Masters Degree ME vs EE Advice 1

[rpho]

Hi all,

I got a ME undergrad degree and have been working on a small team as a mechanical engineer for 2.5 years. I have been saving for and wanting a masters for over a year but have been waiting for the "perfect time" to ideally go in person. After some thought over the last few weeks I want to start online next fall for financial reasons and geographic flexibility. For reasons beyond this post I'm going to pay for it myself, so I'll have full freedom with my degree/courses. I'm looking at Purdue online school which has high ratings, low cost, and a good variety of fully online classes.

It seems natural to get a mechanical masters since I enjoy doing mechanical/machine design, drawings, calculations and FEA but I'm afraid I might end up in the details more than the design/application side that I enjoy (especially being online and missing potential hands on projects). Partially because of this and mostly because I enjoy having a wide toolbox of skills, I am thinking of applying for an Electrical Engineering Power & Energy Systems path. In undergrad I got an area of special interest in energy engineering and while I struggled with the high level classes, I think I can use these foundations to catch up and be successful with the masters.

I'm not sure what I want to do after I get a masters. Right now at the small company I get to do some very simple electrical work as it relates to hydraulic systems or machine refurbishment but all large scale power systems are left to the one electrical engineer at our company. I enjoy doing some electrical work but I really like being the go to on mechanical design and machine refurbishment. I'm afraid if I get the EE masters I would either be a) pushed to be an electrical and not do much mechanical design, b) stick with mechanical design at my current company and not be a credible EE if I switch careers, or c) get to do some of both in my current job but have future employment leads harmed due to a jack of two trades master of none situation if I was half and half for X years before.

Do you think that getting a masters in a different study than my undergrad simply for interest is justifiable? Or to be successful should I have a clear long term plan that utilizes the degree?

If you were hiring a ME or EE and they had an undergrad/masters of the opposite study would you be skeptical of hiring?

Is it possible to be an "effective" jack of two trades or am I in daydream land here?

Any advice/opinions/personal experiences are welcome. Thanks.

 

[SWComposites]

Do you think that getting a masters in a different study than my undergrad simply for interest is justifiable? > yes, if you plan to work (more or less) in the masters field
Or to be successful should I have a clear long term plan that utilizes the degree? > YES, absolutely yes.
If you were hiring a ME or EE and they had an undergrad/masters of the opposite study would you be skeptical of hiring? > It would depend more on their work experience related to the job opening. Degrees are most helpful for entry level jobs, much less once you have 5-10 years experience.
Is it possible to be an "effective" jack of two trades or am I in daydream land here? > In completely unrelated fields, IMO would be hard to do and you would likely harm your career path. HOWEVER, if you can work into a field that uses both mechanical design and electrical systems (robotics is one that comes to mind) then having degrees in both fields could be very helpful.

 

[MintJulep]

Why not the "interdisciplinary masters" track that's available at Purdue online?

Tailor it to whatever interests you the most.

https://engineering.purdue.edu/online/news/why-interdisciplinary-engineering

 

[rpho]

SWComposites, thank you for the post. I'll work on a longer term plan before I decide to apply.

MintJulep, this is an interesting concept that I wasn't even aware of. I like the idea and think it would be up my alley but it looks like tuition is 175% the cost of either the ME or EE masters for some reason.

If I picked ME/EE I could use my 9 credits of "technical electives" to take classes of the one I'm not studying and probably get a similar class selection to the interdisciplinary. Do you think interdisciplinary stands out on a resume for any positive or negative reasons that I should consider?

 

[MintJulep]

"Mechatronics" is the fancy newish word for degrees that blend traditional mechanical and electrical engineering.

A Google search for "online masters in mechatronics" turns up a lot of "schools" that I've never heard of, but a more careful search might find something offered by an actual university.

 

[rpho]

Thanks for the reply, Mint. A mechatronics degree does seem good for me (and also lines up with SW's advice for robotics). I'll do some research for reputable programs.

Maybe schools are limited on first glance since mechatronics has a strong hands/physical focus. This would be good for me area of study wise but bad for my online prospects.

 

[SWComposites]

To me getting a Masters degree should support the career path you wish to take. If it is "interdisciplinary" that is perfectly fine if you are aiming at jobs that need aspects of both disciplines. But if you get some sort of "interdisciplinary" MS and then apply to purely ME or EE jobs you might get "marked down" for not focusing on the skills you need.

Using elective classes to get a broader education is a good approach in general; just don't be all over the place with course types.

And it doesn't matter that much what the "name" is on the degree, it is how you sell your education and experience to an employer.

 

[BrentG]

Mech and Elec also combine well in the building industry - it is common in my area for small consulting firms to offer both Mech & Elec.

One of my former colleagues did something somewhat similar to what you are describing: he had a Mech Tech diploma and worked in industry as both a Mech and Elec technologist for several years. His boss (an engineer) suggested he get an engineering degree. He could have chosen either, he picked Elec. While he worked with me he did HVAC design and electrical system design. Architects enjoyed that he considered both light placement and duct locations on reflected ceiling plans.

 

[CWB1]

Hiring is based on which candidate has the most relevant knowledge and skill for the position. You degree, regardless of BS, MS, or Phd may provide you some basic knowledge and skill with software/analysis tools but is no replacement for outside professional experience. Even for entry-level positions your previous internships, employment, certs, etc are often the deciding factor in hiring, not the degree itself. IOW, pursue what interests you bc generally speaking your degree has little impact on your career beyond being a basic qualification for employment, and a MS generally isnt favored over a BS.

 

[IRstuff]

If you were hiring a ME or EE and they had an undergrad/masters of the opposite study would you be skeptical of hiring?

> yes, as there might be some concern, particularly if the applicant had little or no job experience, whether the applicant might have career ADHD
> yes, particularly if the applicant is overqualified for the job description, since they might be more prone to expect to do something related to their degree ALL THE TIME. We rarely have full-time SMEs for niche, or narrowly defined, subdisciplines and would often prefer someone who's more broadly experienced and able to wear many hats.

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