cruz attracts me the most, but it's relatively unknown.

 

[Nikitin]

thoughts about chemical engineering?

engineers with Physical chemistry specialization, what do they do?

Which engineers typically work in the field as opposed in offices?

 

[viscousflow]

Electrical engineering was the initial discipline I was looking at when I began my search. I've been thinking about civil lately as well.

I do want to have my bachelor's degree be a core branch of engineering, so civil or electrical would work for me. I'm not sure which I'd like more, but I'm leaning towards electrical.

I don't intend to get into any Ivy League or top prestigious school or anything like that, so does the university you attend make a huge difference in your ability to get hired? My school has an agreement with UC Santa Barbara, Davis, Santa Cruz, and San Diego where, if I complete all the lower division requirements for whichever major, I am guaranteed acceptance. UC Santa Cruz attracts me the most, but it's relatively unknown.

I would check if the university is abet accredited and the job rate for the engineering department. If those qualities are present and the university is indeed in good standing, in terms of job rate, then I wouldn't worry too much.

 

[Cod]

From reading about different university programs, a three semester calculus sequence and differential equations are the only math courses typically required for engineering majors. What other undergraduate math courses would benefit an engineering major? Linear Algebra? Real Analysis? Numerical Analysis? Others...

EDIT: I'm primarily speaking of aerospace and computer/electrical engineering.

 

[viscousflow]

From reading about different university programs, a three semester calculus sequence and differential equations are the only math courses typically required for engineering majors. What other undergraduate math courses would benefit an engineering major? Linear Algebra? Real Analysis? Numerical Analysis? Others...

EDIT: I'm primarily speaking of aerospace and computer/electrical engineering.

I am an AE senior now and I found that a linear algebra course and some higher courses in diff eq (After intro to PDE and complex functions etc..) would've been very helpful because of my field of interest, Flight Controls. Also, if I chose to go into FEA or CFD, numerical analysis would help. Usually you simply want to tailor your electives to what you want to study, there is no real all encompassing advice on math courses to take for an engineer. All of it depends on your interests.

 

[Cod]

I am an AE senior now and I found that a linear algebra course and some higher courses in diff eq (After intro to PDE and complex functions etc..) would've been very helpful because of my field of interest, Flight Controls. Also, if I chose to go into FEA or CFD, numerical analysis would help. Usually you simply want to tailor your electives to what you want to study, there is no real all encompassing advice on math courses to take for an engineer. All of it depends on your interests.

Thanks for the assistance. Right now, my interests are in avionics, navigation, and guidance...primarily software / CmpEng type stuff within air and space craft. I'd like to tailor my minor so I can get more specific when going to graduate school, hopefully in an aerospace program.

 

[story645]

What other undergraduate math courses would benefit an engineering major? Linear Algebra? Real Analysis? Numerical Analysis? Others...

I had to take a combined Linear Algebra/Vector Calculus course, which was super useful for E&M.

I'd like to tailor my minor so I can get more specific when going to graduate school, hopefully in an aerospace program.

A friend of mine is in an aerospace phd program because of robotics research (also CompE undergrad) so you've got a good idea with focusing on control systems. Take the EE electives and figure it out from that side. Might give you an advantage of sorts on the software side.

 

[Cod]

A friend of mine is in an aerospace phd program because of robotics research (also CompE undergrad) so you've got a good idea with focusing on control systems. Take the EE electives and figure it out from that side. Might give you an advantage of sorts on the software side.

My university doesn't have an engineering program, so I went with a computer science major; however, I've tailored my electives to reflect as much EE and CmpE as the school offers (digital logic, circuits intro, etc.). I'm hoping to take some classes as a non-traditional student prior to applying to engineering graduate programs. Hopefully I can put together a nice package and sell my CS degree towards avionics and such. We'll see...

Thanks for the words.

 

[viscousflow]

Thanks for the assistance. Right now, my interests are in avionics, navigation, and guidance...primarily software / CmpEng type stuff within air and space craft. I'd like to tailor my minor so I can get more specific when going to graduate school, hopefully in an aerospace program.

