Request For Career Development Advice 4

[baustin1976]

I am new to this forum but I really need some qualified opinions. I have a B.S. in Civil Engineering Technology degree from a TAC/ABET accredited school. I have 5+ years experience. I took adn passed the EIT immediately after graduating, and 4 years later I took and passed teh PE. I had to take the PE, however, in a state other than my home state due to work experience requirements. Regardless, after 2008 I can get licensed in 36 of the 50 states. I am considering a graduate degree, but I am having trouble finding one. A conventional MS in Engineering is going to be tough because most accredited Engineering schools expect me to take many, many hours of undergrad coursework. I don't have the time nor the interest. Does anyone know if the online degrees are of any value? Are they respected throughout the profession? What about a Masters of Technology degree? I am certain that I want to stay on a technical track. I can't return to school for a BSCE, I am stuck with my engineering technology degree. I often detect a stigma towards engineering technology grads, especially since most job posts specify BSCE. Any thoughts? Thanks to all.

 

[GregLocock]

If I were you I'd reread what I just wrote.

It sounds as if you want to get a Masters with the minimum of effort to provide additional academic credibility. Um.

There are places that will do that.



Cheers

Greg Locock

Please see FAQ731-376 for tips on how to make the best use of Eng-Tips.

 

[JAE]

I'm not sure that you'd have to take "many, many" hours. Sit down with some local engineering school profs. and go over what degree requirements you would have to meet. I've known some folks with degrees like yours and yes, there's some extra courses you'd need, but I knew a guy with a Psychology degree that ended up with an MS in structural.

 

[GeoSmith]

baustin1976,

I can't answer your question, since I am even younger than you. But, how can you get license for 36 states in 50. The license is transferrable? Thanks.

 

[jpankask]

You need to seriously look at why you want to earn you Master's degree. If one of the top two reasons is not a desire for personal enrichment and learning, you will have a very tough time completing your degree. A MS takes a lot of determination and work, especially if you are still working while doing the MS. If that deep desire is not there to complete it, there's a good chance you won't.

Unfortunately, many companies do not view the engineering technology degree the same as the engineering degree, but some don't care. As you have also said, many states will not license engineering technology grads, my state being one of them. However, my state of Kansas recently changed their rules to allow non-ABET engineering graduates to seek licensure by completing a MS degree in engineering. The MS must be reviewed by the board and deemed to be equivalent to the preparation obtained by an ABET accredited BS degree. I would expect some of the other states to follow. So your idea of obtaining the MS in engineering might be a good one...but you probably will have to take some deficiency courses.

As for distance learning programs, there are many well respected universities beginning to offer distance learning MS degrees in engineering. Some of the ones I know of are Georgia Tech, Kansas State, Idaho State, Univ. of Missouri. There are probably many others I'm not aware of. I recently completed my MS in ME through distance learning and it was a great experience. My classes were videotaped on campus and sent to me via tape or DVD. I watched the lectures on my time, took the same tests and did the same homework. My degree is no different from the on-campus degrees, except that I chose when I watched the lectures and I was gaining work experience at the same time. You do need to choose an established university and preferably one with an ABET accredited undergraduate program. Stay away from those new programs that offer course credit for "real world experience", etc. Companies know who those degrees come from and you will not be taken seriously when you apply for jobs...or a PE license for that matter. Good luck in your decision.

 

[tygerdawg]

roger that, GregLocock!

baustin, if you're sensing some discrimination because you have a BSCET degree versus a BSCE degree...well, that's because they ARE different. The respective holders SHOULD be treated differently. The coursework is different, and the finished product is different, and the work should be different. This difference usually manifests itself in the depth of thought and tenacity of the individual. In my line of work I would never consider hiring a BSMET to do a BSME's job. ET degrees are useful and were developed because many tasks don't require the skills provided by the full ticket. Unfortunately, too many managers think one is equivalent to the other.

