We are embarking on one of the most exciting periods of human history for science and engineering. Traditional boundaries are being shredded and new innovations are coming forth at the hands of the 21st-century engineer.
Engineers are leading the charge in addressing and solving the most difficult challenges that we face today. The possibilities for new frontiers are infinite, thus forging the path for a diverse career field for engineering professionals.
There are several different types of engineering and increasing demand for innovative professionals in these diverse disciplines. Thus, a career in engineering is synonymous with steady job growth. Let’s explore the different types of engineering, the types of careers in each discipline and what type of education you need to break into the field.
The impacts of engineering can be seen in everyday life—from the bridges we drive across to the smartphones we communicate with. There are numerous fields of engineering that bring impactful solutions into reality. Below are five common types of engineering that we will dig into:
Civil engineering is one of the major players that helps fabricate these impressive structures.
The American Society of Civil Engineers defines civil engineering as the “application of mathematical and physical sciences knowledge to develop ways to employ materials and forces of nature for the well-being of humanity.” Civil engineering provides facilities for community living, industry, transportation and structures for the use of humanity while improving and preserving the environment.
Civil engineers may find themselves working in both the private and public sectors. They are actively involved in projects on several levels: from designing, building and maintaining the structures themselves.
As greater amounts of the global population shift to more urban areas, there is an increased need for more sustainable solutions to support this trend. The demands for energy, transportation, drinking water, clean air and safe waste disposal will ignite more innovative infrastructure development.
Given the diversity of infrastructure, there are several different types of civil engineering. Below are a few examples:
Structural Engineering
Environmental Engineering
Geotechnical Engineering
Transportation Engineering
Water Resource Engineering
Surveying
Construction Engineering
Municipal Engineering
Just as there are several subdivisions of civil engineering, there are also various career routes civil engineers can embark on. Below are five of the most common career paths to pursue in civil engineering:
1. Public Agencies
Pursuing a career in a public agency is ideal for someone looking to make an immediate impact on their community. Government positions may be structured, however, there are often opportunities to assume leadership roles early on in your career.
2. Education
Working in academia helps form the young minds of the next generation of engineers. This may include classroom instruction, conducting research, mentoring or publishing.
3. Consulting
Consulting gives engineers a vast array of opportunities to implement solutions for a variety of projects. Consultants may work in smaller firms or as a part of a team as large as 1,000 people.
4. Industry
Civil engineers that work in industry often work in larger-scale settings or plants in which they oversee the planning and construction of facilities. Some of these settings may include manufacturing, technology or pharmaceuticals.
5. Construction
Civil engineers in construction help transform blueprints into reality. They often work onsite to create a safe build environment and to ensure the project is being executed on time and within budget.
The key to breaking into this new era of civil engineering is an advanced education and hands-on experience. A master’s degree in civil engineering equips professionals with the cutting-edge knowledge and methodologies of the 21st century.
Mechanical engineering is defined as “the profession in which power-producing and power-consuming machines are researched, designed and manufactured.”
Mechanical engineers design, develop, build and test products, bringing them from an idea to the marketplace. They analyze their work using the principles of motion, energy and force to ensure that all designs function safely and efficiently.
Mechanical engineering is one of the largest fields of engineering today and is only projected to grow in the coming years. It is also one of the broadest types of engineering. Specialties like industrial, aerospace and nuclear engineering all originated in the overarching discipline of mechanical engineering.
In total, mechanical, industrial, aerospace and nuclear engineers make up roughly 39% of engineers in the United States. Due to its diverse nature, there are ample opportunities to specialize in a particular area. Mechanical engineers can work as designers, researchers or technology managers for small companies to massive corporations.
Below is a chart of some of the emerging fields in mechanical engineering today: (The State of Mechanical Engineering: Today and Beyond, the American Society of Mechanical Engineers)
Many of the emerging fields in mechanical engineering will be the ones solving prevalent health care and energy issues. Considering the need for complex solutions, a master’s degree in mechanical engineering will best suit the professional looking to make real and lasting impacts. Additionally, engineers with a master of engineering degree earn on average 20% more than individuals holding a four-year degree upon graduation.
