<p>I'm just wrapping up my diffy q's class and I have to say, it seems like such a huge topic I'm wondering why it isn't usually two or three classes the way the calculus sequence is. Is it because they assume you will cover the rest of the material on the fly, later in your other classes?</p>
<p>Most engineers don’t even use so it just gives an introduction. It is a huge subject though.</p>
<p>I would hesitate to expand any subject area into more semesters as the engineering curriculum is crammed enough as it is now, unless you want to lengthen an engineering bachelor’s degree to five years. I’ve seen a few curricula that require 135 credits to graduate, and I believe some people said there were some places which require even more. </p>
<p>This won’t be the only subject area where you’ll find that the topics weren’t fully covered. When you graduate, by no means are you an expert in any engineering field; you will only know the fundamentals, which will allow you to learn on the job.</p>
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<p>I know this varies between disciplines, but I don’t think I’d go so far to claim most engineers don’t use DiffEQ (for example, think of the applications of the spring-mass-damper system). </p>
<p>Back to the OP. In my major at my school, we have an elective we can take after differential equations called “Advanced Engineering Math”. It covers Perturbation Theory and various topics in PDEs. It’s pretty interesting, and seems to be a useful extension of DiffEQ. I’m sure other schools have such courses, and for those who don’t, ken285’s explanation is valid. Generally, with only a B.S., your first course in differential equations should be sufficient for what you’ll see in your career of engineering.</p>
<p>The other areas/topics of Diff Eq are more in line with specific majors and specializations. Since I was a computational math major, I had to also take numerical solutions of ordinary Diff Eqs and numerical solution of partial Diff Eqs.</p>
<p>Students focusing on mathematical finance or financial engineering would take stochastic diff eqs.</p>
<p>I’ve just talked with a lot of engineers that say they have rarely ever needed it. From what I hear the only math most engineers use on a daily basis is trig/precalc. There are certain jobs that would require a lot of diffeq, probably more jobs in aeronautical or chemical engineering.</p>
<p>There are more classes on it, but you dont really need them until the grad level. I retook Diff Eq’s in grad school then followed up with grad level partial differential equations, then took two more classes in numerical analysis and computational methods, both building on diff eqs.</p>