Philosophy, Electrical Engineering, Jobs and Loans

[KClose1983]

I currently have a BA in Philosophy from 2008 and am interested in getting an MS in Electrical Engineering.

Are the loans worth it? Does the salary typically outweigh the cons of the loans? How is the employment out there for electrical engineers?

Does anyone have any idea as to how my BA will look if coupled with an MS in EE?--good or bad in the eyes of an employer?

I suppose in general, it depends upon the employer and what kind of specific circumstances are involved, etc., but I was just curious to get some impressions/reactions to these questions from those already in the field...

 

[clope023]

I currently have a BA in Philosophy from 2008 and am interested in getting an MS in Electrical Engineering.

Are the loans worth it? Does the salary typically outweigh the cons of the loans? How is the employment out there for electrical engineers?

Does anyone have any idea as to how my BA will look if coupled with an MS in EE?--good or bad in the eyes of an employer?

I suppose in general, it depends upon the employer and what kind of specific circumstances are involved, etc., but I was just curious to get some impressions/reactions to these questions from those already in the field...

If you have an MS I don't think employers will care too much what your bachelors was in, my question is how will you get into an MSEE program with a BA in philosophy. If you had a math or a physics bachelors I would say it's no problem that you'd get into an engineering masters some where but philosophy I don't know.

 

[KClose1983]

Yeah, that's why I am concerned about loans. In my case, I will need to take several undergrad courses before being elligible for admission to a grad program, but from what I've read elsewhere, it seems like a better idea to go after the MS rather than a second BS, for example. And I'm assuming more courses will mean more loans.

 

[Floid]

If you can get into an MSEE program that would be better than a BSEE, the question is can you without basically having to get a BSEE.

What are the "several" classes you think you will need to take? To get your BSEE you generally have to take 4 or 5 math classes (Calculus sequence, ODEs, linear algebra). If you haven't taken these those are 5 classes you will have to take before you even get to engineering classes. If you can get into an MS program by all means go for it, I think many of us doubt you will be able to without getting an undergrad in some type of science/math area first.

 

[KClose1983]

Well, right now I'm looking at the EE program at UCF, and there are the 6 "articulation courses" including "Network and Systems," "Electronics I," "Electromagnetic Fields," and so on, all undergraduate courses necessary to be elligible for admission to the ME, and in addition to these are the prerequisite courses including Calculus with Analytic Geometry I,II and III, two physics courses, another EE prereq and Differential Equations as you mentioned. So I'm looking at a total of around 12 to 13 undergrad courses as prereqs for elligibility.

In this case, I'm not sure if I should shoot for a second BS or how close that would be. I'll take a look. On the other hand, I will not be applying to go to the school in any capacity until this fall, which gives me six months to prep in any way I can. I was hoping this time could afford me self-study to take the BC, for example, or some other kind of proficiency/placement test such that I might get a little closer to the articulation courses. I used to speak a little calculus, not a lot, just the AB.

I have no doubt I will have a lot of prereq work either way--as of now I am inelligible for the program--but I'm just wondering if the loans necessary will be worth pushing through the prereqs without a BS or maybe getting the BS as well since my GE should no longer be an additional requirement? How long do folks here typically take to pay off their loans, if anyone doesn't mind mentioning?

Anyone here familiar with the UCF programs in EE? Opinions?

 

[Floid]

I am sure it heavily depends on area, but EEs tend to be very employable. Even more employable if you are comfortable with hardware and software. One thing you may want to check on if you are from the central Florida area and plan on staying there is how the NASA situation has effected employment in that area. I know a year or two ago tons of engineers were trying to leave NASA which flooded that area with engineers looking for jobs.