<p>Just some random thoughts/questions:
1. Can people in say civil engr go on to pursue a masters in aerospace
and or vice versa.
2. How about someone with a bachelors in mech engr getting a job as a
electrical engr.
3. What is the process to be done to obtain a co-op.
4. Is it common for engineers to move nationwide to get jobs once<br>
graduating.
5. Would it be more worth it to go to a top ten school and pass w/ a lower<br>
gpa as opposed to going to a no name school and pass w/ high gpa.</p>
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<li> rankings dont really determine the hardness of a course of study at a school. dont assume engineering will be easy anywhere, especially if its at least accredited</li>
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<li>maybe even harder at a lower ranked program, especially if said program is very new - trying to build a reputation.</li>
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<li>Yes and no. It depends on your areas of study. During undergrad, you will take a fairly strict sequence of courses. In grad school, you will be more free to pick and choose your courses that relate to your research and career interests. If your graduate degree interests are related to your undergrad degree, then it is very well possible. For instance, if you wanted to get your masters in aerospace engineering specializing in structures and material behavior, then you could probably make the switch fairly easily. You would have taken similar undergrad structures classes in the CE program as you would have in the AE program. However, if you wanted to specialize in flight mechanics or propulsion, then you will most likely have to take those undergraduate courses before you are able to start your graduate studies. If you really think this is something you want to do, you might want to go with a ME degree during undergrad. Both AE and CE are quite specialized to their field during the undergrad courses (compared to ME), so you would have a much harder time trying to switch programs. Also, you will be competing for graduate school spots with people who have the same field undergrad degree as the graduate program they are trying to enter. Therefore, you will have to convince the graduate admissions committee that you are just as capable as the other applicants. (Probably more so, since you will be a bigger risk since you would not have the exact pre-requisities, and your devotion to the field is not well established). </li>
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<p>Some schools have language like "students must show evidence of preparation in their chosen field sufficient to ensure profitable graduate study" while others are a lot more specific "Admission for study towards the [AE] M.S.E. degree requires the equivalent of a [AE] B.S.E. at The University of Michigan." Simply put, it is possible, but could be difficult. </p>
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<li><p>Not very likely. Most companies are very specific about the resumes they take, and if your degree differs from what they ask for, your resume will most likely be skipped. There are plenty of highly qualified EE's out there so that they do not have to go out and find a ME to do the job. The skill set is also very different between EE and ME. On the other hand, EE and ME are both very diverse fields. There might be a few instances where the skill sets overlap and you could be a good candidate with either degree. But those are very rare situations that I can't even think of good examples of at this time.</p></li>
<li><p>Talk to your school's co-op department. If they don't have one, then you will be on your own. If you are on your own, then you will just have to go to company's websites that you are interested in and try to apply for internships/co-ops. You could also attend your school's career fairs and job expos and let companies there know that you are interested in a co-op with them.</p></li>
<li><p>If you are willing to relocate nationwide, then your job opportunities increase exponentially. Certain fields are more likely to have to relocate than others. CEs can get jobs anywhere in the country. AEs might have to move to the big aerospace states like TX or CA. The more open you are to relocating, the better chances of you finding a job. However, there are many personal reasons not to move across the country, so it will be a choice you will have to make. </p></li>
<li><p>Arguments can be made for both sides. Going to a top school certainly makes things easier. Going to a no-name school doesn't close the door, you just have to work a bit harder to make yourself known. I have talked to many big company recruiters, and I have been told of the schools that they consistently recruit at, and the list is inevitably comprised of top 10 schools. You can still get a job or get into grad school coming from a no-name school. However, going to the highest program you can get into shows a lot of initiative and the brand name automatically gives you an advantage to the recruiter or grad school admissions committee (like it or not).</p></li>
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<p>1) Probably, but it's fairly uncommon. I know several people, though, who have gone BS-Civ, MS-structures, PhD-engineering mechanics/aero eng.</p>
<p>2) Less likely... the programs of study for those two more or less diverge after freshman year in undergrad.</p>
<p>4) You definitely <em>can</em>... It's a little easier to find a job near your university, because of local career fairs and such, but if you're going to a reasonably well-known college, you'll be able to find a job pretty much anywhere, provided you're willing to put in the elbow grease and send out resumes/cover letters to the firms in the area you'd like to work.</p>
<p>5) It is definitely easier to get discovered at a top school. Many engineer-hiring companies during the early recession period stopped going to all other schools in IL (except maybe NU) a little but U of I still had good showings. Many national companies come here that wouldn't go anywhere else.</p>