Welcome to the club. I'm into flight controls/navigation and plan to to my masters in it, this fall. All I can say is do as much linear algebra as you possibly can. I wish I did if formally. I did self-study in linear algebra before so I understand what is happening but if I had formal study I would have more insight into more advanced study. Also, you may want to get acquainted with MATLAB and simulink software. Good luck in your endeavors, if you have any question on controls, feel free to message me.

 

[denks]

Finding lots of good thoughts here so figured I'd ask about my own situation.

After doing a couple of years of electrical engineering a few years back I dropped out and pursued a career in software dev for approx 10 years. Did quite well but never got any great satisfaction, I missed the maths and physics. I have returned to study engineering (doing a common first year, thought about trying to get exemptions but have forgotten most of the theory due to lack of use) and am trying to decide between mechatronics and electrical engineering. I want to do something where my programming background won't count for nothing (I do enjoy coding, just want to do something useful with it). My likes are electrostatics/dynamics/magnetics, quantum physics, digital circuits, AI, maths, programming, mechanics. My dislikes are thermodynamics (still don't like it) and circuit analysis (used to dislike it, not sure if it was due to lack of study at the time). I'm also thinking of a double major electrical eng / mathematics, mechatronics / mathematics or mechatronics / physics as I really love phys and maths. I'm thinking of getting into r+d in autonomous robots as I think this would be an ideal fit, I considered a computer sci / maths double major but want to have a physical product at the end - what I was missing in software dev. A local university is offering mechatronics with a sub major in space engineering which has certainly taken my interest.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

 

[OUmecheng]

I am very interested in engineering... I used to take stuff apart when I was younger just to see all the little parts integrated into simple machines. The only toys I played with were legos (lol until I was 14, actually). But as I delve deeper into school, I feel like I won't be able to complete my goal of becoming a Mechanical Engineer. I feel like I MIGHT be slightly more behind than everyone else in understanding math and physics. I was only wondering if anyone else felt the same but still succeeded? I must say, it's killing my morale.

 

[General_Sax]

Don't worry about it... most likely you're near the average in terms of comprehension and understanding. What one does in the present matters more in life than what one did in the past.

 

[denks]

I am very interested in engineering... I used to take stuff apart when I was younger just to see all the little parts integrated into simple machines. The only toys I played with were legos (lol until I was 14, actually). But as I delve deeper into school, I feel like I won't be able to complete my goal of becoming a Mechanical Engineer. I feel like I MIGHT be slightly more behind than everyone else in understanding math and physics. I was only wondering if anyone else felt the same but still succeeded? I must say, it's killing my morale.

A big question you need to ask yourself (and be honest with yourself) is why you are slightly behind in these subjects. Is it due to not "getting it", lack of study, or just loving the hands-on but hating the theory behind it? Lack of study is simple - study more. Not "getting it" may need help from teachers or fellow classmates. If you love the hands on and dislike the theory you may prefer a career as a technician where you will be doing hands on all day rather than at a desk doing the calculations behind it - engineering study will comprise very heavy theoretical work, especially in maths and physics.

 

[denks]

Don't worry about it... most likely you're near the average in terms of comprehension and understanding. What one does in the present matters more in life than what one did in the past.

Agreed, however unless one learns why things happened in the past one will be destined to repeat it.

 

[ilustrius]

I'm thinking of going into electrical engineering (also considering civil, computer or industrial; however electrical seems most interesting to me) but I'm not terribly good at or passionate about math. When I took Pre-Calc and Trig in high school I didn't do so well. I'm not sure if this is important enough to re-think this career path or not. When I took entrance exams for college (I went and dropped out, am going back this Spring) I scored into the highest math placement I could without testing out of it entirely, and I did really well in Intermediate Algebra. I'm just concerned that this might not be good enough because I hear a lot about how math intensive engineering is, and I'm pretty sure I'll have to do a bit more than factoring to graduate. I don't mind doing math and find some of it fun, but I guess I'm concerned that I'd be bad at it and if it's really that crazy important I might as well just decide on another career path.

On the other hand, I find electricity and the physics behind it fascinating. I love to design things and solve puzzles. I'm naturally inquisitive which seems to be a plus for this career field. I love to write and enjoy finding the most efficient way to do things. I think that designing electronics would be really fulfilling, I love technology and looking at the progress we have made so far and thinking about how much further we have the potential to go.

