What are the prerequisites for pursuing multiple engineering disciplines?

[DAnthony.Fisc]

Thank you for reading this. I would like to know of the Prerequisites for Engineering. I mean, the Math and Science.
For the Math part, I would like textbook names. Everything from Algebra I through Differential Equations.
As for the Science part, I would like to know Physics based on Calculus. Or, what I mean is, Physics with Calculus, or more advanced math necessary for Engineering.

Thanks in advance,
D'Anthony M. Fischer

 

[fss]

Take a look at any engineering department's website and look at the various course syllabi. There are many books on the things you need to learn in order to become an engineer.

 

[DAnthony.Fisc]

That doesn't help me much. What I mean is from Basic Math to Advanced Math books. If I looked up at any engineering department's website, it would only give me the prerequisite for that engineering course, or career. I'm thinking of getting the Ron Larson books, Algebra and Trigonometry, PreCalculus, and an assortment of Calculus books. Then Differential Equations. Would you say, yes? or no? (To the book series).

 

[fss]

That doesn't help me much. What I mean is from Basic Math to Advanced Math books.

Well that's fine, but nowhere have you stated what level of math you've already had. You don't need a book to learn Algebra I, and if you wanted a book on such things you can trawl through amazon.com and see which "Algebra I" titles get good reviews (part of being an engineer is knowing when and where to look something up).

If you're really starting from the ground up on math, you should seek a tutor.

I'm thinking of getting the Ron Larson books, Algebra and Trigonometry, PreCalculus, and an assortment of Calculus books. Then Differential Equations. Would you say, yes? or no? (To the book series).

Whatever you think will work for you. I wouldn't buy them all at once, as your interests may change over time.

 

[imthekuni]

I recently got my BS in Bioengineering and I checked the books I used.

I can't remember what books I used in HS for algebra through pre-calc, or what books I used for differential equations

Calc I-III: Stewarts Early Transcendentals

https://www.amazon.com/dp/0495011665/?tag=pfamazon01-20

Physics: Resnick, Halliday, Krane Physics

https://www.amazon.com/dp/0471320579/?tag=pfamazon01-20

https://www.amazon.com/dp/0471401943/?tag=pfamazon01-20

These cover mechanics & waves; electricity & magnetism; thermal, relativity, & quantumThese books can be pretty expensive and the material tough to master. If you can find older editions then you should be fine and they are MUCH cheaper. good luck in your studies!

 

[DAnthony.Fisc]

imthekuni, thank you kindly good sir. That is all that I asked for. I have been searching, and searching, but have not been able to narrow it down. I'm very thankful you have helped me with my search. I apologize for this question, this might be self-explanatory, this might not. But does the Calc I-III mean that there is a book for each Calculus level? Or do you mean that the book is the entirety of Calculus Level 1 through 3? Also, Thank you very much. My thanks cannot be quantified for you.

 

[imthekuni]

imthekuni, thank you kindly good sir. That is all that I asked for. I have been searching, and searching, but have not been able to narrow it down. I'm very thankful you have helped me with my search. I apologize for this question, this might be self-explanatory, this might not. But does the Calc I-III mean that there is a book for each Calculus level? Or do you mean that the book is the entirety of Calculus Level 1 through 3? Also, Thank you very much. My thanks cannot be quantified for you.

Early Transcendentals covers Calculus 1-3 plus some partial and second order differential equations along with vectors

I only used it for Calc 1-3 so I cannot comment on how well it teaches the diff. eq. and vector math.

It is one large book, probably 3 inches thick and is used at many colleges and universities.

 

[Studiot]

Since you didn't answer fss question about your existing level it is difficult to offer advice. Further we don't know if this is for self study or what.

Anyway very few engineers go round solving differential equations in their everyday professional careers. Such skill is of more use to electrical engineers than construction engineers. Which branch are you interested in?

The Schaum outline series contains some very good books that can be used for self study (from high school to post degree level) and also form a useful adjunct to any course. There's lots on the web about them. They are reasonably priced and older editions can be had even more cheaply.

Many engineering maths books (such as advanced engineering maths by Kreisig) contain an introductory chapter with a roundup of maths you need to know for the book. If you can get hold of one to look at, try reading this chapter and comparing with your existing knowledge.

