BSME vs. BSMET degree
BSME vs. BSMET degree
(OP)
I'm currently in the military and am looking to start a degree program. But I've been trying to figure out the differences between the positions I can hold in the civilian world with a BSME vs. a BSMET or BSAST in Mechanical Engineering Tech. I'm interested in design and problem solving. And I'm also very hands on. I like to "turn wrenches". The time I've spent in the navy has been as a technician. And I was hoping this experience would carry over to the civilian world. And the other problem is with my schedule in the military I barely have enough time to take classes let alone intern somewhere. I was wondering if this would be a problem also. Any help would be greatly appreciate. Thank you in advance.





RE: BSME vs. BSMET degree
http://www.physicsforums.com/
Anyway, I spent 4 years in the USAF (Pope AFB) as an aircraft mechanic before going on to get my BSME in 1988. There were no colleges for engineering in the area, so in the evening I could only take introductory physics, some math courses, English and humanities courses. But this actually worked out very well. The physics and math courses got me up to speed in those areas, although they didn't transfer. The English and humanities courses transfered directly though, and that allowed me to take one less course most semesters and allowed me more time to focus on the technical courses. End result was I had much more time for the hard stuff, and was well prepared for it. So although I still had to take 4 years of engineering, it was made a lot easier by taking night courses while I was still in the service.
Regarding which degree is best for you, I think you need to figure out what you enjoy the most. You can't do well at something if you don't enjoy it. That said, I still do a lot of hands on work right now, I still build prototype equipment and when it gets installed I can still work on it to some degree at customer locations. If you enjoy hands on work, a BSME won't stop you from doing that.
Best of luck to you!
RE: BSME vs. BSMET degree
Well in my onion it depends on which side of the drawings you want to be. If you want to be on the design side of the drawing where you are the person in charge of the design where you get to pick the parts and do the analysis (instead of wrenching your penciling and erasing LOL…). In order to do the analysis you have to take the BSME. The other side of the drawing is the receiving end. Once you get the drawings, you have to put it together. This is the BSMET degree side.
Some words on the BSMET. I’ve read in the past post that you don’t really need a BSMET to work as a technician. Your experience in the military may be enough to qualify as technician. If you see you’re self as one day to be manager, then I can see the BSMET can be valuable.
Keep up the good work!
Tobalcane
"If you avoid failure, you also avoid success."
RE: BSME vs. BSMET degree
Get the ME degree and move from a very honorable profession to another profession.
RE: BSME vs. BSMET degree
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RE: BSME vs. BSMET degree
ZCP
www.phoenix-engineer.com
RE: BSME vs. BSMET degree
The technology degree will familiarize you more with specific equipment and processes, the engineering degree will familiarize you more with general math and theory that applies accross a broad spectrum of equipment and processes.
The engineering graduate placed in a new area will gain familiarity with the specific equipment and processes over time. And he can understand it on a more theoretical level. More importantly, he has the tools to learn new stuff (new technology, new work assignment etc). Myself, I have never taken a formal course in a mechanical discipline (other than physics 101 F=ma etc), but I feel like I have picked it up pretty quick when my job demanded it because I had a solid math background.
The technology graduate initially has a head start in the familiarity with specific equipment and processes. But he may not have the tools to understand it on a theoretical level or easily transfer the principles to new equipment/processes that he wasn't taught about. And to catch up with the engineer by picking up the theory over time when you don't have a solid background to begin with and have been out of school for awhile would not be so easy.
In some ways, it's like the difference between giving a man a fish and teaching a man to fish.
That's just an opinion. Of course I haven't taken a technology program so I may be out of line (hope it doesnt' offent anyone). And it's also worth mentioning that a person's success may depend a lot more on the person than the education. I am sure there are plenty of technology degrees and non-degreed people who could outperform engineers in some jobs for reasons unrelated to their educations.
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RE: BSME vs. BSMET degree
Don't waste your time with the technology degree. The BSME will open up a lot more doors for you.
RE: BSME vs. BSMET degree
All states allow EAC/ABET graduates to sit for the PE exam. And all most all states allow TAC/ABET accredited graduates to sit for the PE exam. But that number has been shrinking and in my opinion will continue to shrink.
The problem with most Engineering Technology (ET) programs is that they are too "watered down". What I mean is the curriculum varies greatly from school to school. Some institutions only require one Calculus course. Others require three plus a course in differential equations.
