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getting second bachelor's degree?
2

getting second bachelor's degree?

getting second bachelor's degree?

(OP)
I'm curious if anyone on the forum has two bachelor's degrees in engineering?

If yes, anyone get a second degree many years after the first? What was your reason?

I'm toying with the idea of taking some EE classes via a distance program, although I don't know if I'd go for the full degree.

For me, the reason is because it's starting to look like having me manage & develop my spouse's growning electrical service business might be more financially lucrative than staying on my mechanical engineering career path. I don't NEED an EE degree to manage electricians, but as a typical engineer I just need to know things about what I do. I could see growing the business in a direction where we might want an EE on staff someday, and I'd like to be able to talk the talk.  

This is all in the pipe dream stage for me right now, but I'd love to hear if anyone else has made a discipline switch.

Thanks!

RE: getting second bachelor's degree?

I haven't made the change you're thinking about, but I have a couple of thoughts...

Unless you intend to use your EE degree to help market the company, you probably don't need it.  I'm guessing that getting a full degree is going to be more expensive and time consuming than taking classes on your own for the knowledge you need.

Are you a PE?  If so, taking the EE classes could also qualify for your continuing education credits in addition to moving you down the new career path.

RE: getting second bachelor's degree?

I have only a single (mechanical) engineering degree. However, I also have toyed with the idea of taking electrical classes. My reason is that my career progression would include becoming a project manager, and it's hard to oversee the electical side if you don't understand it.

I'd say if you are really willing to put in the work and have the dedication/time/money to learn, go for it. I think even if you don't move into you wife's business, any employer would certainly value a "double-threat" in mechanical and electrical.

-- MechEng2005

RE: getting second bachelor's degree?

Would it be easier/possible to get an electromechanical degree?  Perhaps you'd have to do less to get the degree?

KENAT, probably the least qualified checker you'll ever meet...

RE: getting second bachelor's degree?

I seriously considered going back for a second engineering degree. My degree is in ChemE, but a degree in CivE would be more in line with what I do nowadays.

After checking with a local college, for me another degree wasn't worth the cost or trouble. Tuition has skyrocketed, and many of the courses in the program were not even related to my work and wouldn't have been very useful. Most classes were held during the day, which meant taking off time from work. It would also take away more time from being with family, which was unacceptable. So I learned CivE on the job by jumping right in, getting dirty with field work, reading journals, manuals, books, attending seminars, taking an occasional college course, etc.

On the other hand, I don't want to discourage you from pursuing your dream! What does your spouse say about it? Maybe an MBA would be more appropriate if management is in your future?

RE: getting second bachelor's degree?

My first bachelor's degree was in linguistics (but I'd started out in an engineering program).  When I decided to go back to engineering school, I considered going straight for a master's degree, but for reasons that I've discussed at length in other threads, I did the bachelor's first.

Hg

Eng-Tips policies:  FAQ731-376: Eng-Tips.com Forum Policies

RE: getting second bachelor's degree?

it seems to me that taking EE classes or getting a EE degree to manage an installation business / electricians is a bit of overkill. Being an engineer isn't even required.  Wouldn't it be better to understand the work they are doing which (I assume) is installation and wiring and knowing the NEC inside and out?  In addition, you should probably get some general business education (accounting, finance, economics, marketing etc.) as most engineers I know don't have a clue about the business side of things.  For this, you could take some classes at a community college / trade school.

RE: getting second bachelor's degree?

I hold a BS in engineering/physics.  I remember going to a career fair focusing on engineering jobs.  Since the program wasn't ABET accredited, I might as well been holding a sack of crap in my hands (some employers even called it a "fake engineering degree", which angered me).  I just went for my MSME.  There's no point in re-earning a BS once you have the basic courses (3 semesters calc, 2 semesters physics, 2 semesters chemistry, 2 semesters differential equations).  Half of your BS will be dedicated to that anyways.  I am not trying to discourage you, but just give you an idea that your current degree is worth much more than you think.  If you live near a college town, ask if you could sit in on the lectures.  If not, look up an EE department from your alma matter or other university.  Some professors post an online cyllabus.  Get a few books on the courses you're interested in and read through them.  If you had the basic courses mentioned above, you can teach yourself to a certain degree (enough to pass for competence in the subject material) and post any problems you have on the engineering forums.  

Hope this helps.  

IAA

RE: getting second bachelor's degree?

Depending on the program, you shouldn't have to repeat all the calculus, etc. for a second BS.

Hg

P.S.

Quote:

you can teach yourself to a certain degree (enough to pass for competence in the subject material) and post any problems you have on the engineering forums
Please tell me you were kidding.