What do you think? Would I make a good electrical engineer or should I go back to the drawing board?

Personally I was a little apprehensive the summer before freshers year for my Bachelor in Civil Engineering. I had completed a high school Maths subject roughly equivalent to AB Calculus, so I was a little behind some of the other students on my course who had done the equivalent of a BC. Nevertheless, I worked hard and ended up with an average score in my first semester Maths course (which involved complex numbers, differential limits, integration by parts, hyperbolic functions and trigonometry). Again, I worked hard in the proceeding semester and scored a significantly better than average score for my second Maths course (which involved ODEs, partial differentiation, linear algebra, Taylor and Mclaurin series).

It may all sound difficult to you only because it's unknown territory. The good thing about the Maths on an Engineering degree is that it's largely applied - you'll do a little bit of deriving, but not to the extent of a Maths major. I myself coped, and I'm by no means a genius in Maths. You clearly have at least some aptitude, so the hard work that you'll inevitably put in should suffice.

Granted, one difference is that I enjoy Maths. If you absolutely hate it, then I recommend not pursuing a degree in Engineering. It's essentially a degree in Applied Maths, and it features calculation after calculation. I myself am a Civil Engineering major. Arguably, my course isn't as mathematically intensive as some others such as Electrical/Electronic Engineering, Aeronautical Engineering and Mechanical Engineering, but it's still 95% Maths.

If you're looking to do a degree in Electrical/Electronic Engineering, Maths is unavoidable. It will involve a lot of complex number theory and calculus.

 

[adwr070621]

Anybody know anything about Coastal Engineering? I am thinking about switching from going to helicopter pilot school to becoming an engineer. It is very fascinating to me and I really like math and science, although I am getting a late start. I am 27 and have to take math from the bottom up.

 

[bluephysics]

I've debated whether it really is hard or whether the profs make it hard to weed out the weak. I've come to the conclusion that it really is hard. Even weed-out courses have to be made hard so people make the effort to understand them.

I hate teachers that fit into this description, the purpose of being a teacher is to teach, not to weed out the so called weak students. If the students are not all getting 70% plus then the teacher is the failure. Sure some students will probably never understand physics or make the effort but that does not entitle the teacher to a get out of work free card. Lazy damm teachers!

I am 30 and doing a physics course because I want to learn, I am aching to be taught new things so I am making the effort and still finding it difficult because this teacher is not providing enough examples for someone who has never done physics before (it is only classical mechanics). The problem with college or uni teachers is that the younger students are too scared to complain, something which has not been a problem for me, and what is sad is that these students are learning to behave this way themselves. Do not ask for help! Figure it out yourself! Is this the learning society that greater minds than me have envisaged for the future? Really ? Don't you think that collectively if we can learn better and faster we should do this? Why should i spend a day figuring out the rotational torque of an object when it could be explained to me in 30 minutes with a few simple diagrams or heaven forbid video tutorials? This is the 20th century teaching establishment wake up!

We need to be teaching each other faster so we can move onto more complicated and relevant problems fast. Life is short. Even awesome resources like the khan academy need 1000% improvement with more examples.

Right- back to work :)

 

[denks]

I hate teachers that fit into this description, the purpose of being a teacher is to teach, not to weed out the so called weak students. If the students are not all getting 70% plus then the teacher is the failure. Sure some students will probably never understand physics or make the effort but that does not entitle the teacher to a get out of work free card. Lazy damm teachers!

I am 30 and doing a physics course because I want to learn, I am aching to be taught new things so I am making the effort and still finding it difficult because this teacher is not providing enough examples for someone who has never done physics before (it is only classical mechanics). The problem with college or uni teachers is that the younger students are too scared to complain, something which has not been a problem for me, and what is sad is that these students are learning to behave this way themselves. Do not ask for help! Figure it out yourself! Is this the learning society that greater minds than me have envisaged for the future? Really ? Don't you think that collectively if we can learn better and faster we should do this? Why should i spend a day figuring out the rotational torque of an object when it could be explained to me in 30 minutes with a few simple diagrams or heaven forbid video tutorials? This is the 20th century teaching establishment wake up!

