Difference between BEng and B.S. degree 2

[Dawn Brady]

Hello all!
I am working my way toward a degree in environmental science. I want to switch to an engineering degree. I have an Associates in Env Engineering Technology. My current school offers a BS in Civil Engineering Technology and, in the spring of next year, will offer a BS in Env Engineering Technology. I was wondering what the differences are between the BS degree in Engineering and Engineering Technology, and whether a B.Eng. degree is different than the BScience degree in Engineering as far as scope of career work, pay scale, ability to get a job, etc.

Thanks! And happy Earth Day!

 

[GregLocock]

Make sure whatever degree you do is to ABET standards. Otherwise it just sounds like an engineering degree. Given your area of interests you need to be aiming at satisfying the requirements for PE.

Happy Pluto Day.

Cheers

Greg Locock


New here? Try reading these, they might help FAQ731-376

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[Ron]

Greg is exactly right!

 

[tygerdawg]

My experience is with Mechanical, not Civil, but I assume there are parallels.

Three levels:
Engineering (highly mathematical-calculus & higher, rigorous, highly analytical, minimum hands-on component, 4-yr BS Engineering with Civil Emphasis or BSCE).
Technology (mathematical-algebra/trig/"survey of calculus", moderately analytical, more hands-on component, 4-yr BSCET, with years of experience can achieve work levels of engineering).
Technician (alg/trig & no calculus, analytically fundamental, predominantly hands-on, 2-yr ASCET or equivalent).

Accreditations:
4-yr BS Engineering: ABET is most predominant (if not the only one for Engineering)
4-yr BS CET: ABET-TAC or ATMAE
2-yr AS CET: unknown

"Accreditation" is something like "confirmation of minimum quality." Not accredited? Ask institution if they are working on it, plans for achievement. Accreditation indicates the institution has analyzed their course offerings to meet certain specified outcomes set forth by the accrediting body, documented the educational process, set up regular review & assessments to achieve some amount of continuous improvement.

Get the degree program year-by-year academic description for each to see the difference. Get the course descriptions from the catalog to see the content. Speak to Department Head or Program Coordinator to get deeper information.


TygerDawg
Blue Technik LLC
Virtuoso Robotics Engineering

http://www.bluetechnik.com

 

[CWB1]

IME the main difference between BS_E and BS_ET is perception, and its much the same as perceived differences between colleges. Some managers will discriminate against BS_ETs much the same as others will against grads of schools other than their alma mater. My undergrad is BSMET and in the years before grad school I encountered very little of this discrimination, most of which came from dummy recruiters rather than engineers. Experiences vary, but I have personally found engineering managers mainly interested in experience and ability, and rather uninterested in your degree or school which likely explains why many "engineers" have degrees in physics, math, or unrelated engineering disciplines (plenty of "Computer-Es" in the ME world). I have also always had a large amount of interested recruiters/managers trying to hire me (often away from current employers), have remained in the top 10% per ASME and SAE salary surveys since graduation, and had some rather exclusive opportunities. While I concur with the warnings above about ensuring you attend an ABET accredited school I would not sweat E vs ET. Instead I would focus on gaining as much practical experience through internships/work as possible and also as much practical skill with software/other tools as possible.

 

[Terratek]

When exploring what to study in college, I found that engineering technology degrees were short of an engineering degree and not ABET accredited. This may be just specific to my state/area. It's been about 15 years since I looked at bachelor degree plans So, take that for what its worth.

 

[GregLocock]

Exactly. Once you have your PE or a few years under your belt in exempt indutries no one will care whether you have a BSc or a BEng or a BET or a BA. But up until that point it WILL affect your career choices. Since the OP is interested in Civil and/or Enviro, a PE is a big deal and so ABET is a big deal.

Cheers

Greg Locock


New here? Try reading these, they might help FAQ731-376

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[wannabeSE]

State licensing boards may treat ABET accredited engineering degrees and ABET TAC engineering technology degrees differently.

 

[jari001]

As people have been saying, make sure your program is ABET accredited. My personal opinion is that the risk of being rejected because other candidates had the "better degree" is very real because internships and entry level jobs are very competitive. Don't risk making your entry into the working world artificially harder (which isn't even your mistake, but others misjudging your worth). So, if you have no previous scientific/engineering experience and you are about to switch, switch into the program that will confer the B.Eng. degree.

 

[spciesla]

Although "...engineering managers mainly interested in experience and ability, and rather uninterested in your degree or school..."

getting through HR to the engineer managers can be a major hurdle. Especially if the job requirements specify an Engineering degree versus an Engineering Technology degree.

It might not be right or fair, but that's the way it is.

 

[Ron]

Right again, Greg!

 

[Tunalover]

CWB1:
I've worked at many places where BSMETs and BSEETs were qualified only for technician, MCAD, and ECAD positions unless they had clearly shown ten years of prior success in engineering roles. These employers knew there was clearly a difference between the tech degrees (e.g. BSMET) and the non-tech degrees (e.g. BSME) in that the subject matter in the non-tech degrees is much more rigorous, scientific, and theoretical. Hence the non-tech people earned tougher degrees. I tend to agree with their assessment since it takes on average more than four years for most non-techs to get their degrees.