You mentioned 'algebra'. Be warned that many maths books with this title contain almost nothing of interest to 99% of engineers. They are pure maths for mathematicians. Well respected books by Birkhoff, Lang and Fraleigh for example fall into this category.

A modern book which contains much of what you seem to be seeking is

The Chemistry Maths Book by Erich Steiner (Oxford University Press)

Don't let the title deceive you it's appeal is much wider than chemistry.
It really is a very good book, bridging the gap between junior high and degree level maths for physics (physical chemistry) and engineering. Explanations are clear and easy to follow.

See also this thread

https://www.physicsforums.com/showthread.php?t=419129&highlight=trigonometry

 

[fss]

You mentioned 'algebra'. Be warned that many maths books with this title contain almost nothing of interest to 99% of engineers.

Just based on the OP's question, I assumed "Algebra I" meant "2x + 5 = 15" type math and not rings, groups, etc.

 

[russ_watters]

If I looked up at any engineering department's website, it would only give me the prerequisite for that engineering course, or career.

That isn't generally true. They usually give the name of the book on the syllabus. For example, I googled "differential equations syllabus" and got this right near the top: http://www.math.okstate.edu/~binegar/2233/2233-syl.pdf

 

[DAnthony.Fisc]

Hi, sorry. Let me clarify: My current level of math is Pre-Calculus and I'm a junior in high school. This is also for self-study. I want to, and am going to, restudy everything from Basic Math to Pre-Calculus, so I can get a better firmer grasp of everything. Then I'm going to study Calculus, then Calculus-based Physics, then Differential Equations. I want to be six different types of engineer; Electrical, Mechanical, Nuclear, Molecular, Computer, and Astronautical Engineering. In no given order.

 

[DAnthony.Fisc]

Also, thank you everyone for your help. :^)

 

[fss]

I want to be six different types of engineer; Electrical, Mechanical, Nuclear, Molecular, Computer, and Astronautical Engineering. In no given order.

I honestly cannot tell if you are serious or not. If you're just being naive, the harsh reality is that while you might be able to learn and read about these professions you cannot even really master one of them in a lifetime.

 

[Studiot]

I want to be six different types of engineer; Electrical, Mechanical, Nuclear, Molecular, Computer, and Astronautical Engineering. In no given order.

That's a tough ambition, but hey, why not? After all, great engineers of the past managed it.

DaVinci, Stevenson, Brunel, Heaviside, Sir Horace Lamb to name but a few.

But you have to be a genius and work dashed hard to boot.

 

[russ_watters]

I want to be six different types of engineer; Electrical, Mechanical, Nuclear, Molecular, Computer, and Astronautical Engineering. In no given order.

After you get halfway through one then you can decide if you want to add a second. Six? No point unless you want to spend your 20s in school and don't want to get a real job.

 

[russ_watters]

That's a tough ambition, but hey, why not? After all, great engineers of the past managed it.

DaVinci, Stevenson, Brunel, Heaviside, Sir Horace Lamb to name but a few.

But you have to be a genius and work dashed hard to boot.

I can't tell if you are being serious there. In the past there wasn't much known about the natural world so it was possible for an individual to know just about everything there was to know!

 

[Studiot]

Hello, Russ.

I read somewhere, or perhaps it was a philosophy class, that the last person on Earth capable of knowing all of science (then known) was one of the ancient Greeks, Aristotle or Archimedes I think.
Since that time there have been quite a few multi-skilled pioneers, although ordinary folk don't cut that much mustard. If the above is true then none of these pioneers can have known all about science.

 

[DAnthony.Fisc]

So, when everyone is done picking on me, do you think you can help me? This wasn't a discussion if I can do these or not. Because frankly, you don't have my brain, and you don't know how I use it or how smart I am. Now when your done talking, do you think you could possibly help? If not, don't waste my time please. Except Studiot, and imthekuni, you're nice and actually helping.

 

[AlephZero]

It's hard to give any practical advice when your ambitions are so different from those of 99.9999% of today's working professional engineers. I guess you really need to find one of the other 0.0001%, and ask him or her the question.

 

[DAnthony.Fisc]

It's hard to give any practical advice when your ambitions are so different from those of 99.9999% of today's working professional engineers. I guess you really need to find one of the other 0.0001%, and ask him or her the question.

