Civil + Mechanical Engg: Career Opportunities

[valkyriespace]

Is it okay to finish my Civil Engineering degree then take up machanical engineering for 2 years more? Will i have good opportunities at that engineering discipline combination?

 

[PhanthomJay]

I'd recommend getting a Master's in Civil Engineering (structural) or Business Management, if you wish to further your education and be more marketable. Some Civils have jobs as Mechanicals and vise versa, without a degree in both. Unless you are more interested in HVAC and Piping design, or other areas of mechanical engineering not so structurally related. Otherwise, I don't (personally, in my opinion) see a big need for the dual degree in CE and ME.

 

[valkyriespace]

aside from ME or masteral degree, what course could i take then?

 

[PhanthomJay]

Civil Engineers are (unjustifiably, in my opinion, being one myself) at the bottom of the totem pole in comparison to chemical, mechanical, electrical, nuclear engineers, etc. , and salaries generally reflect that to some degree. Even when you look at our own PF Engineering Forum, you will see that Civil Engineering is not one of the sub-forums, primarily because there seems to be not much interest in that field from members.

Civil Engineers can be quite marketable without a dual degree or masters degree. Often the masters degree gets you a better starting salary doing the same work as non-masters graduates, but with sometimes more rapid advancement if you prove yourself worthy to the assigned tasks. If you want to take another 2 years of courses in another engineering discipline to go along with the CE degree, I think ME or EE would be your best bet, if so inclined, but whether or not that increases your opportunities is unknown. Civil/Electrical combo types would be most welcome to Electric Utilities, but EE courses are not easy in comparison to CE courses. Not to say that CE courses are a gut, of course.

 

[valkyriespace]

thanks for the replies! :D

 

[stonecoldgen]

i think you should ask your teachers

 

[Bumbleflea]

I'm not a civil engineer, but I've heard lots of people in the construction business talk about how the best architects are those with civil engineering degrees. What about following up with a degree in architecture?

 

[valkyriespace]

I'm not a civil engineer, but I've heard lots of people in the construction business talk about how the best architects are those with civil engineering degrees. What about following up with a degree in architecture?

somebody told me that option
CE/architecture
CE/EE

but these are my options (that i think i will enjoy :D )
CE/ Masteral Structural
CE/ ME (hvac)

 

[mege]

What skills do you think you'll gain from getting the ME? While you may enjoy the coursework and the idea of having both degrees - what do you want to do with them? What is your end goal? Having an 'engineering degree' if often enough to get a foot into the door for an extremely wide variety of related jobs, having the specific discipline isn't always a requirement (not saying the GM is going out to hire a bunch of Civil Engineers any time soon, but I know of many MEs and EEs that do the same work as a CE).

 

[valkyriespace]

thanks for the reply! :D