Doing undergrad science and after..

[Guest archchivalry]

Hello.

 

I just have a quick question how

university works.

 

If I get Bachelor of science degree, is it

possible to get master's or Ph.D in engineering

and become an engineer?

I was just thinking about back up plan

 

Thanks:)

[Guest moo]

Not likely. However, if you have a chemistry degree you could get a PhD in physics, or biochem, or bio. If you have a physics degree you could do a PhD in math. As long as the fields are kind of related, you can do a PhD in that field. However, with a Bachelors you can go into many professional prgrams like MBA, law, medicine, dentistry, optometry, chiropractic, nursing, the opportunities are endless.

[Guest marbledust]

You would need to start with an undergrad degree in engineering to become a qualified engineer. Engineers, like many other professions have a professional designation with standards that require, among other things, an undergrad degree in engineering.

 

However, to work with an engineering firm you don't necessarily need an engineering degree. My sister-in-law has an MSc in chemistry and works for a petroleum engineering firm - not as an engineer but as a scientist (I don't really know what she does to be honest).

[Guest michca]

I think it may be possible to obtain a grad degree in engineering after a science degree for certain forms of engineering (I'm not sure about becoming a qualified engineer though). For example, I am aware of at least one instance where someone with a B.Sc (in Physics) went on to do a Master's in Engineering. It may not be done very often, but I believe it's possible! Hope that helps:)

[Guest ploughboy]

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Wow, lotsa questions about engineering lately!

 

Short answer: anything's possible, but make sure you're doing it for the right reasons.

 

Long answer:

 

Most engineering grad students hold undergraduate engineering degrees. However, there is some wiggle room for applicants from other fields. For example, my old department's graduate handbook says: "An applicant for the MASc program must hold...an [undergraduate] degree in engineering, applied science or mathematics from a university of recognized standing...Students with a deficient undergraduate background, but suitable academic standing to pursue graduate studies, may be required to take a number of courses." So if a specific prof really wants you as his/her student, it can happen.

 

So *if* you get good undergrad marks, and *if* there's an engineering professor whose work really interests you, and *if* said professor is willing to take you on as a student, then you might be able to register in a graduate programme in engineering. Depending on your undergrad degree you might have to do extra work to bring you up to speed. To be blunt, it's possible but non-trivial.

 

This brings me to my next point: graduate school is quite different than undergrad. You will take some courses, but most of your time will be spent working under a prof in order to produce a thesis or a significant project. This could take between two years (for a master's) up to nearly forever for a Ph.D. or D.Eng. If you don't like your prof/project/whatever then those years are going to be hellish. So do it 'cuz you love the field, not just so you can say you're an engineer.

 

If you're solely worried about employability I'd advise against this route. Instead, spend those years looking for work, working, upgrading specific skills etc. The majority of technical jobs out there can be filled by engineering grads, science grads, math grads... Eng'g grads might have an advantage right out of school, but after you've been in the work force for a while your undergraduate degree is usually less important than your work experience. The only hard exception is when a job specifically requires a Licenced Professional Engineer, stamping drawings and whatnot. To become a Professional Engineer ("P.Eng") you need an engineering degree from an accredited university, several years of engineering work experience, and need to pass the Professional Practice Exam before you can legally call yourself an engineer. I'm not sure if the degree has to be an undergrad degree, or if a grad degree suffices.

 

If you're *really* concerned about being employable, learn a trade. I'm actually quite serious when I say that. A good machinist[1], for example, is worth his weight in gold. On the other hand, doing a grad degree to delay entry into the "real world" is a time-honoured tradition that cuts across all academic disciplines. ;-)

 

Final point: as alluded to above, even if you hold an engineering degree you're not, in the most sphincter-clenchingly legalistic sense of the word, an "engineer". The various provincial engineering associations are really picky about who can legally claim to be an engineer. This includes occassionally going after non-P.Eng's who use the term "engineer" as part of their job title (e.g. MCSE's).

 

So ferinstance, although I hold a BASc in Electrical Engineering, underwent the Ritual of the Calling of an Engineer and proudly wear my iron ring, I can't open "Ploughboy's Engineering Consulting and Live Bait" any time soon. (I never sat for the PPE, 'cuz I didn't need a P.Eng in my previous career.) However, like anybody with an eng'g degree, I informally refer to myself as an engineer all the time.

 

Good luck with your choices!

 

 

pb

 

 

[1] i.e. one who still has all his fingers

 

 

 

 

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