Tunalover

 

[CWB1]

tunalover,

My sympathies, sounds like the sort of places I advise younger folks against applying due to a restrictive culture limiting growth opportunities. JMO but arguing _E vs _ET is much the same as engineering vs math/physics/other relevant degree, one university vs another, bachelor's vs master's, or PE vs non. They're all absurdly narrow-minded because successfully competing against others means hiring the best based upon knowledge and ability rather than an easily obtained arbitrary degree that might account for 30% of the knowledge necessary to succeed. Thankfully most companies developing new technology recognize that non-traditional engineers often contribute more and also tend to frown on folks whose main claim to competence is their degree, which is why internships and co-ops during school are vitally important.

As for relative difficulty, as driven by ABET a BSMET is simply a BSME with additional lower level tech courses. Usually it involves less gen-ed fluff and 1-2 fewer 400-level engineering electives in favor of more practical CAD, trade-skills, and manufacturing courses. JMO but sitting through more history or language is far easier. Be careful when reviewing statistics comparing the two as IME its often not apples-apples, going back in my mid-20s I was one of the younger BSMET students whereas I would've been one of the oldest had I gone BSME.

 

[Tunalover]

CWB1,

They're all absurdly narrow-minded because successfully competing against others means hiring the best based upon knowledge and ability rather than an easily obtained arbitrary degree...

You must be of the "T" variety. When a new grad steps out into the working world he is supposed to be equipped with the KNOWLEDGE needed to succeed in his career. The knowledge given a "T" is much different that the knowledge given the "no T". The "no T" is trained more on science than on technology. If I were a hiring manager and had to choose between two new grads both from the same school, one, say, a BSMET with a 3.65 GPA and the other a BSME with a 3.65 GPA I would not hesitate to choose the latter simply because the levels-of-difficulty of the subject matter in the two programs are not equal. The BSME would have had to work harder and/or be smarter in order to get the same GPA.

Now regarding your quote, I trailed it off after you said "...and ability rather than an easily obtained arbitrary degree...". Speaking only for myself, I was a 100% financially self-sufficient BSME student who worked 20-30 hrs per week while carrying a full-time course load. This was a very stressful experience. Had I not had to work, the experience would still have been arduous and in any event would have been a far cry from an "easily obtained" degree.

Now if these same two students worked ten years in a design role and the BSMET was rated better than the BSME then I would probably hire the BSMET but would first dig to see how much he had to rely on his BSME peers for analytical help along the way. I know an Engineering Director with a BSMET as his highest degree so obviously his degree didn't hold him back. I also had a boss with a BSMET who was the best boss of my career, was highly inventive, analytically capable, and could design circles around most guys!


Tunalover
Electro-Mechanical Product Development
UMD 1984
UCF 1993

 

[CWB1]

You must be of the "T" variety. When a new grad steps out into the working world he is supposed to be equipped with the KNOWLEDGE needed to succeed in his career. The knowledge given a "T" is much different that the knowledge given the "no T".

Yes, my undergrad is a BSMET and your claims appear to be common myths which would correctly be associated with 2-year ASET grads, not BSMET or other grads. Like BSME, BSMET math requirements start at Calc-1 and run thru either differential equations or linear algebra depending on the school. In the mechanical sciences both programs start at statics and run the usual gamut of strengths, kinematics, dynamics etc thru vibration and machine design. In the thermal sciences both programs start at thermo-1 and run thru various fluids, heat transfer, hydraulics, etc. Both have the same common electives like FEA and CFD with niches depending on the local industry and school, automotive engineering being popular here at schools around Michigan. You're suggesting there's a major difference in education yet classes are commonly taught by the same professor in the same session using the same texts with a mix of majors and many BSMET students graduate and immediately begin MSME programs alongside BSME grads, and after the same 4-5 years many become PEs.

Regarding hiring, most BSMET grads I've met that stay in engineering have gone directly into design engineering roles with little difficulty. BSME grads OTOH often struggle in design and either start or quickly end up in a variety of other roles - customer service, project or process management, sales, etc. Not to belittle in any way, but most BSME grads have had little exposure to design in college outside of an intro to solid modeling and the usual FEA elective, even intro to machine ops has become a less common elective or not offered at many colleges. Most cant read GD&T, have no experience with common solid modeling practices/structuring, and know little/nothing about common manufacturing operations. BSMETs IMHO are better prepared, I had multiple classes on each of two solid modelers, FEA, CFD, GD&T/advanced drafting, statistical process control, design of experiments, two manual machining courses, a separate cnc course, five welding courses (and certification), and several other industrial engineering/industrial management courses. Unlike our oounterparts, BSMETs graduate with much of the practical experience BSMEs get during their first few years in industry.

Apologies if my comment regarding degree difficulty offends, but compared to the military prior and my engineering career since, college was simple including grad school. I understand there are engineers who go their entire career without applying calculus or solving a differential equation and will likely disagree on relative difficulty, but no part of my education is near my top accomplishments bc I have never accepted an easy position (challenging ones pay much better IME). While interviewing for my first position in recip engine research for an OEM I was cautioned that I would learn more in my first year of engineering than I would in four years of college, and its something I have heard repeated to engineering grads at several companies since. JME but most successful engineers prove it true.