We need to be teaching each other faster so we can move onto more complicated and relevant problems fast. Life is short. Even awesome resources like the khan academy need 1000% improvement with more examples.

Right- back to work :)

Excellent post. I have given instructional presentations in industry and if the majority of people at the end of my presentation did not understand what I had just presented I would have been the one in trouble, not the audience. It is sad that in some (thankfully not the one I attend) educational institutions being a bad teacher (ie. having a very high failure rate) and making a subject as difficult as possible is almost considered a badge of honour. A very high failure rate does not mean a lecturer is good, it means that he/she struggles to get the material across to the students. Let me ask this - would you rather spend days learning a concept because the lecturer is deliberately making it difficult to understand or an hour or two and the rest of the time going into advanced topics? No brainer really

Edit: I'm glad to see I'm not the only 30-something back at study :)

 

[fora]

1st question: if you see yourself as making something that matters in life, go for engineering. if you see yourself as being the next einstein, but you arent that good in mathematics or in geometric perception- go into engineering.

science (physics, chemistry, biology, etc) is for people who are willing to get paid less money, to work long hours and often times with little progress due to uncertainty in your work and due to the unknowns in sciences. research for a scientist is a combination of academic excellence, perseverance, and drive of curiosity. if you like teaching others or thinking of a career such as college professor this might just be the best option for you.

engineering (chemical, mechanical, civil, aerospace, electrical, etc) is for people who don't want to be journalists or accountants or customer service representatives because they want to make a difference in life, because they want to see their product - to be able to look at it and admire it with all the 5 senses. engineering is for those who want to make this world a better place, by taking serious responsibilities in everything they do, with a sense of righteosness. you might be smiling, but if engineer is lousy in his work, a lot of people will die, and a lot more might suffer. engineers get paid well compared to scientists.

now there is also a deviation from science which has a name of 'medical physicist'. those people are basically engineers, than scientists, and hence is their pay in 100k range/yr.

choose wisely, but if you are torn between the two like i am - go for both. get a dual degree in science and some engineering that interests you. for example: a dual degree, BS in Physics and BS in Electrical Engineering. Both majors are interrelated and would be a valuable addition to each other.

i'm a student in physics and chemical engineering. if you find everything interesting - go for this mix. chemical engineering is the universal engineering field. in combination with physics it creates an extremely broad range of knowledge and skills that employers will find useful.

good one...

 

[cs_chaka]

For Shahil:

Howzit, bru, I enjoyed reading your post, as I'm now at the beggining of my SA eng studies, I chose Chemical Eng, although I'll do a N4 in Electrical Eng as well. I'm not very mechanically inclined on the practical side of things, I prefer the Science part of Engineering. All the best !

 

[kramer733]

Hey just wondering if i get a math degree, am i able to get a masters degree in electrical engineering? Will I still be able to do a p.eng in Canada? Will the government of Canada still hire me?

 

[MECHster]

Hey just wondering if i get a math degree, am i able to get a masters degree in electrical engineering? Will I still be able to do a p.eng in Canada? Will the government of Canada still hire me?

One of my profs (In Canada) got his degree in physical chemistry then a masters and Ph.D in nuclear engineering, and he's a professional engineer. It's probably just harder (ie. more than the standard 4 years work experience w/o a B.Eng).

 

[elabed haidar]

well last year i was in the faculty of enginnering and i couldn't pass so i thought it was the end of the world but when i switch to physics i am on top of the world i sill want to do engineering but physics is also cool i hope that people understand that we should learn to lose in able to win in life again

 

[Jokerhelper]

Hey just wondering if i get a math degree, am i able to get a masters degree in electrical engineering? Will I still be able to do a p.eng in Canada? Will the government of Canada still hire me?

Yes, you can. However it will take more time as you will have to write one or more exams to test your technical knowledge and there may be differences in the amount of work experience you'll need. You should look this up on the website of your province's engineering body.

 

[Hellius]

Two questions:

What's the difference between mechanical engineering coursework and civil engineering coursework?

Some people I've talked to said that there will be less opportunities for jobs outside of engineering with a civil engineering degree than there would be with a mechanical engineering degree. Is this true?

