<p>I am curious if there is a big enough difference between a MENG and MSc. Do employers see a difference, given everything else to be equal, between an applicant with a Masters of Engineering and an applicant with a Master of Science in Engineering?</p>
<p>Not usually, no - the core issue is that there is no standardization of those titles. The MS is usually an academic research degree, while the MEng is often a coursework-only professional degree, but neither of those are set in stone. Because of this, most employers don’t really care about the difference in the name. They care about the focus of your coursework and (if there is one) your thesis. If you lack a thesis, it will not usually be an issue unless you are applying for a research position.</p>
<p>I am currently pursing my Masters of Engineering in Structural Engineering. I just went through the process of determining if I wanted to do an MSc or a MEng this past year. </p>
<p>I found that employers typically do not care which one you get. The only added benefit I can think of is that if your research for MSc is applicable to the job your applying for (I had an employer tell me this). </p>
<p>One thing to keep in mind is funding really only available with a MSc. You will not find very much funding outside of random scholarships for a MEng. Universities and Professors really want you to write a thesis, and will pay you to do so.</p>
<p>Also, The Professor you research under for a MSc will have a lot of control over you. This is normally not an issue, but I’ve heard horror stories of Professors who force you to take certain classes and nitpick on the Thesis forever.</p>
<p>Do what makes you happy, that’d what I did. I did not want to do research and did not want to write a Thesis. I am loving graduate school and glad I made the choice I did. Follow your interests, employers will hire you for both degrees.</p>
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<p>I heard this too and this always concerned me…which is why I chose a non-thesis M.S. </p>
<p>I took 10 classes and I was out of there.</p>
<p>Most professors don’t care that much about the quality of your thesis as an MS candidate as long as they are happy with the rest of your work. Even that is a lax requirement for some. As long as it meets some (often low) minimum standard, they’re fine signing off. It’s the Ph.D. dissertation where some get very particular.</p>
<p>Since I work in a research group, I look more favorably on a Masters degree with a good thesis than one with just coursework. I can often justify paying them quite a bit more too.</p>