<p>when you guys say that doing the thesis will open up R&D positions in industry that those without the thesis can’t have access to, how exactly does it work? If you do your thesis in, say CFD, can you still find a R&D position focusing on something different than CFD, say stress analysis?</p>
<p>One of the best threads in awhile. Thanks for the older guys coming in here and explaining the differences.</p>
<p>Thinking about picking up an M.Eng (distance) with the majority being company financed.</p>
<p>No, not really. The point of a graduate degree is to specialize. If you focus on fluids, you are doing it in order to get a job doing fluids. If you focus on materials, you are doing so to get a job in materials. In undergrad, it doesn’t matter, the name of the game is to be somewhat broad. Grad school is for specialization.</p>
<p>Doing the thesis opens up R&D type positions because it is hard proof that you can carry on a research project on your own and produce valuable results that stand up to peer review. That is a lot more than can be said about a non-thesis MS holder, who may not actually have even done research before.</p>
<p>Noob question…
Thesis = Master of Engineering
Non-thesis = Master of Science in Engineering</p>
<p>Is that right?</p>
<p>Reverse that.</p>
<p>Thesis = Master of Science (rarely a Master of Engineering)
Non-Thesis = Master of Engineering and sometimes Master of Science</p>
<p>There is no governing body, and as such, there is no one set way of doing things. MIT is the only place I have heard of that has a thesis in their M.Eng. program. Also, there are a small but significant number of places that offer a M.S. in both thesis and non-thesis flavors.</p>
<p>so I guess you better be sure you like the area you’re doing research in for the thesis-MS…I really want to get funding for my MS, but the only prof who seems to offer it for an RAship is one who does research in an area I’m not sure I’ll like</p>
<p>^one of the things in life is that you will do things that you don’t like.</p>
<p>LongPrime, while that would normally be a useful comment, it doesn’t really make sense in this context.</p>
<p>If creepypasta13 were to take the RAship in an area he doesn’t like, it would be like getting a degree in chemical engineering and looking for your dream job as an electrical engineer. It may not be that drastic of a difference, but when it comes to grad school, you don’t want to compromise too much on your research area.</p>
<p>creepypasta13, my advice is to keep looking at other professors at your school or look at different schools if you are so inclined. The other thing is that it isn’t unusual (in fact it is the norm) for MS students to start out unfunded and then get funding after a semester or two. If you really are interested in going to grad school, you should start looking at other professors. I guarantee other professors offer RAships, you just have to get to know them and know how to solicit them.</p>
<p>I actually think LongPrime’s comment is pretty good.</p>
<p>When I worked in R&D at my company, I was assigned projects. Sometimes I like them. Sometimes I hated them. But regardless of whether I liked them or not, I was expected to work on them and provide a report or new product to my customer.</p>
<p>but it does have credence for this instance.</p>
<p>When you get out into the workforce-You don’t get choices.
Get used to it. Builds character.</p>
<p>But working at a company is different, and additionally, you aren’t in an MS level job, so they didn’t hire you for your specialty. If you move jobs after you finish your MS (pretty sure you are still working on it, right?) I would be willing to bet that you wouldn’t do as many random assignments outside your area of expertise.</p>
<p>When you get a graduate degree, companies pay you more because they needs something you specialize in. They don’t want to waste that extra money putting a fluid dynamicist to work on structures or putting an experimental guy to work doing numerical simulations.</p>
<p>I’m an EE in R&D. </p>
<p>I’m far more impressed with a Masters with a thesis than a non-thesis. Having a thesis allows you to offer to give a talk on your own work to your potential group who can then assess your ability to explain and illustrate the benefits of your work. As an employer, when I see a good presentation of someone’s thesis where questions were handled on the fly, it paints the candidate in a very positive light and allows me to see how they think.</p>
<p>Just about any M.S. or MEng program that is done through continuing/distance education will be non-thesis.</p>
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<p>No. It doesn’t. Jobs based on BS degrees are a different breed than jobs based on an MS. And MS may not be as specialized as a PhD, but it is still a specialization (when done with a thesis) and companies are going to usually be hiring you based on that specialization. You aren’t going to get a job you like or want if your MS is in an area that you don’t like or want.</p>
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<p>I work with a number of PhD. One in particular got his PhD from Caltech. He gets assigned projects just like the rest of us, and the work that he does is unrelated to his MS/PhD work. </p>
<p>At my company, no senority is given to PhDs or MS holders. The only ones that have the ability to influence which projects are assigned to whom are the leads and most of them don’t hold PhDs or MS degrees.</p>
<p>I don’t see that specializing in a particular type of research in college causes you to do that kind of work in industry. The only place that has been my experience that specializing helps is if you stay in academia and become a professor. In that case, you likely teach in the subject that you did the most research in.</p>
<p>You are an anomaly then. In general, if you want a job in a certain area, don’t specialize in a different area.</p>
<h1>27, BoneH</h1>
<p>I do agree with you that if the candidate is not sure, then he/she should continue to look elsewhere and elsewho. But as the choices become more limited, then you got to make some character choices. </p>
<p>DS selected and was selected into a MS program because he like the research and the PI liked his mech undergrad. PI originally suggested a line for a project which was different from DS’s idea. DS had 3 months to develop a project and at the end he went along with the PI with some adjustments. PI is pretty well known and has a lot of contact in the field. DS does some internships that had foundations in his undergrad & buildup as a grad student. He now works with his undergrad prof and his new R&D startup, in a plum location and position. What he does still is not his ideal, but the work provides him the liberty and funds to do what he likes.</p>
<p>DS also works with post-docs, doc candidates, ms candidates. DS has the most experience since he had worked for PI as her undergrad gofer/aide. As I said before, not his ideal but he does his very best in what he does… and for that, he does very well.</p>
<p>In my opinion, advanced degrees vary as far as how they help a person at a company. At a few companies that I have worked for, certain titles/levels are tied to degree level and years of experience. At other companies, the MS degree doesn’t count for much.</p>
<p>So far for me, the MS degree (plus my PMP) allows me to qualify for very senior engineering positions and some project management positions. Now whether I “duck” leading a team or not is by chance.</p>
<p>I usually try to be that engineer who is high on the org chart with nobody (or very few) reporting to him, LOL.</p>
<p>LongPrime, that means your son is in a less than ideal situation, as you said. I am giving advice for finding your way into your ideal situation. Your son actually illustrates my point. He did his MS in an area that wasn’t quite what he was looking for, and now he is doing work that isn’t quite what he was looking for. That seems to be exactly what I have been saying.</p>