Engineering, undergrad degree or masters?

Parents Forum
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<p>S graduates this Spring from LAC with degree in BioPhysics. Has decided to go into Engineering. He is in process of applying to undergrad eng. programs as transfer student. I'm starting to wonder which makes more sense - to complete the undergrad degree in Engineering or if he should apply to grad school instead. I'm looking at this from the tuition $$$ perspective. My question is this: for a career in Engineering - is the graduate degree essential? Does one have to get an undergrad in engineering before even entertaining the grad degree? Should he just take his BioPhysics undergrad and go straight for the masters in Eng. Does he need to spend extra $$ on another undergrad degree if he's going to have to get the masters anyway? Thanks for advice and input.
mwlgal</p>

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<p>I think it probably depends on the kind of engineering. I've heard that it might be HARDER to find a first job if you have a graduate degree (as opposed to undergraduate) - not sure how true is that...</p>

<p>My son got a BS in Computer Science (which is considered an engineering degree), and is now gainfully employed, and is taking classes towards Masters degree concurrently (payed for by the employer).</p>

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<p>I'd go for the graduate degree - the courses are taught at a higher level and faster pace I'm assuming that your son wouldn't have any problems with those given his degree. With an undergraduate degree, you typically need a certain number of credits from that institution (two years is common from what I've seen) and they may have requirements that he's already taken that they wouldn't accept or some oddball fluffy requirements that really aren't necessary or that were otherwise covered in the other degree.</p>

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<p>Speaking as member of a family of engineers, I'd have to say this is a very mismatched pair of questions. No, a graduate degree is not essential for a career in engineering. And no, one does not have to have an UG engineering degree before beginning a masters program in engineering.</p>

<p>However, most engineers began working immediately after receiving their UG degrees. Having a Masters (or Ph.D) as the initial engineering degree will put you on a different path than the overwhelming majority of your engineering colleagues. Something to think about.</p>

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<p>If you can figure out what kind of engineering you'd like to get into, and because physics is at least tangentially related to engineering (unlike English lit for example), I think he can make the transition without going back and getting another BS.</p>

<p>He might want to take some catch up classes in engineering or math to make himself more competitive for the masters program, might have to take some catch up classes while in the program, but then would have a masters degree in the kind of engineering that would lead to the job he wants.</p>

<p>For example, my sib graduated with a degree in chemistry (with a good dollop of math and engineering classes) and started working with an oil company in their lab. AFter working there for many years, he went to school at night and got an MS in Petroleum engineering. He is now working for that same oil company as a petroleum engineer.</p>

<p>My other sib graduated with a degree in dietitics. When she wanted to become a geologist, she got another bachelors in geology and then later a masters degree. Not enough overlap between dietitics and geology.</p>

<p>In this case, I see overlap possibilities and would think grad school may be the best way to go.</p>

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<p>If your son is going to graduate this spring, he might not be considered a transfer student -- he would actually be applying for a second undergraduate degree. He needs to ask the admissions departments of the schools he is applying to.
I see no reason why he shouldn't apply directly to graduate school, particularly if it is in an engineering field that overlaps significantly with his undergrad degree. It is not uncommon for a student to complete an undergraduate degree in physics and then go on for a graduate degree in, for example, engineering physics or electrical engineering, but it would depend on the field. He should discuss this with faculty at his LAC and contact some graduate programs to ask these questions.</p>

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<p>mwlgal,
Back in April, it came down to 2 schools for D2, Carnegie Mellon & Swarthmore. Great schools in their own right...so, we left the decision to her. As difficult as it was to turn down Swat, she made the right choice...especially since she is committed to engineering. D2 will be working this semester with a material sci prof and his research group. We are hopeful that at the end of 4 yrs, she will be in the workforce...and, if she decides to attend grad school, her employer will help supplement the cost. It would be the best of both worlds.</p>

<p>Your S should look into the prereqs for both options...another BS or a graduate program. I'm sure it is different for each university. Good luck! :)</p>

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<p>Does his LAC have a 3-2 agreement with a university that offers Engineering? That might get him an easier/quicker admission.</p>

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<p>Yes, LAC has 3-2 arrangement with a couple of schools. He is applying to those. I was not aware that some schools might not accept his credits from previous school, so I see the real value in pursuing second degree with 3-2 schools. Thanks for pointing this out.</p>

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<p>What does his adviser say, what does Career Services say, what does the chairperson of his department say?</p>

<p>The answer to what he should do depends both on his ultimate goal (PhD in Mechanical Engineering and an academic career vs. working as an engineer for IBM or Merck) as well as how well positioned he is for a Master’s degree. His department chair should be able to pick up the phone and talk to his/her counterpart at the institutions your S is considering and get answers on the spot. Career Services at his current college will be able to tell him the incremental value of the extra undergrad degree so you can evaluate if it’s a good use of funds or not.</p>

<p>Do not spend a nickel on applications without your son running this past the people who know him and get paid to advise him.</p>

<p>One of my kids was interested in staying at his U for a 5th year to finish a Masters. (I think at MIT if you have a GPA of something or other and have enough credits, you have the option of taking your senior year as your first year of grad school, so that you can finish a two year Master’s in one year.) We thought it sounded like a reasonable plan- but his adviser told him otherwise. It would have made him no more employable (or marginally more employable, but not worth an extra year of tuition) plus would have him competing in the job market with other new Master’s graduates, most of whom had worked for a few years after their BS. So he’d still be “young and stupid”, but now a year older, and one more year of tuition paid.</p>

<p>Fast forward- kid changed plans completely after two years working in his field. I should remember to send that faculty member a fruit basket…</p>

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<p>OK…I’m confused. If he is GRADUATING in spring 2011, presumably he will already HAVE an undergrad degree, right? If that is the case, a grad program is probably a better choice. How would he be a “transfer” if he already has an undergrad degree anyway? </p>

<p>Regardless of which he chooses, he will have the same rigor of courses. If he were making this decision as a college freshman, my suggestions would be different. BUT he is making this as a college senior. Go for the grad program since he already will HAVE a bachelors.</p>

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<p>Will he have actually taken the classes required for admissions for masters programs? Most science degrees don’t include a large portion of those classes.</p>

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<p>No. A family member of mine had a BS in chemistry, started working in the oil business, got a master’s degree in petroleum engineering and now works as a petroleum engineer.<br>
He had already taken a number of math classes undergrad. </p>

<p>Without the engineering educational “stamp”, he wouldn’t have gotten the job. Getting the MS provided that stamp. </p>

<p>If he is accepted into an engineering MS program, he may have to backtrack and pick up some classes. The lack of some classes may preclude him from being accepted into a program, though. He may have to take those classes on a post-bac basis and then apply to programs.</p>

<p>[didn’t see that this was an old thread–wonder what happened to OP’s son?]</p>

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<p>Oh brother…this thread is a year and a half old. I’ve got to look more carefullly before I respond. By now, the OPs kiddo certainly made SOME decision about school in the 2009-2010 school year…this thread was from winter 2009 and he was to graduate that spring…maybe they will let us know what really happened.</p>

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<p>I heard he got a master’s in creative writing and now stocks the shelves part-time at Barnes & Noble.</p>

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<p>What is it with all of these old threads coming up? I’ve been fooled more than once by this lately!!</p>