Should I Pursue a BEng or MEng for Engineering Physics/Mechatronics?

[Gogsey]

Was wondering if a BEng is enough or a MEng would be better for my career choice.

Firstly, I'm deciding between engineering physics and mechatronics engineering.

I talked to a grad student at my university who done a BEng in electrical engineering, and is now doing a MEng in engineering physics, and he said that if you do just a BEng then you will end up as a maintenance engineer, whereas if you do an MEng you will be doing engineering design, simulation and experimental and lab work.

Is this true? He did tell me that he applied for design, simulation and lab based positions and had no luck getting them, and is now why he's doing an MEng.

I would much rather do the design, simulation and experimental and lab based work/positions.

Can anyone clear this up for me?

Also, what would be the difference to a potential employer if I were to eng phys BEng and continue on to do a MEng in eng phys, opposed to doing a B Sc in physics and a MEng in eng phys? Would he consider me "different" whether I do my bachelors degree in eng phys or physics.

By "different" I mean is the engineering position more likely to go to someone with a BEng in eng phys rather than a B Sc in physics, even though we'ed both have an MEng in eng phys?

 

[djeitnstine]

For your first concern. Now a days, hardly anyone cares about BEng. Why? Because everyone and their mother has a BEng, so-to-speak. MEng will get you just about wherever you want to be in your engineering career. The PhD option is reserved mainly for R&D's of course.

 

[Gogsey]

So the BEng won't land me anything like lab work and experimentation, or designing and simulating, say for eng phys, laser systems, or robotics and automated systems for mechatronics? Is that true?

What will the BEng do for me if this is true?

 

[Topher925]

A BEng is will let you do lab work and experimental stuff but you won't be running the show. You will be performing the work for a higher up engineer. If you want to do any kind of experimental or development work then a MEng is the minimum. You may want to look into getting your PE as well.

 

[redargon]

I find this a bit strange...

I have a BSc Engineering (I guess that is probably better than a BEng, but I'm sure not by much ) and i work in a design function where I do a lot of experimentation and lab work. I'm the highest ranking engineer in my project team at the moment and i get to tell the designers what to draw where and when. The people above me are managers, not engineers. I did my share of maintainence engineering for 2 years, but for a automotive giant, which was pretty cool, and I've had my current position and function for a year now (so only 3 years out of varsity)

 

[Gogsey]

I guess it may depend on which type of industry and which type of engineering you do. As for Bsc engineering vs BEng, I would say BEng would be better. Now B A Sc would be equivalent to BEng.

I was going to do a B Sc in engineering physics in Scotland, and talked to McMaster university, and they said they may not be equivalent since it would have to be BEng or
B A Sc.