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Karl Sharks posted:What is the exact meaning of 'research position' in this context? It seems like every graduate student, regardless of whether they want to go for an MS or PhD, is placed into a research group. Almost no one applies for an MS degree in ChemE when they are switching schools between undergrad and grad. This is because it's not worth it for the graduate program to take you. In ChemE, for grad school, the school pays your tuition and gives you a research stipend (one large enough for you to live off of without needing any other jobs). It's simply not worth it for a program to do this if you are going to leave in 2-3 years with a masters, because you won't have produced enough novel research for your adviser to have made it a worthwhile investment. Those twoish years will have been spent more learning how to perform research than actually producing it. Maybe you get one paper published, but that's it. Now, if you want to pay your own tuition, then I guess you can do that. But it's a dumb idea. You should not pay for grad school in ChemE, outside of a one year M Eng degree. And if you just want to work in a professor's research lab after you graduate, you can do that, but you'll be in a position closer to research tech than grad student-type working with their adviser on their own research. You also won't be working towards something, like a doctorate. However, working in a professor's lab while still in undergrad is a very good idea if you are at all interested in research. It gives you experience, and informs you on whether you would like to continue further on a research track In general, the MS degree is extremely rare. I used to work in an industrial research lab with ~100 PIs. Maybe one or two had an MS as their highest degree attained. I don't think it really opens any more doors than a BS. You're likely to see a benefit in starting salary though
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Jul 27, 2014 21:39
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Corla Plankun posted:I'm sorry I thought we were talking about applying to grad schools for an MS only. If you count BS-to-MS then sure, lots of good schools do that. Yes, I applied to many good schools after being out of school for a while. I also find it to be true when dealing with universities for industry relations, we allocate students to projects based on post doc, phd candidate, and MS. I haven't been involved in a project where MS students weren't available and we generally deal with 'good' schools. Star War Sex Parrot posted:Absolutely. MS-only students are cash-cows for universities. This is also true though. It was megabucks.
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Jul 28, 2014 00:34
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BigBobio posted:In general, the MS degree is extremely rare. I used to work in an industrial research lab with ~100 PIs. Maybe one or two had an MS as their highest degree attained. I don't think it really opens any more doors than a BS. You're likely to see a benefit in starting salary though Is this only for research-track? I've been looking at job listings (ChE) in preparation for when I graduate, and I'm noticing that a lot of even entry-level positions here (SoCal) are asking for MS degrees. My school offers a BS/MS program for one extra year, and I was wondering if it would be worth the extra year and tuition to avoid having to move out of state to find an entry-level position.
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Jul 28, 2014 00:56
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BigBobio posted:Almost no one applies for an MS degree in ChemE when they are switching schools between undergrad and grad. This is because it's not worth it for the graduate program to take you. In ChemE, for grad school, the school pays your tuition and gives you a research stipend (one large enough for you to live off of without needing any other jobs). It's simply not worth it for a program to do this if you are going to leave in 2-3 years with a masters, because you won't have produced enough novel research for your adviser to have made it a worthwhile investment. Those twoish years will have been spent more learning how to perform research than actually producing it. Maybe you get one paper published, but that's it. And it isn't a problem for companies that a person has a narrow focus/specialty with a PhD?
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Jul 28, 2014 01:04
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Star War Sex Parrot posted:Absolutely. MS-only students are cash-cows for universities. Shear Modulus posted:Like the other posters, my experience was that top engineering departments are very happy to admit students for an MS only but part of that is they want you or your company's money; paid tuition, stipends and research positions only get doled out to the PhD students. My MS was fully paid for by my research  (And lots of my lab mates too)
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Jul 28, 2014 01:08
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I'm currently working on a fully funded MS in engineering. It can happen.