 

[denks]

Two questions:

What's the difference between mechanical engineering coursework and civil engineering coursework?

Some people I've talked to said that there will be less opportunities for jobs outside of engineering with a civil engineering degree than there would be with a mechanical engineering degree. Is this true?

A strange question. If you don't want to do engineering then neither civil nor mechanical engineering is going to be a good choice. If you want to be an engineer there is more than plenty of jobs as both a civil and a mech engineer.

 

[Hellius]

A strange question. If you don't want to do engineering then neither civil nor mechanical engineering is going to be a good choice. If you want to be an engineer there is more than plenty of jobs as both a civil and a mech engineer.

I probably should have phrased the second question differently. I may or may not grow tired of being an engineer in the strictest, most stereotypical sense of the word. I may want to get into consulting or I may want to get into management, or something else that would put the skills I would gain to use, but not necessarily in the realm of design and development.

Mechanical seems to be ideal for what I'm looking for in sense of breadth, but I feel as though I'm attracted more to buildings and constructs.

 

[denks]

In which case both will serve you just as well. So choose the one that interests you more. Consulting is a very broad term, you won't be able to consult as a civil engineer with a mech eng background and vice versa. As for pure management it won't make much difference either way.

 

[Bronosio]

Hey there,

I'm currently in my last two years of high school in Australia, and am considering studying engineering at university. Currently doing extension maths, physics, etc. I lead my year at both English and Science, and come close in Maths - I have creativity, but also logic. I have been told that this suits engineering?

As much as I love to design things, my actual hands-on abilities are lacking - I don't really 'build' things these days (though, like all of you, I love LEGO). Would this be an issue?

I have a passion for weapons and weapon design, and want to enter into the defense sector - the state of Victoria here has quite the list of arms manufacturers and defense companies. I would think that mechanical engineering is the most suitable for this? (Was thinking maybe dual degree - bachelor of science/bachelor of mechanical engineering). Not sure what masters, though. I presume, again, mechanical.

In addition to the above - are there any particular types of course outlines/electives, etc, that I should look out for, when choosing a university, as far as helping in the realm of weapons/defense? And/or anything the companies look for?

(Sorry if I didn't ask many direct questions).

Regards,
- Bronosio.

 

[CheckMate]

Hey there,

I'm currently in my last two years of high school in Australia, and am considering studying engineering at university. Currently doing extension maths, physics, etc. I lead my year at both English and Science, and come close in Maths - I have creativity, but also logic. I have been told that this suits engineering?

As much as I love to design things, my actual hands-on abilities are lacking - I don't really 'build' things these days (though, like all of you, I love LEGO). Would this be an issue?

I have a passion for weapons and weapon design, and want to enter into the defense sector - the state of Victoria here has quite the list of arms manufacturers and defense companies. I would think that mechanical engineering is the most suitable for this? (Was thinking maybe dual degree - bachelor of science/bachelor of mechanical engineering). Not sure what masters, though. I presume, again, mechanical.

In addition to the above - are there any particular types of course outlines/electives, etc, that I should look out for, when choosing a university, as far as helping in the realm of weapons/defense? And/or anything the companies look for?

(Sorry if I didn't ask many direct questions).

Regards,
- Bronosio.

Do you realize that the weapons you will design will be used to kill human beings and in some cases , they could take the life out of innocents ? Think about that for a second... What would you feel towards the person who designed a weapon which killed someone closed to you?

 

[denks]

Hey there,

I'm currently in my last two years of high school in Australia, and am considering studying engineering at university. Currently doing extension maths, physics, etc. I lead my year at both English and Science, and come close in Maths - I have creativity, but also logic. I have been told that this suits engineering?

As much as I love to design things, my actual hands-on abilities are lacking - I don't really 'build' things these days (though, like all of you, I love LEGO). Would this be an issue?

I have a passion for weapons and weapon design, and want to enter into the defense sector - the state of Victoria here has quite the list of arms manufacturers and defense companies. I would think that mechanical engineering is the most suitable for this? (Was thinking maybe dual degree - bachelor of science/bachelor of mechanical engineering). Not sure what masters, though. I presume, again, mechanical.

