Before you decide to stress and say “I don’t know!”, don’t worry. Most undergraduate programs are designed to offer a basis in the fundamental academics required by all sorts of engineers, so that you can investigate your strengths and find your favored engineering route. To get you thinking here are a few of the most popular engineering majors.
1. Civil
This specializes in infrastructure, buildings and structures. In this particular area there are lots of areas of expertise including Construction Management, Urban Planning, Environmental Engineering, Transportation Engineering and Water Resources Management. It’s quite common for all these specialities to overlap as well.
Civil Engineering majors will love using math and physics to solve problems.
2. Computer
Should you spend your spare time dismantling and rebuilding Personal computers, you may be destined to be a Computer Engineer. Computer Engineering studies the development, production and installing of computer hardware, for example circuit boards, computer chips, keyboards, printers, routers along with other equipment. Computer Engineering is also at the cutting edge of development of new smartphones such as the iPhone and Tablet PC’s.
Computer Engineering is different from software engineering which looks more at the continuing development of software and systems.
Computer Engineering majors will study a variety of programs across math, including algebra and calculus, sciences for example physics, chemistry and biology and humanities. The initial 2 yrs of the undergraduate degree offer a chance to focus on the basics of computer engineering and building problem solving and research skills, then the final two years will focus on specialty areas of computer engineering with classes such as computer hardware, electronic devices and circuits, computer design or signal processing.
3. Electrical
Electrical Engineers handle the design and development of electrical equipment. These may include electric motors, wiring systems in buildings, navigation systems, automobile electric systems, and power generation systems.
The phrase electronic engineering may be employed in place of Electrical Engineering, as there’s substantial crossover among the two. However Electrical is mostly concentrated more on the generation and supply of the electrical power whilst electronic is a lot more focused on the use and application of that power.
Electrical Engineering majors will examine math, physics along with other basic sciences, at the same time drawing from other engineering disciplines like computer engineering and mechanical engineering.
4. Mechanical
Perhaps one of the broadest areas of engineering, Mechanical Engineers design, develop and manufacture machines, engines along with other mechanical devices. They may work with vehicle engines, robot manufacturing systems, elevators, refrigeration systems, turbines or tool development.
Careers in Mechanical Engineering are actually driven by the interests of each and every engineer, as are studies within the broad area. Mechanical majors may study a base of math and sciences, with humanities as well as other subjects. Later year programs will depend on the preferences the student wants to go – you may be creating the energy system in a whole new form of hybrid car or the hydraulic system to get a smoother ergonomic chair. The choices are endless.
5. Aerospace
Aerospace Engineering is targeted on the design, evaluating and manufacture of aircraft, spacecraft and missiles. There are 2 main threads: Aerospace Engineering investigates space flight, vehicles and systems, whilst Aeronautical Engineering examines sub-space flight, including commercial or military planes and helicopters.
Majors in Aerospace will establish skills in computer systems including CAD systems along with concentrating on sciences like physics and math areas like trigonometry and calculus. There can be overlap with other engineering professions like Mechanical and Electrical Engineering.