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Jul 28, 2014 13:29
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Again, everything I say is specific to ChemE. Other fields work differentlyShipon posted:Is this only for research-track? I've been looking at job listings (ChE) in preparation for when I graduate, and I'm noticing that a lot of even entry-level positions here (SoCal) are asking for MS degrees. My school offers a BS/MS program for one extra year, and I was wondering if it would be worth the extra year and tuition to avoid having to move out of state to find an entry-level position. Are they asking for at minimum a MS for the entry level position, or is it that both BS and MS are welcome to apply. The latter is pretty standard. Also, consider the statistics on the number of people graduating in ChemE every year. Almost all will be at the bachelors level, and those with an advanced degree (masters or doctorate) would be a small fraction comparatively (maybe 5%). If companies restricted their entry level positions to masters-only, there would be a whole lot of unfilled positions and a whole lot of unemployed chemical engineers. Now, could a 1 year masters help you with respect to finding a job in SoCal? Probably. But, do you need the help? You have to weigh the benefit another year of school gives you, versus the cost of tuition (and lost earnings because you're not working). It sounds like you're looking at positions that someone with a bachelors could get, that is, you're not looking at jobs that require an advanced degree. So, since you don't need the masters to put you on an alternate career track, it all depends on how attractive a candidate you already are. If you're near the top of the class, with an internship or two under your belt, and you interview well, you'll be a shoe-in for most entry-level positions from on campus recruiting. Conversely, if your grades stink, and you spent your summers holed-up in your parents basement playing xbox, a one-year masters could be very beneficial (if you manage to turn things around in that one year). Basically, go for the one-year masters only if you need some help. If you're already in a good position as is, you can likely skip it without any adverse effects. Summer internship recruiting would be a good gauge of your standing. Plus, getting summer internships is one of the best things you could do with regard to increasing your desirability towards recruiters. Karl Sharks posted:And it isn't a problem for companies that a person has a narrow focus/specialty with a PhD? Not really. First, the company may be looking for someone with a specific skill set. Maybe they want an expert in heterogeneous catalysis, or synthetic biology, or polymer synthesis and characterization. Why would they hire someone with an MS with only a year or two of experience in independent research (and a significant portion of that time spent in classes, not in the lab), when they can hire someone with a PhD with five or six years experience and multiple publications, or a Post Doc, with seven or eight years experience and even more publications. You just aren't trained enough if you leave with a masters Plus, if they're looking for a generalist, someone with a PhD in ChemE would have covered all the material someone with an MS (or BS) had, plus more. And they've proven they're capable of producing independent research. So even if you're specialized in one area, presumably if you have a PhD you're intelligent (a strong assumption, I know), and are capable of moving into other areas. At the place I used to work (industrial lab), campus recruiting only hired PhDs, not Masters. And again, I'm only speaking to the ChemE field, not any other engineering
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Jul 28, 2014 15:43
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BigBobio posted:Not really. First, the company may be looking for someone with a specific skill set. Maybe they want an expert in heterogeneous catalysis, or synthetic biology, or polymer synthesis and characterization. Why would they hire someone with an MS with only a year or two of experience in independent research (and a significant portion of that time spent in classes, not in the lab), when they can hire someone with a PhD with five or six years experience and multiple publications, or a Post Doc, with seven or eight years experience and even more publications. You just aren't trained enough if you leave with a masters Hm, well then. Honestly, what I said was mostly just heard from a couple people along with me, didn't take it as gospel but it sounded like it made sense. Getting a PhD right after undergrad is sounding more and more enticing, just five or six years? I mean I honestly enjoy being in school, but that's a lot of years  .
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Jul 29, 2014 03:44
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Would it be possible to to get a MS in engineering without a BS in engineering? My degree is a BS in Industrial Design but I've been working as an ME for the past couple years (only got an official job title change about a month ago though). I feel like an MS would give me a little more credibility than "I'm a designer who's been pretending to be an engineer" in any future job hunts and save my resume from being filtered out before it reaches a human due to the lack of an engineering degree on it. Plus the salary increase would be nice.
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Aug 1, 2014 15:58
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Aquatic Giraffe posted:Would it be possible to to get a MS in engineering without a BS in engineering? My degree is a BS in Industrial Design but I've been working as an ME for the past couple years (only got an official job title change about a month ago though). I feel like an MS would give me a little more credibility than "I'm a designer who's been pretending to be an engineer" in any future job hunts and save my resume from being filtered out before it reaches a human due to the lack of an engineering degree on it. Plus the salary increase would be nice. It's possible, you'd just have to complete the undergraduate prerequisites before you begin on the master's coursework. Some programs have a "bridge program" that lays out the minimum coursework you need, possibly in an accelerated summer form.