Whose fault is this? I blame ABET who set the standards for accreditation of engineering technology programs. The TAC of ABET should raise the bar for ET students.
I'm a BSMET graduate and my school was re-accredited my senior year (1997). I remember one of the TAC members telling a faculty member our program resembled a BSME program more than it did a BSMET program. Unfortunately not all ET degree offering universities provide such an above and beyond minimum expectation level of education. This has definitely hurt the image of ET programs and graduates in the minds of Engineering graduates and licensure boards.
I suggest you try to obtain the BSME. This way no doors are closed for you and you all ready have good hands on skills obtained with the military.
But you may find it difficult to find an institution with flexible classes schedules such as offering night courses. Institutions with Engineering Technology Programs are usually more flexible with their course offering schedules (the idea for theses schools is to appeal to the working student instead of the traditional student).
Good luck!
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RE: BSME vs. BSMET degree
http://www.ppi2pass.com/ppi/PPIInfo_pg_map-ma.html
I took and passed the EIT exam a year or 2 after earning a BSMET from the University of Lowell (Massachusetts) ( Now UMass Lowell).
8 years experience plus at a few lbs of engineer calculations would need to be submitted for P status.
At that time most of the ME night courses at ULowell would have been accepted 1 for 1 in the day program. I recall Differential Equations was one of the few exceptions.
That was a long time ago.
RE: BSME vs. BSMET degree
Mechanical Engineering or Engineering Technology??
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RE: BSME vs. BSMET degree
RE: BSME vs. BSMET degree
#1 - I have never attended any engineering technology program, so I don't have any idea what they teach. I was just going on vague second-hand info which was not a good idea.
#2 - I have great respect for folks like Tmoose for the insight he shares on this board and maintenanceforums.com
What I should have said was: There is a debate within many schools (including BS Engineering programs) about what level of theory vs practical is appropriate. My personal opinion is the theoretical part is pretty important.
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RE: BSME vs. BSMET degree
http://ps
RE: BSME vs. BSMET degree
RE: BSME vs. BSMET degree
Last time I checked Case Western wasthe only school offering engineering degree programs on-line but I would double-check that the program is ABET-certified. Of course the last time I checked was probably a year ago when I was interested in on-line MS programs.
Tunalover
RE: BSME vs. BSMET degree
RE: BSME vs. BSMET degree
I'm about to put it to the test on the job market again in a few weeks, as the outfit I'm working for is getting out of the rotating machinery arena
RE: BSME vs. BSMET degree
I nearly made the mistake of going the easy rout of the techy degree....I'm glad I went for my BSME (wish now I went for the MS).
17 yrs experience ME machine designer and manager. Now employed with GE-Nuclear.
RE: BSME vs. BSMET degree
I have a BSMET. I am also a PE. BSME or BMSET, respect comes with PE. However, in my 22 year career, I have run across one major food company that did not recognize the BSMET, but they would accept the BSMET with the PE.
Do I regret not going for BSME? Only because of the perceived value others put on it. I am satisfied in my career. I've been employed by a major pharmaceutical firm and managed teams of designers/engineers on varied large capital projects. I have found a great deal of satisfaction on the construction side, where I have more significant impact.
I did all my schooling at night. Passed the PE in one sitting. Now, I am getting the urge to go back and obtain an MS. Continued education is for my own satisfaction, not because I think it may draw more salary.
I was able to land some very good jobs before my degree because I had one qualification that was fairly rare. I was well trained in 3D modeling. Point is, in addition to the degree, work on (and sell) one particular qualification that is useful in the industry. I would imagine your military background will do well for you.
In the end, it's the passion you bring to the job; it's the personality and motivation you bring to the team; it's your ability to take a lackluster position and manage it so that it makes you want to come to work everyday. Don't wait or depend on others to do it for you.
Pace yourself. Take a break only if you absolutely have to, but never stop. Close out your education with the PE. Don't let your employer imply to you that they have no use for the PE - do it for yourself - for closure. When you finally finish, you will probably hunger for more learning; hence, my handle.
Good luck.
RE: BSME vs. BSMET degree
Tobalcane
"If you avoid failure, you also avoid success."
RE: BSME vs. BSMET degree
In my case the only advantage to a BSMET was, at the time, it was what I had the concentration and finances for. Full time was beyond my capabiliites to stay focused or pay for.
Since then only one employer has looked at my night school degree (Cum Laude) and thought that spoke well of my desire to get an education.
BSMET was all that was offered nights at UMASS Lowell.