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If you are interested in
studying engineering in the USA you are in good company.
In 2001 over 38 percent of all USA international undergraduates
in engineering were students from India. It is easy to understand
therefore that engineering is quickly becoming one of the
largest professions in the United States. Traditionally
the academic fields of study are chemical, civil, electrical,
industrial and mechanical engineering. However, historical
figures from Leonardo Da Vinci, Neil Armstrong to the Palestine
Leader and Nobel Peace Prize winner, Yasser Arafat have
all found that with a good engineering education behind
them they have had the opportunity to open doors into a
wide range of potential careers.
 So,
why is engineering such a popular study choice in the States,
what sort of students does it attract and what opportunities
are available to those who graduate? The Indian Student
investigates…
Why would I want to become an engineer?
Studies show that by far the number-one cause
of unhappiness among people in the United States is job
dissatisfaction. Thus it is important to find a career that
provides you with enjoyment and satisfaction. After all
you might spend around forty years working eight hours or
more a day, five days a week, fifty weeks a year. Do you
want to dislike every minute of this time, or would you
rather do something that you enjoy?
For numerous reasons engineering provides a satisfying field
of work
- Variety of career options
- Challenging work
- Intellectual development
- A benefit to society
- Financial security
- Prestige
- Working in a professional environment
- Working in a technological &
scientific environment
- Creative thinking
What sorts of career opportunities are
available?
Careers in engineering span the alphabet. The
five largest traditional academic fields of study are civil,
chemical, electrical, industrial and mechanical engineering.
There are also more specialised engineering fields from
aerospace to nuclear to biomedical engineering - no other
career field offers young men and women such a wide choice
of options. The career opportunities are also extremely
flexible to the individuals interests and needs for example:
- If you are imaginative and creative, Design
Engineering may be for you
- If you like laboratories and conducting
experiments, you might consider Test Engineering
- If you organise and expedite projects,
look into being a Development Engineer
- If you are persuasive and like working with
people, consider a career in Sales or Field Service Engineering
- If you enjoy your science and mathematics
classes, then these are most strongly resembled by the
work of Analytical Engineers
What sort of person do I need to be to
study engineering in the USA?
If you like a challenge, engineering could
be for you, as there would be no shortage of challenging
problems. Generally 'real world' engineering problems are
quite different from the problems you solved in schools
- those usually had a single correct answer. When you get
into the engineering world, virtually all problems will
be open-ended. There will be no single answer, no answer
in the back of the book, no professor to tell you that you
are right or wrong. You will be required to devise a solution
and persuade others that your solution is the best one.
Also, because engineers spend much of their time solving
problems a strong engineering candidate should enjoy problem
solving and excel at it.
How do I become an Engineer?
You will need a bachelor's degree in engineering.
This will take four to five years, and should be taken in
a solid engineering school, which is known for its accomplished
faculty members and often conducts important research.
How do I know that it is a quality engineering
course?
Good engineering programs are ABET accredited,
meaning that they meet the minimum education standards set
by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology.
Currently more than 300 colleges and universities offer
ABET accredited engineering programs as graduate schools.
Future employers in industry and federal government all
attach a great weight to the ABET Accreditation. It is important
to note that ABET accredits disciplines, not schools. Therefore,
within an emerging school, some fields may be accredited
may be accredited whilst others are not.
Don't you have to excel academically to
become an Engineer?
Although engineering is a demanding major that
requires good grades, particularly in mathematics and science,
you do not necessarily have to be a 'genius'. Ideally you
should rank in the top one-third of your high school class
and certainly in the top half.
How can I best prepare myself academically
to be accepted onto an engineering course in the States?
Enrich your skills by taking as many mathematics
courses as your school offers, as well as laboratory science
courses such as chemistry and physics. Because engineers
convey ideas graphically and may need to visualize products
or processes in three dimensions, courses in graphics, drafting
or design are also helpful
Where would I find more information about
engineering courses available in the USA?
ASEE (The American Society for Engineering
Education) has information about different engineering and
technology schools, what programs they offer and grade requirements
for domestic and international students at www.academic.asee.org
This information is provided by individual universities,
so some schools may have pages of information and others
only a few listings.
Alternatively you can contact the ASEE
direct at:
American Society for
Engineering Education
1818 N Street
NW, Suite 600
Washington DC
20036
Tel: +1 202 331 3500
Web: www.asee.org/precollege
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