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Aug 1, 2014 16:28
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Aquatic Giraffe posted:Would it be possible to to get a MS in engineering without a BS in engineering? My degree is a BS in Industrial Design but I've been working as an ME for the past couple years (only got an official job title change about a month ago though). I feel like an MS would give me a little more credibility than "I'm a designer who's been pretending to be an engineer" in any future job hunts and save my resume from being filtered out before it reaches a human due to the lack of an engineering degree on it. Plus the salary increase would be nice. Sometimes you even get people coming from the Business side. Just talk to the people. You will probably be required to take some extra courses after enrolling.
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Aug 2, 2014 13:48
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Anyone in Biomedical Engineering? I graduated with an art degree in 2009 (BFA in Kinetic Imaging) and for the past three years have been working as a surgical assistant. I've come to the slow realization that medicine is my true calling. However, I'm not sure that becoming an MD is what I really want (I'm too old, it's too much money, etc.). Right now, getting a degree in Biomedical Engineering is the most attractive option for me, specifically maybe specializing in orthopedics and trauma repair. Ideally, I'd like to end up designing implants and recon systems for a company like Synthes or Stryker. I'd like to hear the experiences of others who have gone down this road.  I'm planning on talking to an advisor about my potential curriculum track, especially since I already have a bachelor's under my belt. I know I'd probably have to start pretty much from scratch since my focus was art and there's probably no way I could jump right into an MS. Has anyone gone down this road and NOT pursued their MD afterward? I also understand that unlike many other engineering disciplines, a master's degree is required many times for a lot of the jobs in this field. What are other peoples' experiences?
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Aug 3, 2014 23:16
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pastor of muppets posted:Anyone in Biomedical Engineering? Most people will tell you need at least a masters if you want to do biomedical, and should probably do a mechanical or chemical engineering degree instead depending on what you want to do.
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Aug 3, 2014 23:53
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Xeom posted:Most people will tell you need at least a masters if you want to do biomedical, and should probably do a mechanical or chemical engineering degree instead depending on what you want to do. This is what I've heard, but add electrical engineering and materials science to the list.
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Aug 4, 2014 00:04
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pastor of muppets posted:Anyone in Biomedical Engineering? *Disclaimer* I do not work in this field. I just know people. Every BME I've spoken to has all stated that a MS is required for entry level into the BME field. That being said, it'd probably be a better idea to get a BSEE or BSME instead. There are not many BME jobs, period. There are 19k total in the USA. For comparison, there are 300k EEs and 250k MEs in the USA. If you really want to do BME, do a mechatronics undergrad with a biology minor then go to grad school.
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Aug 4, 2014 01:51
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Thank you! That seems to be the consensus among pretty much anyone I've talked to. Am looking more seriously into ME now.
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Aug 5, 2014 01:24
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For you electrical/electronic engineers out there. Do you ever use ROS?
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Aug 6, 2014 04:13
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Faded Sloth posted:For you electrical/electronic engineers out there. Do you ever use ROS? Yeah it's a pretty big deal and basically the de facto free robotics platform. PS I'm mainly a controls guy and only do this by extension so someone else may correct me.
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Aug 6, 2014 05:37
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Alright that's good because I joined an engineering team and they had me started on ROS. I'm in the beginning stages of learning it but I hope to get through a full intro book on it in 2 weeks. By then they will have assigned me some small project to work on and I'll have something to talk about with recruiters/employers.
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Aug 6, 2014 06:17
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Hello, Engineering thread! I've recently returned to school, and am going to be entering an Engineering program once I've finished my Associates. I would, eventually, like to work in solar energy, and would eventually like to turn whatever BS I get into a Masters in Energy Systems. Which type of Engineering degree do you guys think would best prepare me for that? Environmental? Electrical? Would either of those two work, or even one in Civil? (I know there are a couple of schools that offer Energy Engineering degrees around the country, but leaving my state and transferring Community College credits is, as far as I've heard, more trouble than it's worth.)
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Aug 6, 2014 09:42
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Electrical.
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Aug 6, 2014 12:05
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Electrical, maybe mechanical, possibly chemical. Civils and EnEs basically never see a circuit unless they go out of their way to.
