college major?

[curtis rosche]

so im looking through different colleges, and im not sure what to pick as a major. i want to do engineering, but i havent be able to find specifically what i want.
i guess that it has to be under some other name. im looking for the type of engineer or designer that is given a problem to solve, for example, Delta would come to them and say "heres our new unisaw, we need to put a riving knife that looks like this, onto this machine right here, make it work"
im not lookin to build bridges or houses or anything like that.
i have done a couple different searches, but different colleges explain their majors differently, so look like they might be that type, and others dont.
any one have and idea for what i should be lookin at to do what i explained?

[Tony De Masi]

Maybe you could explain that to your guidance counselor? If they still have those in scholls now a days. I would imagine he/she could certainly help you there.

Good luck Curtis.

Tony

[curtis rosche]

yeah they still have those. she wasnt sure either.
i figured that with all of the people on this site that there would be someone who does this type of thing, and then i could do a search based on what their offical job title is.

[Dan Friedrichs]

Hi Curtis,

I'm an electrical engineer, and just finished undergrad, so maybe I can give you some help.

First, there are really only a 3 *major* branches of engineering: electrical, civil, and mechanical. There are other smaller branches, like biomedical, industrial, and chemical, but these aren't as popular as the big 3. There are also more hands-on types of programs like "Construction management", "Electrical engineering technology", and the like - these are NOT generally considered to be in the same category as more traditional engineering majors.

One distinction that many HS students sometimes fail to make is that engineering is not usually a "hands on" job. Engineers use math and science to solve problems. There are also programs of study that will train you to be a technician, where you apply the solution designed by the engineer. As an example, an engineer designs the attachment mechanism for a riving knife, and the technician figures out how to manufacture it. Both positions are important, but you need to make sure you choose which job is right for you.

The only other notable thing to mention is that engineering is a wide field, and no particular college program can adequately prepare you to do one particular job. The point of engineering school is to learn to use the tools at your disposal (math and science) in order to be able to solve a wide range of problems. In your case, if you say "no bridges" and aren't into electronics, you'll probably want to major in mechanical engineering. With that degree, you'll be qualified to be an entry-level engineer on projects ranging all the way from steam turbines to building new consumer products.

When I was in HS, I was hesitant about engineering because I don't like math that much. Turns out it's not really that bad, and very little is done by hand. Learning calculus may not seem fun now, but the point of learning it is just so you know what magic is going on behind the screen of your calculator.

I don't know if you've selected a university, yet, but when you do, a quick check of the quality of the engineering program is if it is "ABET" accredited. ABET is essentially the only organization that certifies engineering programs. A program that has been accredited for many years without any lapses is high-quality.

[Jim O'Dell]

I would think that would be Mechanical Engineering, as opposed to Electrical, Structural, Bio, Chemical, etc. Good luck. College is only the tip of the iceburg in the learning process! Jim.

[Joe Mioux]

if i remember correctly most first and even second year engineering students pretty much take all the basics.

three or four calculus classes, three or so physics, a couple of chemistry, speech comm/writing, and a few other social science/humanities/etc type classes.

so you have some options and are not necessarily locked into a EE or CE or ME etc curriculum.

[Kevin Groenke]

The task you described would probably be done by somebody with a degree in Mechanical Engineering, Industrial Design or Product Design. There is a lot of discipline cross-over in manufacturing and much design is now done by teams of engineers/designers. With global manufacturing, design details are sometimes determined by sub-contractor personnel who may or may not have formal training in engineering or design. Many engineers I know spend as much managing manufacturing in overseas plants as the do with actual design.

You'll have to consider Engineering VS Design.
Engineering will encompass very specific material, mechanical and physical sciences and functions. (math, physics, matl sci intensive) Design will focus more on ergonomics, aesthetics, functionality and problem-solving (coursework in human factors, "design thinking", materials sci, manufacturing processes, representation)

google "design vs engineering" for endless discussions and articles on these professions' fuzzy boundaries.

Check out core77.com for more info on Design.

Good luck,

-kg

[Montgomery Scott]

I graduated with a BS in Mech Engr. I now work as a contract aerospace strutures stress analyst for a local company and am currently contracted out to work at Boeing on the 787 program.

