Which Engineering Major Should I Choose for My Dream Job in the Military?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around choosing an engineering major that aligns with aspirations to work in the military, specifically in designing weapons and defense systems. Participants explore various engineering disciplines, including mechanical, electrical, electronics, and aerospace engineering, while considering their interests and career prospects.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Debate/contested
  • Technical explanation

Main Points Raised

  • One participant expresses a preference for mechanical engineering over electrical engineering, citing a lack of interest in power distribution and a desire to engage in propulsion chemistry and programming related to missile guidance.
  • Another participant suggests aerospace engineering as a suitable option, while also noting that mechanical engineering could provide a broad range of opportunities.
  • Concerns are raised about the job market for aerospace engineers, with one participant suggesting that mechanical engineering may offer more versatility and job options.
  • Participants discuss the potential for a mechanical engineer to acquire knowledge in electronics and programming, while questioning whether an electrical engineer would have the same breadth of mechanical knowledge.
  • Some participants mention the initial mundane tasks associated with engineering degrees, expressing concerns about job satisfaction and career progression in the field.
  • One participant emphasizes that an engineering degree can lead to diverse career paths beyond traditional roles, including opportunities in robotics and aerospace.
  • There is a general leaning towards mechanical engineering as a preferred choice, with multiple participants reinforcing this perspective.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

While there is a general leaning towards mechanical engineering among participants, there is no consensus on the best choice, as differing opinions about the merits of aerospace and electrical engineering persist. The discussion remains unresolved regarding the optimal path for the original poster.

Contextual Notes

Participants express varying levels of interest in different engineering disciplines, and there are concerns about job market dynamics and the nature of entry-level work in engineering. The discussion reflects a range of personal experiences and assumptions about the fields in question.

Who May Find This Useful

Individuals considering a career in engineering, particularly those interested in military applications, weapon design, or defense systems, may find this discussion relevant.

jaredmt
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right now it is Engineering Science. when i go to a 4 year school idk wether to do mechanical engineering or electrical

my dream job would be to work for hte military and design weapons and defense systems. the only hting i think is boring is power distribution. i don't want to deal with that. but everything else seems cool: using chemistry knowledge do develope controlled explosives, programming knowledge to tell the missile where to go, and different things like that. any suggestions on which one i should pick?
 
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Sounds like aerospace is your best bet. Mechanical can also be good I would not do electrical engineering when you like to do propulsion chemistry. Building controllers can be done within the mechanical engineering field too.
 
well the basics of Chemistry is kinda boring. Chem I i had a hard time stayin awake and Chem II was only a little bit better. but I am not really fascinated with "what color will the solution be if i add NaOH to it?". I am more interested in "how can i make this explode" or "how can i create a laser beam that can melt through any kind of metal" and things like that.
but at the same time i wouldn't mind dealing with a little bit of circuitry or programming. i wouldn't mind dealing with the physics part of it either, which i assume i'd have to know in order to be able to program a missle on how to stear itself.

you still think I am leaning more towards mechanical engineering?
 
ok i just did some research and i think it will be between mechanical or electronics engineering. aerospace seems cool and i'd get that job if i can but the demand for aerospace engineers i think will be very low so i don't think it would be worth having that as my major.

i guess i shouldn't have said Electrical, i meant Electronics Enginnering. that seems cool, if i could build robots, deal with the communication systems and what not.

do you think it is possible that certain companies who typically have 1 mechanical engineer and 1 electrical engineer would rather pay 1 person with knowledge/education in both fields?
 
OK, the demand for aerospace engineers is not 'very low' however here are more mechanical engineers employed that is true. The problem I have with electronic engineering (usually we call it electrical engineering anyways) is that you are somewhat forced to work in that specific field were a mechanical engineering degree would allow you to keep more options open. Again if you are truly interested in rocket propulsion and control you are probably best of with aerospace engineering.
 
An ME degree will leave you with a versatile degree that can be used to do all the things you described from building robots to jet propulsion.

An aero degree is really just a more specific ME degree so unless you have a very particular career desire an ME degree is just fine. I know plenty of ME and EE's that have received jobs in aerospace some of which are currently working on defense projects.
 
hm. so what you are saying is that the ME also happens to have a lot of knowledge that would allow him to do EE. but the EE doesn't have as much knowledge of ME?

or are you just saying htat there are more types of jobs that i can do with a ME degree?

one thing that would bore me is just making designs on AUDOCAD all day and doing nothing else. hopefully if i go for ME i'd be able to do more than just that. I overheard someone saying that i'd have to start off doing repetitive stuff like that with low payment and it isn't easy to get promoted. but i don't know, maybe that person just didnt have a high enough degree of education and that is why he experienced that
 
Jared, I'm not educated in any area, but it seems to me that someone who is undecided should go toward mechanical. While I don't really know the parameters, I believe that it encompasses to broadest area of science. I design weapons as a hobby, and have no education, but the mechanical side of things definitely serves me well. The caveat that strikes me is regarding what kind of weapons you want to design. Most full-blown military stuff requires a lot of electronics/computer savvy.
 
ok well I am definitely leaning toward ME right now because everybody keeps suggesting it over electrical. But, a mechanical engineer would still learn a lot about programming and electronics right?
 
  • #10
jaredmt said:
hm. so what you are saying is that the ME also happens to have a lot of knowledge that would allow him to do EE. but the EE doesn't have as much knowledge of ME?

Certainly not.

CS
 
  • #11
jaredmt, just be aware that any major will start out with really basic stuff in the first year or two. Mundane things along the lines of "what color will the solution be if i add NaOH to it?" can be found in mechanical, electrical, or any other field.

Good luck with your decision!
 
  • #12
jaredmt said:
hm. so what you are saying is that the ME also happens to have a lot of knowledge that would allow him to do EE. but the EE doesn't have as much knowledge of ME?

or are you just saying htat there are more types of jobs that i can do with a ME degree?

one thing that would bore me is just making designs on AUDOCAD all day and doing nothing else. hopefully if i go for ME i'd be able to do more than just that. I overheard someone saying that i'd have to start off doing repetitive stuff like that with low payment and it isn't easy to get promoted. but i don't know, maybe that person just didnt have a high enough degree of education and that is why he experienced that

I was not comparing ME to EE.

My point was that unless there is a particular field within aerospace that you have your heart set on you are likely better off in ME because Aero is just a more specific form of ME, so an ME degree will leave you will more versatility.

You should never listen to anyone who tries to tell you that all ME's have these specific types of jobs, all EE have these specific types of jobs and etc. It just isn't true and they do not know what they are talking about. You can do just about anything you want with an engineering degree from becoming an astronaut, designing race cars, becoming a doctor, managing a business or anything else you want.

I brought up robots because it takes plenty of backgrounds to build robots including ME's and EE's so it isn't as if majoring in one or the other will eliminate that as a career path.

Explore your options and keep an open mind.
 
  • #13
ah ok i get it now. i think i will go for ME now. This is good, i think i am pointed in the right direction, thanks for all the help
 
  • #14
Now that you've decided, don't be a stranger. Stick around, let us know how it's going, and help out others here who are less educated. Good luck on your chosen path.
 

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