Thank you kindly, sir. Good day.

 

[CheckMate]

I can't tell if you are being serious there. In the past there wasn't much known about the natural world so it was possible for an individual to know just about everything there was to know!

It's not about how much you know. That's not a problem at all because the human brain can hold a lot of information. It's what you can do.

When you want to solve a complicated problem and you come up with a complicated design, you have to split it into parts.
For example, in an airplane, there are electronics, an engine, a radar and so on... These "parts" cannot be designed by just one person (it could be but it would be very difficult).
It is much more easier to divide the work amongst a skilled team of professionals.

You can learn about all the engineering disciplines but it is more efficient to focus on one aspect.

@Anthony

It is better to focus on one stream. What do you see yourself doing in 10 years ? What kind of technologies do you want to be working on ? Do you want to work in industry ? I would suggest you to learn more about engineers streams. Do you know what an electrical engineer does ? That's the kind of questions you should ask.

I personally like your ambition. Don't give up on that.

 

[Bob Engineer]

if you want to be engineer...

you must tell your self, what kind of engineer that you like, that suit to you?

civil? mechi? nuclear?

 

[Bob Engineer]

It's hard to give any practical advice when your ambitions are so different from those of 99.9999% of today's working professional engineers. I guess you really need to find one of the other 0.0001%, and ask him or her the question.

that right... i agree with you...

 

[DAnthony.Fisc]

@Anthony

It is better to focus on one stream. What do you see yourself doing in 10 years ? What kind of technologies do you want to be working on ? Do you want to work in industry ? I would suggest you to learn more about engineers streams. Do you know what an electrical engineer does ? That's the kind of questions you should ask.

I personally like your ambition. Don't give up on that.

(One thing I hate about text, is that you can't understand the tone. I don't mean the "Well, regardless" opening to be sarcastic, or mean! D: I'm sorry! D:)
Well, regardless of what anyone says or what anyone thinks, I'm going to do all of that. I know it's a rather far fetched idea for other, but I can do all of that. Furthermore, I would to add I want to be all of those engineering streams combined. In 10 years, I see myself owning my own company. One that helps out people, I plan on inventing a clean, safe, self-sustaining power source, and much more.

Thank you for your time.

 

[DAnthony.Fisc]

if you want to be engineer...

you must tell your self, what kind of engineer that you like, that suit to you?

civil? mechi? nuclear?

Well, I would like to (and will) be, an Electrical, Nuclear, Computer, Molecular, Mechanical, and Astronautical Engineer.

 

[PhanthomJay]

Well, regardless of what anyone says or what anyone thinks, I'm going to do all of that. I know it's a rather far fetched idea for other, but I can do all of that. Furthermore, I would to add I want to be all of those engineering streams combined.

If you want to own a company that helps out people, and if you plan on inventing a clean, safe, self-sustaining power source, and much more, I commend you, but to excel in 6 engineering disciplines is the most unrealistic and meaningless goal I have ever seen! Please don't misunderstand my criticsm...you are commended for wanting to succeed and help others ...but simply stated , that is not the way to do it. Please listen to others. Then decide.

 

[DAnthony.Fisc]

If you want to own a company that helps out people, and if you plan on inventing a clean, safe, self-sustaining power source, and much more, I commend you, but to excel in 6 engineering disciplines is the most unrealistic and meaningless goal I have ever seen! Please don't misunderstand my criticsm...you are commended for wanting to succeed and help others ...but simply stated , that is not the way to do it. Please listen to others. Then decide.

Fair enough. I suppose I should show others my view as to why I don't understand/don't accept your critisicm, that well. I don't understand why I can't excel in 6 engineering disciplines. It is a very feasible, albeit time consuming, goal. I just cannot truly understand why I can't do it. That is all, I accept your input. Thank you.

 

[PhanthomJay]

Yes, you can do it..it will take 10 years or more of hard work. But for what purpose? If for knowledge as an end to the means rather than a means to the end, fine. But none of us live alone or can do everything alone. In my job as a structural engineer, I depend on the brilliance of our attorneys for legal matters, on the expertise of our IT people for computer assistance, for our young students out of college for computer drafting skills, on our real estate people for property issues, on our environmentalists for permiting issues, on our construction workers for their knowledge in construction methods and equipmemt, on the electrical folks for assistance in those related areas, on our housekeepers for emptying my coffee cups at night, on our accountants for my paycheck ...and the list goes on and on. I'd focus on one or 2 areas, then perhaps a degree in management, and a lot of intern or coop work experience while in school...then pursue your dreams...with the help of others...