In addition to the above - are there any particular types of course outlines/electives, etc, that I should look out for, when choosing a university, as far as helping in the realm of weapons/defense? And/or anything the companies look for?

(Sorry if I didn't ask many direct questions).

Regards,
- Bronosio.

I am not particularly "hands-on" myself and am loving studying engineering. In mechanical and civil you will likely do some kind of building / machining, in electrical, telecomms, software and computer engineering there is very little hands-on work at all unless you want to do something. To get a good feel for the courses have a look at a universities online handbook and the subjects that are undertaken in the different majors. If you are interested in defence work then every branch of engineering has some application - civil engineers are used by the army as combat engineers, with electrical, mechatronics and software you can get into things like avionics and mechanical has other things that they do (the machinery itself).

 

[Bronosio]

Do you realize that the weapons you will design will be used to kill human beings and in some cases , they could take the life out of innocents ? Think about that for a second... What would you feel towards the person who designed a weapon which killed someone closed to you?

I am well aware of this, and it does not concern me. Weapons development is what I want to do. Additionally, I would not be angry with the person who developed the weapon, in that case, rather with either the firer of it, or their leader(s).

I am not particularly "hands-on" myself and am loving studying engineering. In mechanical and civil you will likely do some kind of building / machining, in electrical, telecomms, software and computer engineering there is very little hands-on work at all unless you want to do something. To get a good feel for the courses have a look at a universities online handbook and the subjects that are undertaken in the different majors. If you are interested in defence work then every branch of engineering has some application - civil engineers are used by the army as combat engineers, with electrical, mechatronics and software you can get into things like avionics and mechanical has other things that they do (the machinery itself).

Thanks.

Could anyone with defence experience comment? (I'm not looking to enter the Defence Force itself, just to design and develop weapons, armoured vehicles, etc. I realize that if I wanted missiles, aircraft, etc, it'd be aerospace engineering, right?)

As far as the actual practical work within ME; would I be completed out-done by the sort of guys I know that work on their cars every weekend, etc, and who can use tools quite well. I'm interested more in the design, but I can learn things quickly and follow rules quite closely. ME would turn out okay for me, no?

 

[denks]

I'm no ex-defence worker, however to give an idea, one of my best mates is a mech eng working for the gov. He does zero hands-on stuff, his day is spent on a computer working on CFD (computational fluid dynamics) - lots of heavy maths. In Australia to give a very rough overview of what engineering works on what in defence related fields it would be worth your time to visit the defence recruiting page (I am not suggesting to join the defence force itself, however it will give a good indication as to what engineer works on what). Also Engineers Australia and universities sometimes hold information days / evenings on defence engineering fields presented by engineers from the defence force and associated industries. University career days would be another good place to visit where companies like Thales and BAe would likely have stalls. Also visit DSTO and DMO websites to see what engineers there work on.

 

[Bronosio]

Thanks for your replies, mate, and sorry for my late response.

I'll make sure to try and attend those sort of events.

I looked at the two organisations, thanks a lot for the names.

For you/anyone else;

- Although I know it's speaking of Graduate programs, but, on the DSTO site (http://www.dsto.defence.gov.au/grads/ ), it shows a branch under engineering as 'Weapons Systems/Eng'. I would wonder how a person gets involved in such? (I am thinking that it's more the idea of coordination/control than the weapon design itself).

- Also, I would have to question the practicality of mechanical engineering for this, as in; modern weapons... the concept of the firearm is pretty down-pat thesedays.

Would missile/rocket/aircraft concepts (Aerospace), and Electrical Engineering, be more practical? I've seen things like 'Combat System Engineer', but they're about the actual coordination/control of the weapons systems (Electrical engineering).

- I would also wonder if ballistics (an important part of weapons design) is a branch of Aerospace, again, a reason why mechanical might not be the most practical.

I guess the aim (even though it's difficult to consider - [possibly private sector?]) is the idea of independently designing a weapon, but obviously with input, eventually; a purely-mechanical engineering could not design a modern weapon, right?

- And, finally... I know a lot of mechanical engineering stuff at uni is involving everything from motors to appliances, and some universities are focused on 'Australian issues', such as power generation, etc. Not exactly going to help me, I think?

Cheers.