Need Advice about NDT and engineering

[NDTnooby]

I am currently on Active Duty but getting out this year. I have a job offer with a very big NDT company as a Level III. I have looked into this extensively and found that ME seems to be the best route but I am not totally sure. My job is to literally find cracks in various materials from advanced composites to alloys or castings using a variety of cool scientific methods. I plan on registering at USC this fall and starting a program in ME. Any insight would be much appreciated. I am currently a NDI Craftsman in the AF I have 7 years experience and a BA in Professional Aeronautics from Embry Riddle so I am not new to college either. I was wondering if anyone here has any experience with what engineering program offers the most background in NDT or NDE? Again any answers are greatly appreciated.

 

[tygerdawg]

ME curriculum is very broad & good choice. The first two years are basic stuff (perhaps you have some transferable credits from E-R) and generally common to all other engineering programs. ME will give you some stress analysis / strengths of materials courses. But I don't think those courses really get into the meat of fracture mechanics etc (but I could be wrong...been a lo-o-ong time since I took those classes). So while you are working, learning how to be a civilian, and gaining experience, those two years will give you an opportunity to explore other fields. When I first started out, I was told "if you don't know what you want, then go into ME because it is the broadest field...you can easily change to any other field from ME, but sometimes not the other way around." I think that was good advice.