The guys in my company make between $60-$80/hr with 1.5X OT pay. Since we are contract we usually get to work on the new programs unlike a lot of the direct people. The work is usually challenging and schedule driven so it's rather easy to make $180k/yr.

The downside is the cyclical nature of the business. Most contracts last only six months to a year then you move to another part of the country or a different company within the state, but I have known people who've worked as job shoppers for 20+ years at Boeing.

[Cliff Rohrabacher]

I was hiring masters level Engineers in the mid 1990's and I could get 'em for $23-Gees a year~!! In New Jersey~!! The cost of living here is among the highest in the nation.

It was so bad then that I had grown men in my office weeping with desperation to get a job. These were guys with kids in college and elders in homes dependent on them and the world had no use for them any more. Great people, lots of experience, good education, and they were utterly unemployable. All the work had gone to India.

At the same time I'd have young women fresh out of college in my office looking for work and they were getting offers. They were being offered substantially more $$ than men twice their age with lots of experience.
The world was in a wild tumble. Political Correctness was ruling the day and jobs were in mad flight offshore.

That's when I decided I had had enough of wage slavery. No more would I ever allow myself to be at the mercy of the whims of other people.

Find something you can do that does not involve you applying for a job.

If you can't do that, get your CPA.

[Jim Becker]

That sounds like mechanical engineering to me. I hope you'll consider my alma mater, which has a great engineering school. And it's right smack in the dead center of Pennsyltucky in a nice town called State College. You'd look good in blue and white... Or maybe the engineering school at Drexel where Professor Dr SWMBO is on the faculty, albeit in a far different field.

[Keith Gwin]

I am a civil engineer and like someone posted before there are so many sub disciplines you can go into. It sounds like you would probably like the mechanical end more than most of the others. One thing to consider is that if you do not like sitting at a computer drawing it may not be for you. It wouldn't be a bad idea to find some local engineering firms and visit them to see what their engineers do day in and day out.

[Chris Kennedy]

Curtis,

I'm a math prof, but I'm going to let the advisor in me come out.

For your school applications, mechanical engineering seems the most applicable option, and it seems the best fit for you at this moment. For the purposes of admission for most schools, the specific type of engineering isn't of tremendous importance, but engineering vs non-engineering is VERY important (lots of wanna-be's come in as non-engineers hoping to transfer).

Also, as Joe Mioux pointed out, your first year or two is completely determined no matter what engineering you do. They put you into a general core of courses that will serve you well no matter your choice. The upshot -- don't fret exactly what type of engineering. One of the great things about college is that you see things that you have never thought of. The specialties, the intricacies, and discovering what exactly you just find fascinating -- that's the fun part.

If I can help with any questions, feel free to send me a PM.

Cheers,

Chris




For the purposes of applications and starting your college career, put

[Rick Moyer]

Even though I may not be quite qualified to answer this, I'll echo what Chris says above, especially about all the other benefits of college beyond the textbook experience. You see, I decided that I wanted to attend college and maybe become an engineer, but I never became one as I quit after a year and a half, for a variety of reasons. I feel however, that the experiences I gained in that 1 1/2 years were very valuable, albeit w/o the better job income. So I will say that whatever you decide, please try to finish your education whatever path you choose.
Also, while I am a PSU fan, I would point out that Lehigh and Bucknell (my almost alma mater) both have excellent engineering programs as well. Good luck!

[Scott T Smith]

Curtis, look into a Mechanical Engineering Technology degree plan. MET programs forcus more on the application side of engineering, as opposed to an emphasis on the theoretical side.

I've had some that worked for me and I was very pleased with their skills, abilities and knowledge.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mechani...ing_technology

[Wes Bischel]

Curtis,
Kevin posted some insightful info. The problem statement you posted could have been handed to Engineering or Design. The new Unisaw was developed by a team of Mechanical Engineers and Industrial Designers. And I can say I've done my fair share of "engineering" (note the small "e") as a Industrial Designer.

Your Guidance Counselor may not know about ID, which would not be unusual. Just for info, there are two schools in Philly that have programs:
http://www.philau.edu/designandmedia...nd_design.html
http://www.uarts.edu/academics/cad/id/bsid.html
To add to Core-77,
http://www.idsa.org/webmodules/artic...d_brochure.pdf
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Industrial_design

Mechanical Engineering may be closer to what you are looking for, but I thought I would add a bit of info on ID.

Wes