If you want to advance your career through a technical track, then you'd best finish the few hours to complete a BSCE. THAT would give you more credibility in the workplace. You may find that the utility of having a Master's degree is limited because a lot of companies assume you are then over-qualified and too expensive to have on staff.

TygerDawg

 

[RDK]

Here in Canada we do not have the equal of a BSET, what we have are community collages, which are similar to your junior collages and they offer diplomas in engineering technologies.

While we have laws that regulate who gets to call themselves engineers, it is not usually the managers that equate the CET’s with the degreed P.Eng but the CET’s themselves.


A lot of it comes down to the course descriptions. A good friend was taking his diploma in civil engineering technology at the same time that I was working on my undergraduate degree. We were comparing course descriptions and he stated that because ea course description in strength of materials and mechanics of solids was very similar that he had the same knowledge.

We then compared final exams. His consisted of stuff and regurgitate material. All he had to do was follow preset examples and he had the solutions to the questions. His solution method was often to simply look up some value in a book of tables and use it is a supplied formula. He had no idea how the formula was derived or how the numbers in the book of tables was calculated.

My final exam was that we were gives some basic material properties of a human leg bone and some three dimensional equations describing the geometry of the bone.

The question was how high could a person with a given mass jump from before he would break his leg. (This was a second year course, we had two more years of this and he was at the end of his studies.)


See the difference in the two educational streams?

Now you want to have a Master’s Degree with minimal work?

Good luck because you simply do not have the basic educational background to achieve the standard required of the advanced degree. You may be able to achieve it, but you will have to do a lot of work and most likely unlearn some sloppy thinking habits that the lesser credential has instilled in you to begin with.


Rick Kitson MBA P.Eng

Construction Project Management
From conception to completion

http://www.kitsonengineering.com

 

[zdas04]

For my own reasons (which seem pretty stupid 25 years later), I chose to get my BS in Industrial Management which was a program that required students to take the same courses that majors in each field took (Materials with Materials Engineers, Circuts with Electrical Engineers, Economics with Economists, etc.). It was a really good program, but it happened to be hosted by the School of Business. When I graduated I was put into a "Business Analyst" track and was irratated by that for 10 years. Finally I took my transcript to a graduate Engineering school and they accepted the transcript with only two courses that I had to make up. Two years later I had my MSME and was placed on the engineering track.

My point is that you never know how many defencies you'll have until you talk to a specific school. If you have a lot of courses that are required you might look hard at completing a BSCE via distance learning and then go back to the grad school if you still need to.

David

 

[enochdor]

Hi, I am new to this site. I have been searching the web for some answers to my questions for quite some time, but I haven't been successful thus far. I stumbled across this site a few minute ago. I read a few of the member's posts on this site and joined instantly. Hopefully you guys can help me out. I graduated with a BS of ET/Telecom Technology from a TAC/ABET accredited school. I would like to pursue a MS in EE or ET, but I am not sure how. What is the best things that I should do?

Thanks
Enoch

 

[davidbeach]

One place to start would be

http://www.outreach.uidaho.edu/eo/

You can get a complete Masters Degree while working full time through the outreach program and not have to attend class on campus. If doing so, the Master of Engineering, which does not require a Thesis, would be a better choice than the Master of Science which does require a Thesis. Once course per term makes for a 5 year program.

 

[Hoagie]

Hi B'76--

If I were you, I wouldn't throw any more money at education. You have enough. You have your PE after passing the EIT-- you are an engineer, despite what the self-proclaimed mavens on this site may suggest. If you need more experience, than concentrate on work related training (seminars, short courses, workshops, HOMEWORK, etc.) I see many younger people who dogmatically run off to grad school thinking it will help? For most it won't. Be patient, accept supervision and its cruelty, and in no time you will be managing a staff. And guess what? You won't need a MSE, or even worse an MBA, to do that effectively. Save your money. Be patient. Be open to continual learning. Carry on with alacrity!

H.