Eng-Tips policies:  FAQ731-376: Eng-Tips.com Forum Policies

RE: getting second bachelor's degree?

Not really kidding.  You just have to put a lot of effort into learning.  From my limited experiences in college/grad school, if you follow the math and science, the concepts will come.

I picked up just about every upper level mechanical engineering course that I had to take as prerequisites to earn my MSME.  If I didn't understand something, I would dig a little deeper.  In fact, after I had graduated with engineering/physics, I picked up books for 200-400 level classes for mechanical engineering and read through most of them without any problems, also, schaum's outlines to those topics helped tremendously for me.  A lot of people get frustrated at the textbooks as if they are too confusing.  If they are, just get the 200 level textbook.  Anyone with an understanding of the fundamentals (i.e. math & science) should read through them and follow through the formulas and equations (I never said it would be easy or fun, but if you do this, you are learning)

As far as discussing problems and concepts, there are other engineering forums that encourage working out problems.

    

RE: getting second bachelor's degree?

This forum is NOT for people who are trying to make up for being dangerously undereducated.

Hg

Eng-Tips policies:  FAQ731-376: Eng-Tips.com Forum Policies

RE: getting second bachelor's degree?

Hg-

This forum IS for career advice.  That's all my posts are.  Advice.  get over it.  Studying my rear end off in college and grad school and spending hours pouring though 200 level textbooks to understand the 400+ level text books is how I did it, and I have 2 degrees to prove I did it.  Dangerously undereducated... not likely.  Dangerous... hardly. Undereducated, not with this much effort.

Back to the ORIGINAL post.  

Since EE is a totally different ballgame, it will be very difficult to make the transition.  I wouldn't go for the degree.  I would go to a local university or your alma matter and talk with profs, asking them what the key courses are.  Just like statics and mechanics of materials were key components in machine design, they might have key components in EE, depending on which area you want to go into.  Check those out, and take the classes as continuing education for your PE credit, as naygoo suggested.  

star for naygoo

RE: getting second bachelor's degree?

I didn't say YOU were dangerously undereducated.  But you're telling someone else that it's okay to learn just barely enough technical material to "pass for competence" and then try to get the rest through an online discussion forum.  That is NOT okay.

Hg

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RE: getting second bachelor's degree?

I think for the OP's stated purpose, going for a second BS is a little overboard, and doing as IAAWVU05 is my advice. Read through what you need to know, and know it well. However, if you're planning on doing EE work (design, specifically), then I agree with HgTX, you definitely need to go back to get your second degree.

Good luck in your decision, either way!

V

Mechanical Engineer
"When I am working on a problem, I do not think of beauty, but when I've finished, if the solution is not beautiful, I know it is wrong."

- R. Buckminster Fuller

RE: getting second bachelor's degree?

Hg
I think we have a communication problem on the issue of competence.  Passing the fundamentals of engineering exam demonstrates and earning the EIT is the MINIMUM level of competence in which to begin to study the practice engineering.  Passing the principles and practices of engineering and earning licensure is the MINIMUM level of competence for which to practice engineering in any given state.  I was talking about THAT level of minimum competence.  To "pass for competence"  means a lot more that what you think I am saying (note that I NEVER said BARELY).  For example, I cannot claim competence in engineering yet, though I have 2 degrees in it.  I can only claim competence in studying and gaining experience to be eligible to for minimum competence.  I hope this clears things up.

Respectfully

IAA

RE: getting second bachelor's degree?

Two bachelor degrees is very rare. Two engineering bachelor degrees is even rarer.

I do not know of anyone with two engineering bachelor degrees. Masters, Ph Ds, yes.

If you are going to run a business, maybe a small business course at your local college? If the buisiness is larger, maybe a management/accounting/MBA type of courses?

"Do not worry about your problems with mathematics, I assure you mine are far greater."   
Albert Einstein
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RE: getting second bachelor's degree?

An EE degree to manage a group of electricians is major overkill.  In fact, only a fractional percentage (way less than 1%) of what you will learn in an EE program will be useful in the electrical contracting world.

I would recommend simply learning the info required to get an electrical contractors license for your state, learn your local codes, and spend a good deal of time out in the field with licensed and experienced journeymen electricians.  There's really very little theorical knowledge required in basic electrical service installation (assuming commercial/residental low/medium voltage).  

RE: getting second bachelor's degree?

A degree for electrical service business? I do echo above its a overkill.

And jokes apart. Even the plumber/fitter who fixed my bathroom is called a plumbing engineer and the electrical heater technician a heating engineer in UK.

And the degree course wont teach you all the specifics of the service you will be doing. On the job training would do much more good plus some trade course?

cheers and good luck for you venture.

Siddharth
These are my personal views/opinions and not of my employer's.

