Should I pursue MEng or should I start working?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the decision of whether to pursue a Master of Engineering (MEng) degree or to enter the workforce after completing a Bachelor of Engineering (BEng) in Electronic Science and Technology. Participants explore the implications of each choice, including career prospects, degree accreditation, and the nature of the MEng as an educational qualification.

Discussion Character

  • Debate/contested
  • Technical explanation
  • Conceptual clarification

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants argue that an MEng is the standard route into engineering and necessary for chartership, suggesting it is more desirable than a BEng.
  • There is a claim that the MEng is considered an undergraduate degree, leading to questions about the necessity of pursuing an MSc.
  • One participant expresses the opinion that an MSc is unnecessary unless switching fields, criticizing the value of many MSc programs as unaccredited and financially burdensome.
  • Another participant seeks clarification on the definition of "undergraduate" in the context of the MEng, questioning if this reflects a difference in educational systems.
  • It is noted that "undergraduate masters degrees" exist in the UK, which integrate a bachelor's and master's degree, designed to align with European educational standards.
  • Concerns are raised about the accreditation of MSc degrees, with references to professional institutes that maintain lists of accredited programs.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on the value and classification of the MEng and MSc degrees, indicating that there is no consensus on which path is preferable or the implications of degree classifications.

Contextual Notes

There are discussions about the definitions and classifications of degrees, particularly the concept of "undergraduate masters degrees" in the UK, which may not be universally understood. Additionally, the accreditation status of various MSc programs is highlighted as a point of contention.

geft
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I'm graduating in BEng Electronic Science and Technology next year in University of Liverpool. I can then choose whether to continue doing my postgraduate studies or to just start working. It's either higher starting salary or 2 years of experience. Would a master's degree be worthwhile?
 
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Yes, the MEng is practically the standard route into engineering these days. You need it for your chartership and it's overall much more desirable than just a BEng.

However, the MEng is still an undergraduate degree. It's not a postgraduate degree and if you continue you won't graduate with a BEng, you'll just continue all the way through.
 
An MEng is an undergraduate degree? Does that mean I need an Msc? Which is better in your opinion?
 
You don't need an MSc - an MEng is already a masters degree, just an undergraduate one.

In my opinion an MSc is a waste of money if you're not trying to switch fields. A lot of MSc degrees aren't accredited either, and function as money spinners for the university as they know that there are a lot of foreign students willing to pay fairly heft amounts to put certain brand names on their CV.

I would just do the MEng and get all of the required academia out of the way.
 
You don't need an MSc - an MEng is already a masters degree, just an undergraduate one.

Question. What does that even mean? Undergraduate by its very definition means prior to graduation. Is this another instance where Europe does things differently?

A lot of MSc degrees aren't accredited either

And where did you get this?
 
Angry Citizen said:
Question. What does that even mean? Undergraduate by its very definition means prior to graduation. Is this another instance where Europe does things differently?

In the UK there now exist "undergraduate masters degrees". These are essentially a full undergraduate degree integrated with a masters degree at the end, so they last a year longer than a standard undergraduate degree and the end award is at masters level, e.g. MEng or MSci, rather than bachelors level.

They were introduced to try and reduce the disparity between a three year English bachelors degree and four year ones elsewhere in Europe. And in Scotland where degrees are a year longer this means that some degrees are five years long!

And where did you get this?

The professional institutes e.g. the IMechE and IET have lists on their websites of all the degrees they accredit and a lot of MSc degrees offered by universities are not on these lists hence they're unaccredited.
 

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