Just like the title says, I’m basically just wondering how common it is to go to grad school for SE after getting a BS in ME. Thanks.
You can apply to any graduate program you want, as long as you feel like you have adequate preparation to handle the coursework. You don’t even need BS in an engineering major to get into a graduate engineering program.
I would think an ME would have a very good background, since it is related to statics and forces and other mechanics topics but you could take some classes in civil engineering related areas as electives. Concrete is important in Civil/Structural engineering, not as studied by MEs.
At some schools you could probably take a minor in CE or just change majors now.
Changing engineering fields is not particularly common, but certainly doable, especially between such related fields. Structural companies may also outright hire an ME, even with a BS.
Paging @MaineLonghorn
The schools I know of would require that you have a bachelor’s in civil engineering before you work on your master’s. I asked my dad - he is a structural engineering professor.
OP - is there a particular reason why you are asking or wanting to do this ?
What is your specific interest in structural engineering ?
In another post, you say you are a software engineering … or in software … do you have an ME degree ?
The criteria for moving from one field to another in engineering are pretty different and could vary considerably between schools, depending on the interests and interdisciplinary work being done by various departments.
Also structural engineering companies may be perfectly willing to hire an ME … not every guy there needs to be a licensed PE, you could for example do some structural analysis or pick up whatever software packages they use … I think AutoCAD for example is used for light-duty exercises in both fields …
The structural firms I know of wouldn’t hire an ME to do structures. Maybe a big aerospace company would, but not structural design firms.
Aerospace structural engineers are all MEs, no civil engineers in sight.
But I really don’t understand OPs question, or is this the Napa Valley person wanting to build wine caves (sounds good to me, where do I sign up ?).
@umcoe16 - don’t make generic statements about what you need to get in specific graduate engineering programs … some majors do allow say math or physics majors to enroll … some schools are more open-minded … but many programs will have a list of prerequisites.
I just looked yesterday at JHUs requirements, their day program is very stringent, part-time not quite as much, but EE is EE required to enter.
More importantly, I dare you to take any real graduate course that you are not qualified to take, other than a few soft classes. One look at the partial differential equations on the board … you are out of there.
As an experiment, peer into a senior class in your major at UMich and see if you can follow anything they are talking about …
I do know people who were turned away from grad schools … they had most of the classwork, but not the right diploma … and no, you can’t just take 5 classes and then enter the program.