<p>I am currently a teacher and I hold a B.S. and a M.S. in Mathematics. I am looking into becoming an engineer so I am seeking advices here.</p>
<p>I live in Charleston SC where access to prestigious college programs is limited (in fact, non-existed) but I also have a child and family (plus a house) here, so I have only a few options in obtaining an engineering degree and still be able to provide income for my family. From my research I found that Chemical engineering offers the best pay and opportunities (which are lacking in teaching) so that is top of my list; but there aren't any such programs near me, so:</p>
<ol>
<li><p>I can enroll in a local college called The Citadel for a B.S. in electrical engineering. It will be cheaper in tuition but I'll have to drastically cut down my work hours (may be even working as an adjunct instead of being a full time). They don't have any chemical engineering program and the Citadel is not among the top schools.</p></li>
<li><p>I can enroll in the online B.S. program in Chemical engineering offer by the University of North Dakota. Cost more, I don't know much about the school, but it is chem eng and I get to keep my job here.</p></li>
<li><p>I can quit my job and drive long distance to University of SC.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>What do you guys think? Are there any other online options?</p>
<p>Chemical engineering is not necessarily the most lucrative or the most versatile branch of engineering. If you truly wanted the most lucrative, petroleum engineering would be the way to go, though it is about the least versatile and carries certain time and geographic constraints. On the other hand, if you want the most versatile, you are probably better off doing mechanical or electrical engineering. Really, though, why not pick one that covers the subject area most interesting to you and in which there are jobs in the Charleston area (since it sounds like you would like to avoid moving)?</p>
<p>Also, have you considered doing an MS instead of a BS? Your back ground is already a STEM field, so it should be possible. It should be especially doable if you pick one of the fields that leans heavily on your mathematics background. Further, the availability of online MS programs greatly outpaces that of online BS programs, so your options should be more wide open in terms of which school to attend and which field to enter.</p>
<p>I would go for an MS also, as boneh3ad stated. If you went into an Electrical Engineering field like signal processing you shouldn’t have too too hard of a time transitioning. Heck, I actually met a guy doing a signals job here with no Engineering background (he had a BS in Physics and a MS in Applied Math). </p>
<p>I am curious; what’s the appeal or attraction of UND? Some special long distance learning program?</p>
<p>An additional advantage of remaining in the Charleston SC region is the possibility of employment at the Boeing Company. Boeing has significantly expanded its operations in South Carolina and will only continue to do so in the future. Obviously, Boeing hires a boat load of Mechanical Engineers.</p>
<p>Well, my wife has a MS in Industrial Engineering from Purdue University and she told me that her chemical engineer friends usually command a higher salary. I honesty just want to make myself more marketable, make more money, and seek more room for promotions… Teaching won’t do that for me. So I don’t care if it is EE, ME, or CE, anything that can offer me a more secured career. I am going to be 31 years old by the end of the year and I honesty don’t want to waste anymore of my time in teaching. (We have no cost of living increase, no step increase, and we start at 35k for Master’s degree holders…)</p>
<p>I am thinking about MS in EE as well, what are some good programs to go to? I was looking into UNC-Chapel Hill and NC State. Will employers care whether or not I complete my degree online?</p>
<p>I don’t really have any special attraction to UND, haha, it is simply the only university I have found that has an online chemical/petroleum program.</p>
<p>I don’t mind packing up and move to where the high paying jobs are at; it is just difficult to pack up and move to attend school when I am not going to make any money.</p>
<p>Thank you, guys, y’all have been great help! I am a US Army veteran and know that every words you posted here are really making my day better! Happy Veteran’s Day!</p>
<p>Thank you for your service! I would think an online degree would look bad (especially without an undergrad in engineering). However, others on here could probably give a better answer then what I’m giving. As far as work goes, you shouldn’t have a problem finding an engineering job near (or in) SC.</p>
<p>Someone mis-posted advice to look at a technical school in South Dakota that has a compressed 1 year MS and is affordable on another thread. It would require a solid 9 month commitment on-site, but then you would be done. The ‘wrong’ thread was one about “stopping at a BS or going on for an MS or PhD in engineering?” or something like that if you want to glean that particular advice.</p>
<p>If temporarily relocating your family is on the table, look into the accelerated Mechanical Engineering M.S. at South Dakota School of Mines & Technology, a STEM university that has a very good reputation among major companies like Boeing, UTC, Cargill, NASA, Dow, General Mills etc. Mines is also rated as a very “Veteran Friendly” university with academic flexibility and support services suited to veterans. The master’s program includes both the Thesis and Non-thesis options at SDSM&T. This is not a combined BS/MS program. Note that the relatively low tuition at SDSM&T is very attractive. </p>
<p>An online MS degree is not a problem if it is the same degree as live students get. The advantage is that you don’t have to quit your current job to do it and you don’t have to relocate. Getting an MS would get you to your goal more quickly than going for a BS first and unless you are planning on being a Civil Engineer, having an ABET accredited degree is likely not that important.</p>
<p>Industrial Engineering graduate degree (MS), especially with your Math background, would be another option and far more applicable to a wide variety of industries… EE without a background in EE or Engineering is quite tough, as you may skip the math etc classes but not much else including lab. I would stay clear of online programs in general if you can help it. A hybrid maybe, but not fully online. </p>