Help!
After a ton of research we still can’t figure out which is the best major in terms of 10 years down the road of getting a job? Any input greatly appreciated!
They’re all the same, all solid. Employment will hinge more on the industry you’re in than it will on which of those degrees you hold. No one can predict the future to tell you which degree and/or which industry will be marginally better in the future. There are far too many factors involved. Choose the one that you find most interesting.
what about mechatronic engineering? Do you think its too general? How would that impact a potential masters program?
Mechatronics is the LEAST general of those three. It usually is a concentration of ME or occasionally EE. As a stand alone, ABET accredited degree, it is a rare bird, with 5 programs in the nation, none at well known universities.
I’m not sure I understand your last question.
BTW, my son chose Mechatronics as his undergraduate concentration in ME, and is now a masters candidate in ME.
ok. So… if one gets an B.S. in mechatronics, I was thinking it may not be efficient to then get a masters in ME or EE, because there’d be extra courses not covered in the megatronics undergrad program. I wonder if there are any masters programs in megatronics yet?
I’m starting to think either EE or ME may be a safer bet in terms of finding employment.
Where are you planning on applying? As I said, you can only get a mechatronics degree from 5 schools, Central Connecticut, Chico State, Kennesaw State, and two remote Purdue campuses, not the main campus in West Lafayette. This isn’t even an issue unless you plan on going to one of those well off the beaten engineering path campuses.
There are no ABET accredited MS programs in mechatronics (graduate programs don’t look at ABET as being as important as undergraduate programs do). That’s not a big deal though, as you can get a MS in ME or EE and do a mechatronics based thesis if you desire. That’s what my son is doing.
Finding employment isn’t about the name of your degree. It is about the skills you amass. My son’s degrees are in ME, but there are jobs posted under EE that he is fully qualified for. It is about the traits the job needs.
Not everyone can get into Cal Poly Slo. Its not attainable for many Ca. engineering majors. But, there is still hope for other Ca. residents whom wish to stay instate and apply for engineering. Non impacted CSUs are fine, Chico included!
NOTHING wrong with Chico State!
Given that one of those schools IS an option, let me look at the curriculum and I’ll get back.
The mechatronics curriculum is very focussed, for better or worse. It basically prepares you to do mechatronics, but not much of anything else. It’s a bit more like a tech curriculum rather than a full fledged engineering curriculum. It is missing two MAJOR components of a ME curriculum, Fluid Mechanics and Thermodynamics. It’s also missing some of the deeper theory of the EE curriculum (of which I’m much less conversant).
You will be pigeonholing yourself from the get go if you choose the mechatronics route at Chico. If that’s what you know you love, then there’s nothing wrong with that.
You could though choose ME and use your tech electives to take more mechatronics IF you are still into it by the time you hit 4th year. Both have the same senior level Controls class as part of their respective curricula.
Using my son again as an example, his masters thesis is a mechatronic device that measures aerodynamics. He’s into fluids AND mechatronics (and, believe it or not, a few others too). ME gave him a very solid background in several areas. Mechatronics would have given him a background in one.
Unless you are certain beyond all doubt that mechatronics and nothing else is for you, I’d probably choose ME. Talk to the school though. They’ll better be able to guide you.
Lastly, no offense at all intended towards Chico, or any other of those schools. They just aren’t ones that crop up on CC very often.
Thanks. This is very useful info. It helps to confirm what I had been thinking. It’ll be EE or ME for now.