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Which one? Mechanical and Aerospace areas

Posted: 06 Oct 2009, 00:09
by PlatinumZealot
lets say you already have a BSc in Mechancial, as a graduate degree which area(s) gives more opportunities? Which one would you enjoy more? Which one is just more practical?

Aerospace

* Aerodynamics/Fluid Dynamics
* Aerospace Control
* Aerospace Design
* Aerospace Structures
* Computational Fluid Dynamics
* Hypersonics/Kinetics of Gases and Plasmas
* Propulsion
* Space Science

Mechancial

FLUID AND THERMAL SCIENCES
Combustion
Fluid Dynamics
Heat Transfer

ENGINEERING DESIGN

MECHANICS AND MATERIALS

Re: Which one? Mechanical and Aerospace areas

Posted: 06 Oct 2009, 01:17
by Scotracer
Mechanical offers a more varied career spectrum. You say a BSc...why just a BSc? Perhaps it's different in your specific country but a BSc is less than a BEng or BEng with Honours in the UK...

Anyway, that's probably irrelevant. I have a BEng (Hons) in Mechanical and specialised in Thermodynamics and Fluid Mechanics in my final year. I love Fluid Dynamics (primarily external flow aka aerodynamics) and would be tempted by both, personally. I (this me we're talking about) would like a Masters in Aerospace Engineering, despite Mechanical offering a more varied career path. That doesn't mean to say that if you do Aerospace you're stuck - of course not, but you can get into Oil & Gas and more automotive sectors with Mechanical.

To be perfectly honest, 'Mechanical' is such a broad subject you can make it into whatever you want it to be. If you want to do Aerodynamics for a Mechanical Masters, it's possible.

Re: Which one? Mechanical and Aerospace areas

Posted: 06 Oct 2009, 01:25
by Jersey Tom
Of all the engineers I know and work with.. not one has a BEng. Never even heard of it until now. Maybe that's just the US...

In any event, both (Aero and Mech) are plenty practical. Go with what interests you.

Re: Which one? Mechanical and Aerospace areas

Posted: 06 Oct 2009, 01:29
by Scotracer
Jersey Tom wrote:Of all the engineers I know and work with.. not one has a BEng. Never even heard of it until now. Maybe that's just the US...

In any event, both (Aero and Mech) are plenty practical. Go with what interests you.
BEng is just a Bachelor of Engineering. Where I went to uni it went 3 years = BSc, 3.5 years (not all of the modules taken) = BEng, 4 years = BEng (Hons).

Maybe just a UK thing.

Re: Which one? Mechanical and Aerospace areas

Posted: 06 Oct 2009, 01:37
by Jersey Tom
In the US, B.S. MechEng is 4 years.. at my university that constituted a minimum of 128 credit hours (16 per semester).

...plus 70 hours a week on the FSAE car.

Re: Which one? Mechanical and Aerospace areas

Posted: 06 Oct 2009, 02:01
by Scotracer
You're lucky to have even had the opportunity to do FSAE. In my final year my university had just got the go-ahead for Formula Student (UK version). So it was me and another final-year student that did our dissertations on the subject to create a base platform for development. Hopefully I can go back in a year or two and see the final product and see if our input actually made a difference.

Anyway, yes, aerospace or mech :arrow:

Re: Which one? Mechanical and Aerospace areas

Posted: 06 Oct 2009, 02:32
by jddh1
Do mechanical. Has more range and reach in the job market.

Besides, early on it's not a big deal because if you're clever enough, in the first semester, you can take classes that are listed on both areas. That should give you time to feel both and make a decision. But definitely talk to professors to see who has money to sponsor you. That will play a big role as well, I would think.

Re: Which one? Mechanical and Aerospace areas

Posted: 06 Oct 2009, 06:38
by PlatinumZealot
Thanks for the input..

Scot Racer, My BSc(Eng) was a 4 year degree crammed into 3 years :wink: Six or seven course a term.. some student's complain about the work load so the university is considering putting it to 4 years. But I liked that it was 3 years; In and out fast! All I know is that my school's (U.W.I) Bsc's in Engineering are accredited by their respective British Professional institutions.

I could go an do my Master's in the UK.. but the UK doesn't like foreign students that much... $$$$... or scholarship..then GET OUTA the country! back where you came from! :lol: so I am aiming to go to the US.

Re: Which one? Mechanical and Aerospace areas

Posted: 06 Oct 2009, 17:57
by pjobmathew
Where are you from ? i could tell you about some scholarships i know of (for UK )

Re: Which one? Mechanical and Aerospace areas

Posted: 09 Oct 2009, 01:46
by PlatinumZealot
Jamaica.