Difficulty Levels: Comparing Different Fields of Engineering

[Kevin_Axion]

Nuclear Engineering and Nanoengineering although rarely found in Universities, are very difficult in their own right.

 

[kjohnson]

Who really cares? They are all science related, they just look at different problems from different perspectives. For instance I have my degree in mechanical engineering and took and ME version of thermodynamics, likewise my school also offered physics, metallurgical, and chemical versions of thermodynamics. Each discipline looks at pieces of of the puzzle very differently, but they are all correct. Also you can't really judge how smart a person is based on their major. I've seen people with Phd's that seem to not know basic physics..

I'm sure in any major you can get very in depth. I know in mechanical engineering the math behind solid mechanics and fluid mechanics gets really advanced. I'm talking about "real" solid/fluid mechanics involving tensors,calculus of variations,etc..

 

[aggie85]

Howdy!

I'll be graduating in Dec with my BS in Electrical, and over at A&M we pretty much have the respect of other engineering majors. I know its the most Math and Physics intensive, I started from 3 Calc course, then Diff. Eq., Linear Alg and Vector Calc, than if you choose to do communication courses or DSP than you need a Fourier/Wavelets course and Cryptography. In physics you can get away with mechanics, elec., and modern physics assuming you aren't studying controls(need statics & dynamic) or semiconductors than you need one more physics course.

Not to mention we do need to learn programming, without it we can't really build anything so strap up for c, c++, and Matlab.

My roommates are Chem. and Civil, i am sorry civil is easy! Chem has really really crappy courses like fluids, polymer, or thermodynamic, bleh..

 

[nlsherrill]

Who really cares? They are all science related, they just look at different problems from different perspectives. For instance I have my degree in mechanical engineering and took and ME version of thermodynamics, likewise my school also offered physics, metallurgical, and chemical versions of thermodynamics. Each discipline looks at pieces of of the puzzle very differently, but they are all correct. Also you can't really judge how smart a person is based on their major. I've seen people with Phd's that seem to not know basic physics..

I'm sure in any major you can get very in depth. I know in mechanical engineering the math behind solid mechanics and fluid mechanics gets really advanced. I'm talking about "real" solid/fluid mechanics involving tensors,calculus of variations,etc..

I agree with your post. It always seems like with the "technical" majors, i.e. math, physics, engineering, that its always a contest to see who has the hardest stuff. The truth of the matter is is that ALL of these majors are hard, should be hard, and/or CAN be hard. Some people find chemistry confusing but are able to do differential equations without hardly any effort, and vice versa. Once you get into the "real" courses in science/math/engineering like real analysis, upper level mechanics E&M and Quantum, fluid dynamics, heat transfer etc... all this stuff is difficult for most people, and can't really be generalized to "harder" or "easier"

 

[Klockan3]

If a major takes strictly more of these hard subjects than another then you can say that it is a harder major though.

 

[Phyisab****]

This thread is ridiculous.

 

[Shackleford]

If a major takes strictly more of these hard subjects than another then you can say that it is a harder major though.

I agree. You can have "relative" hardness and more "absolute" hardness.

Sociology may be painfully boring to an engineering student, but it's not going to be difficult given the nature of the academics.

 

[Ryker]

How hard a specific degree is also depends on the country you're studying in, I think. I know back home no one considers engineering degrees as really hard. Challenging, yes, a lot harder than social studies, yes, but when people are thinking of hard degrees they're thinking of medicine, law, perhaps pharmacy, physics and maths, and I guess then comes ME. I think ME is considered to be the toughest challenge out of engineering degrees, though. It is a generalization, of course, but I guess when you average it out, that's what it comes to.

 

[NanjoeBot]

I think ME is considered to be the toughest challenge out of engineering degrees, though. It is a generalization, of course, but I guess when you average it out, that's what it comes to.

And what led you to that...?

Science and engineering degrees are a lot of work! Who gives a damn which is hardest! Seriously, are you people really going to go around and be like "ooooohhh my degree was harder then your degree!" ? Ya'll need to be slapped.

 

[Ryker]

And what led you to that...?

I'm just stating the general perception in our society, coupled with personal experience of talking to people who are or were doing different kinds of engineering. I don't really care which is hardest, as I'm not doing engineering, but I don't see anything wrong in offering my opinion on the OP's question.

 

[Theguvnor]

Hmm. well, I have just completed a BEng in Civil Engineering and I am currently studying for a masters in Structural Engineering. I also have friends studying Physics, Aerospace, Mechanical, Medical, Electrical, Chemical Engineering amongst many others so I do have an insight to this question.
I am studying at the University of Surrey which is ranked in the top 10 universities for all of these subjects, :. I am studying at a very reputable University. The Engineering disciplines (Not electrical) share a large quantity of there core subjects/modules during the first 1 1/2 years and then branch of into their own discipline specific subjects.
From conversations and having seen some of the work my friends have done, I would have to say that of the Engineering disciplines Aerospace is probably the most technical. The other disciplines are on a similar level and not far behind Aerospace. However, the broad spectrum of the subjects taught to Civil engineers (Geotechnics, wind engineering etc) and the shear quantity of work (I had a 30000 word dissertation in my 3rd year coupled with a large design group project and 20 hours of lectures and constant presentations) that Civil is certainly not the easiest of Engineering disciplines.
to add, the 3rd year Mech students had 8 hours per week lectures and their dissertation was only 10000 words

 

[sandy.bridge]

This thread is fail. Every branch is hard in its own respect. I am in Electrical (along with Physics), but I could assure you I would find all the others more difficult due to my lack of interest in anything other than what I am in. I find what I am in easy, but that is merely because I am interested in it. I can assure you it is not easy, considering exam class averages have ranged from 50-60%, and no greater.

 

[lockem]

My friend who graduated with his bachelor's in civil said that if they ever showed an integral in class, everyone would freak out.

My friend in civil engineering would definitely disagree with this..

 

[ych22]

i'm in industrial, so I will admit that an undergraduate degree in industrial engineering is less technically rigorous.

but that said, industrial engineering is concerned with solving a broad range of real life problems, so you cannot compare it directly with the traditional engineering disciplines.

on the other hand of the spectrum, obviously eng sci is the toughest!

 

[physics girl phd]

This thread is fail.

[PLAIN]http://infect.c64.org/gallery/albums/userpics/10001/thread-fail-stamp.gif

Agreed.

What is the point of this thread? If you do any degree "right" you'll find a way to challenge yourself.