Medical engineers seek to research new physical and mathematical concepts that solve problems regarding biology and medicine.
They innovate products relating to analysis, diagnosis, treatment and even implantable medical devices. By applying multiple engineering disciplines (e.g., electrical, mechanical and chemical engineering) medical engineers solve various problems in health care.
Medical engineers play a dynamic role in the movement toward making health care more accessible, efficient and cost-effective. This rapidly expanding field is creating a much more diverse job market.
The demand for medical engineers is evident and growing, and even more so in industries relating to surgery and intervention technologies. It is estimated that upwards of 20 percent of all biomedical engineers are employed in this specialty.
Below are just a few examples of the various medical engineering jobs:
Robotics Engineer
Medical Device Engineer
Imaging Engineer
Healthcare Data Scientist
Project Engineer
Medical Instrumentation Engineer
Simulation Engineer
Biomedical Engineer
Materials Engineer
There are a multitude of advanced fields in medical engineering that require intense technical skills and knowledge to pursue. Immersing yourself in an advanced post-baccalaureate degree will arm you with the cutting-edge methodologies needed to innovate safe and effective solutions.
Environmental engineering seeks to prevent the degradation of air, water and land resources.
As we advance further into the 21st century, more prominent environmental challenges have come into view. Environmental engineers are poised to address these challenges and formulate solutions for them. Below are the top five most pressing needs that environmental engineers will help advance:
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Environmental engineering jobs require a variety of duties. A few common job functions of environmental engineers are designing systems for waste management, advising policymakers and companies on how to address environmental issues and formulating and evaluating environmental impact statements.
Below are just a few examples of environmental engineering job titles:
To actively combat climate change and address the evolving needs of modern society, environmental engineers must be equipped with an education that fosters interdisciplinary research on complex social and environmental problems.
A graduate degree in environmental engineering opens up significant job potential and more opportunities to make an impact in solving the most pressing environmental issues.
For example, computational devices, computational materials, signal processing and machine learning are all formulated by electrical and computer engineers.
Electrical and computer engineering integrates the disciplines of mathematics, physical science and computer programming. Medical robotics and advanced imaging, nanotechnology and space and defense electronics are among the cutting-edge technologies that electrical and computer engineers are innovating today.
This sophisticated discipline is constantly seeking new ways to harness electrical power to create game-changing tools and platforms across several industries.
Electrical and computer engineers are employed across numerous industries including health care, financial, federal government, security, research and development, engineering services, manufacturing and telecommunications. A few job titles include:
For those seeking roles that work on large-scale projects with opportunities to manage other engineers, a master of engineering degree is the best course of action. Furthermore, a master’s degree in electrical and computer engineering allows for specialization in specific areas of interest.
Due to the rapid evolution of technology and the diversifying needs of society, the demand for engineers is projected to rise significantly. Between 2021 and 2031, engineering job growth is expected to rise by 4 percent, adding approximately 91,300 jobs in the next ten years.
Engineering professionals will not only find an abundance of job opportunities, but they can also expect to be competitively compensated for their expertise. This promising job growth and high compensation will attract talented competitors to the field. Engineers can gain an edge by advancing their knowledge with a master of engineering degree in this rapidly growing profession.
Investing in a quality, cutting-edge education is the most optimal method to give yourself the upper hand in a competitive job market. Specialized skills and applicable hands-on experience will set you apart from others pursuing in-demand engineering jobs.
Below are five benefits of earning a master of engineering degree:
1. You will have the ability to command a higher salary upon hire
A master’s in engineering salary earns approximately 10 percent more than a candidate with a four-year degree.
2. You will experience more career advancement opportunities
A master’s in engineering will make you a more competitive candidate for upper-level leadership and management roles, therefore expanding the types of engineering careers available to you.
3. You will develop meaningful networking connections
Graduate programs are significantly smaller than undergraduate programs, which allows students to develop meaningful relationships with professors and other graduate students. This network can prove to be a valuable resource throughout your career.
4. You will increase your level of job security
Candidates who hold a master’s degree are more likely to find and maintain employment. Estimates show that approximately 27 percent of employers already require a master’s degree.