 

[russ_watters]

(One thing I hate about text, is that you can't understand the tone. I don't mean the "Well, regardless" opening to be sarcastic, or mean! D: I'm sorry! D:)
Well, regardless of what anyone says or what anyone thinks, I'm going to do all of that. I know it's a rather far fetched idea for other, but I can do all of that. Furthermore, I would to add I want to be all of those engineering streams combined. In 10 years, I see myself owning my own company. One that helps out people, I plan on inventing a clean, safe, self-sustaining power source, and much more.

Thank you for your time.

It sounds like you should be going for a business degree, not an engineering degree (much less, 6!). Six degrees will take most of the ten years on its own and there aren't many people who have started companies with no experience. Do you understand that what you are describing is on the order of a one in a million shot, if not rarer? I agree with others that ambition is good, but too much can be counterproductive and people with large ambitions and egos tend not to take spectacular failure very well. If in 5 years you find yourself to be merely outstanding - or worse, only very good - will you be able to handle that? Do you really think you're Steve Jobs? How are your grades and test scores? You are the valedictorian of your class and have perfect SAT's, right?

I suppose I should show others my view as to why I don't understand/don't accept your critisicm, that well. I don't understand why I can't excel in 6 engineering disciplines. It is a very feasible, albeit time consuming, goal. I just cannot truly understand why I can't do it.

Well could you tell us how you're going to do it? You haven't said anything so far that implies you've thought it through. For example, one degree typically takes 4 years and each subsequent about 2. So that's 14 years of schooling, yet you want to be a CEO of a company in 10. Could you explain how you would do that? Where are you applying to school? Do they have all those programs? How many credits do you think you can take at once? How many years do you think you will spend in college? Do you have half a million dollars to pay for it? How many years of work experience do you think you need before you can be a CEO? What makes you think you can be a CEO with no business education, much less business experience? Since your ultimate goal is no less ambitious than solving the worlds' energy problems, what is the point of learning molecular and astronautical engineering? They have no relevance.

Frankly, so far I don't see anything from you that implies that you are serious (or know what it means to be serious). I see ego and attitude, but no thought. Frankly, I'm still trying to decide if you're just trolling us or posting while drunk and high. We need to know if we're going to help you. Heck, if you really are the next Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, Verner von Braun or Kelly Johnson (who don't even have 6 degrees between them!) we can't do much help you anyway, but either way I need to decide if this thread has any value to PF and should be allowed continue.

 

[russ_watters]

I'd focus on one or 2 areas, then perhaps a degree in management, and a lot of intern or coop work experience while in school...then pursue your dreams...with the help of others...

One or two related degrees in engineering, then one in management (ie, an MBA or equivalent engineering management degree) is a very common pipeline toward starting/owning/being an exec in an engineering company. Definitely a realistic/reasonable path.

 

[Astronuc]

Well, I would like to (and will) be, an Electrical, Nuclear, Computer, Molecular, Mechanical, and Astronautical Engineer.

The goal to be an engineer in 6 disciplines is rather impractical. Each of these engineering fields encompasses numerous specialties. For example, one can do electrical systems or instrumentation and control in nuclear or aerospace, or one can do mechanical/structural engineering in nuclear or aerospace. Molecular engineering is considered a specialty in chemical engineering or nano-engineering, and one would likely need to specialize in certain subfields.

It would be more practical to pursue one, perhaps two fields, and more importantly become proficient in the selected fields. Nuclear + mechanical, mechanical + aerospace, electrical + computer, . . . . are reasonable pairs. Aerospace + nuclear might work if one is interested in nuclear propulsion systems, but then there is little demand for that field since there is no viable program at the moment for nuclear propulsion despite positive statements from organizations which promote such ideas.

In these six disciplines, what applications or areas of most interest? In other words, what does one find interesting in electrical engineering? nuclear engineering? computer engineering?