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Aug 6, 2014 13:59
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Hed posted:Electrical. The Chairman posted:Electrical, maybe mechanical, possibly chemical. Civils and EnEs basically never see a circuit unless they go out of their way to. Thanks. I'll probably go for electrical, then, assuming I don't find an Energy Engineering program somewhere in this state.
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Aug 6, 2014 14:41
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Thoguh fucked around with this message at 16:17 on Aug 10, 2023 |
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Aug 6, 2014 15:05
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Thoguh posted:Even if you do find an energy engineering undergrad program it is better to get a more general undergrad degree and then specialize with your masters. You don't want to pigeonhole yourself. Fair point, and it doesn't appear that there are any colleges around here that offer it anyway so it's probably for the best.
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Aug 6, 2014 15:21
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UZworm posted:Fair point, and it doesn't appear that there are any colleges around here that offer it anyway so it's probably for the best. As someone who works in energy in Colorado it would be a terrible idea. Electrical, civil, or mechanical. You could do environmental but it really wouldn't be the same work (power plant regulation compliance, stuff like that).
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Aug 6, 2014 16:09
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I'm a consulting engineer who does a lot of work in solar and wind. Go EE or Civil.
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Aug 9, 2014 09:00
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SeaBass posted:I'm a consulting engineer who does a lot of work in solar and wind. Go EE or Civil. EE = electrical, I assume?
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Aug 9, 2014 11:37
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If you go EE you can do energy stuff related to power electronics, which is super hot right now with the adaption of higher level control circuits and stuff like micro grid buzzwords. The only EE researchers my group has hired the past 3 years have been power electronics people, and we have partnerships with every major consortium in the country. Its not big plant stuff but there is a lot of energy related subjects that are pretty interesting. Related, wide band gap materials is going pretty well now. That said, who knows what it will be like in 5-6 years.
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Aug 9, 2014 14:52
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UZworm posted:EE = electrical, I assume? Yes
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Aug 9, 2014 21:54
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UZworm posted:EE = electrical, I assume? FYI - this is always the case. No one refers to EE as anything else (environmental, energy, whatever else) This is because EE is the king of engineering, unlike those other wannabe/baby engineering degrees 
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Aug 11, 2014 19:07
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mitztronic posted:This is because EE is the king of engineering, unlike those other wannabe/baby engineering degrees Civil all the way, what would the world do without us? Really though we are all pretty awesome and drat important and deserve more respect.
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Aug 11, 2014 19:32
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Thoguh fucked around with this message at 16:17 on Aug 10, 2023 |
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Aug 11, 2014 19:42
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IMHO Energy Systems is a great masters if you've been in the field for about 5 years, need a grad degree, and could be moving into a supervisory / systems / managerial role where you need that perspective. e: and because I have to comment on it, most EEs are attractive, sex-having members of society and the best engineer.
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Aug 11, 2014 20:28
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Thoguh posted:Us Aerospace Engineers wouldn't have anything to target? Nice one
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Aug 11, 2014 21:13
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You all have really strange ways of spelling Petroleum Engineering.
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Aug 12, 2014 01:50
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I feel like ME's are under represented in this thread. We are cool too... and very diverse.
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Aug 12, 2014 04:21
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While you're all here dickwaving, all the real engineers are out there getting real work done.
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Aug 12, 2014 05:24
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BeefofAges posted:While you're all here dickwaving, all the real engineers are out there getting real work done. I will dick wave all I want when I am on PTO* thank you very much. *which means I called into 2 calls and answered about 30 emails (only 162 in my inbox from today still.........)
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Aug 12, 2014 06:48
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Anyone got experience of migrating abroad in engineering? How hard was it? I'm a ChemE with two years' experience in North Sea upstream oil and gas but I'd like to get out of the UK to Perth/Calgary/Houston/California(? I mention California because it superficially sounds preferable to Houston but I have no idea how much work is there) - basically somewhere Western in culture with a strong oil and gas presence. Any great places I should focus my research on? Any dives to avoid? How much experience do I need before a company is willing to sponsor my visa and help relocate me?
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Aug 12, 2014 11:59
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