5. You will make yourself more competitive with specialized skill sets.
In pursuing a master of engineering degree, you will have the opportunity to tailor your coursework to a specific area of interest. This fine-tuned knowledge and skills will appeal to potential employers and garner you broader job opportunities.
Students that plan on pursuing a master’s degree in engineering often choose between two academic paths: a master of engineering or a master of science degree.
A master of engineering program is primarily geared toward professional practice in engineering rather than research or teaching. While a master of science program is generally for students with an interest in pursuing theories and research work. Choosing the correct degree ultimately comes down to the professional goals of the individual.
Vanderbilt School of Engineering offers a variety of the nation’s top engineering degrees to equip you with the knowledge and real-world skills to succeed and excel in your career in engineering. With an array of engineering master’s degrees to choose from led by field experts, students find their passion and purpose.
The Master of Engineering (M.Eng.) degree is an advanced professional degree awarded by the School of Engineering and specially designed for engineering practitioners who may prefer to work while doing professional study. It is also suitable for individuals who apply directly from undergraduate school — but the thrust of the program is toward professional practice in engineering rather than research or teaching. Master of engineering degrees are available in the following disciplines:
At the graduate level, the department of civil and environmental engineering educates leaders in infrastructure and environmental engineering research and practice, with emphasis on the use of reliability and risk management.
Reliability and risk management include engineering design, uncertainty analysis, construction and repair, life-cycle and cost benefit analysis, information management and fundamental phenomena intrinsic to the understanding of advanced infrastructure and environmental systems. There are several areas of emphasis students in the civil and environmental engineering program can concentrate in.
A global leader in cyber-physical systems research and education, Vanderbilt University is uniquely qualified to offer a well-recognized, cross-disciplinary master of engineering in cyber-physical systems. In fact, Vanderbilt faculty contributed significantly to the formation of the CPS research agenda and are leaders in the broader community.
One of the nine intellectual neighborhoods in Vanderbilt University School of Engineering, the master of engineering degree in cyber-physical systems (CPS) are interdisciplinary in nature, requiring expertise in computer science, engineering, mathematics, statistics and the full spectrum of the physical sciences.
Vanderbilt University offers a master of engineering in engineering management program online so that you can immediately begin integrating key business skills into your role.
Vanderbilt boasts a scholarly community dedicated to solving real-world problems affecting engineers. The online program explores how business areas such as project management, product development and organizational behavior affect engineering firms’ output, preparing you to pursue leadership roles across a range of industries.
The mechanical engineering graduate program at Vanderbilt School of Engineering allows concentration in a variety of areas of mechanical engineering research. Some areas of research Vanderbilt mechanical engineering students focus in are:
Surgical Robots
Rehabilitation engineering and socially assistive robotics
Mechatronics, control and design
Energy
Fluids
Nanotechnology
Advanced manufacturing
Vanderbilt University’s M.Eng. degree in Risk, Reliability and Resilience (RRR) engineering is uniquely designed to develop expertise and leadership in making informed decisions that properly account for uncertainty and risk, in order to enhance quality, efficiency, safety, security and environmental protection. The 12-month, 30-hour interdisciplinary program puts graduates on a game-changing career path in organizations of all sizes and types.
Vanderbilt University School of Engineering, in partnership with the Vanderbilt Institute for Surgery and Engineering (VISE), launched a master of engineering in surgery and intervention — a niche, rigorous engineering graduate program that prepares the next generation of engineers to address challenges and envision solutions at the interface of engineering and medicine.
The degree is a 30-credit hour program designed to enhance training in the domains of engineering for surgery and intervention with extensive exposure to clinical domains. ESI core skill sets available for training are:
1. Interventional imaging, therapeutics, and delivery
2. Modeling, simulation, image analysis, and data science
3. Robotics and medical devices
Fueled by academic innovation, Vanderbilt University School of Engineering (VUSE) graduates are the future experts, innovators, researchers, educators and professionals who will contribute to global and societal progress.
We are committed to forming the next generation of engineers to address the most pressing issues of modern society.
