How will having a master's degree in engineering change your career path ?

[FAlonso]

So I was wondering that what difference can having a master's degree in engineering (let's take my own field, mechanical engineering) will make than if I worked straight away with a bachelor's degree? What sort of positions within organizations do MEs with MS hold and what job usually the end up doing?

I read somewhere for MEs, the master's degree isn't any attractive perk for the employers and bachelors degree would suffice but with downgoing market, can having a masters increase your chances of employment against a bachelors guy who holds 2 years of experience by the time you complete your master ?

 

[n.karthick]

I don't know about the status in your country. But I can say my experience in India. After completing my bachelor's degree in electrical engineering, I was able to get job as an electrical engineer. But the job profile was operation and maintenance of electrical machines in an aerospace manufacturing company. When I tried to change my department to Research and development in the same company, I was denied the opportunity since only Master's are only selected for R&D profile. I tried R&D job in other companies too, but I was not successful. Hence I quit the job and did my Master's degree in electrical engineering. Soon after my Master's I got placed in R&D department of an electrical company and I see only people with Masters working with me in the present company.
So, it would be beneficial to have a master's degree in terms of getting specialized knowledge in your subject and also good job opportunities.

 

[FAlonso]

Thanks !

So you mean even Ph.D is not needed to do R&D in industry and master degree is a pretty good deal considering the time and resources needed to do it compared with Ph.D.