RE: getting second bachelor's degree?

(OP)
I don't remember asking if anyone thought it was overkill to have an EE degree to run an electrical contracting business, more just curious if others had done a second BS degree. I'm well aware of that fact that it's not necessary. My original post said, "I don't NEED an EE degree to manage electricians." My spouse is doing it now with a high school degree. You don't even need an electrical contractor's license or a master electrician certification in my city, unless you pull permits. You can do most residential service work without pulling permits.

However, from what I know about large electrical contractors, they do have at least one EE on staff. My point was if I wanted to have certain business goals, it might not hurt to have a little electrical background. Have you ever had a manager or company president who wasn't an engineer, or was in a different discipline? It's frustrating if the person running the business doesn't know much about the company's core compentencies. I'm not really worried about knowing enough to schedule a couple electricians to wire up a basement, but if I'm looking forward as we grow the business & to having a crew wire up a total commercial complex, I'd like to know what I was looking at when I read the schematics. Yeah, I could get something out of an electrician course too if I wanted, I'm just weighing some options. I'm thinking I probaby would not go for the degree even if I did take a few undergrad electrical classes. I don't need the paper for anything.

Also, FYI, I already have an MBA and PE, so taking business courses is not necessary & coursework could count towards continuing education credits.

RE: getting second bachelor's degree?

I have a batchelors in Civil, and an MBA.  They work well together in managing an engineering business.

Mike McCann
McCann Engineering

RE: getting second bachelor's degree?

My favorite boss had both ME and EE degrees, and he was very effective in electromechanical products. He functioned as Dir/Eng in a medium size company.

Collecting other eng degrees is not as difficult as it may seem. You have already got the makings of at least 2/3 of the EE. Go for it.

RE: getting second bachelor's degree?

Hey, I have got a 5-year degree in civil engineering from my local university. Then I have got an MSc in the UK. And currently I am studying for a 5-year degree in IT engineering at the Spanish Open University. Certainly, this is going to take some time but I do not see this as a waste of time. What is more, in Continental Europe masters are expensive but not so popular and good as in the States or the UK and a PhD is considered too theoretical. In fact, you can find many politicians and managers that have two main degrees. It is not so weird.

http://NotOnlyBridges.blogspot.com

RE: getting second bachelor's degree?

I have a BS in Computational Mathematics and recently completed a BS in Manufacturing Engineering. I wanted to go for an MS in MfgEng, but that would have meant a reduced number of classes in the subject and I wanted to learn as much as I could.

Getting the second degree was pretty easy. All I had to take was the core classes for the program plus a couple of global awareness classes my math program missed.

Linda

RE: getting second bachelor's degree?

I have an ASEET degree, BSEET degree and a BS Computer Science degree.  I had worked in electrical engineering for about five years programming PLCs and designing manufacturing equipment control systems and decided that with movement in the industry toward Programmable Automation Controllers and PC-Based control, I wanted my programming to be more professional, so I went back for the Computer Science degree. The second degree has helped me greatly, especially since I have to work closely with the IT department to network all of our PLCs and Industrial PCs for data collection.  

I think that if the second degree will complement the work that you are currently doing and you are willing to invest the time and money required then do it.  It also looks great on a resume.

Regards,
Ken


RE: getting second bachelor's degree?

About getting an EE degree as a means to "have a background" in electrical engineering relative to the electrical contracting world... The degree will offer very little practical knowledge regarding technical matters associated with the kind of challenges and problems which you will encounter in the industry.  

The EE degree will give you the ability to understand many of the fundamental concepts in electrical power distribution, code requirements, etc... but until you spend a number of years actually "doing" the work under the supervision of an experienced electrical power type of engineer, the knowledge gained from the degree is practically worthless.

I'm not saying a degree in EE degree is bad (I have one).  But the degree does not qualify anyone to make judgement calls regarding technical/safety matters in the electrical contracting/service work.  Only in the right kind of "real world" experience can someone gain thay type of knowledge.

If given an experienced electrician vs. a rookie "electrical engineer" regarding electrical safety or technical understanding, I'd put money on the electrician ten-thousand to one.

If you simply want to be able to "talk the talk"... just go read up on the NEC, any local codes, and the IEEE color series books, then go pull wire with the electricians for a year or so... and you could probably even find some kind of local classes which will bring you up to speed on the basics.

If you want to bring a degreed EE on staff to oversee electrical safety and troubleshoot technical issues... then you should hire an experienced (and licensed) field engineer who has been around the block a few times (and whose boots are generally dirty from being in the field - not a design engineer who has sat behind a desk for years).

Again, an EE degree is a wonderful thing.  But it does very little good (if any at all) to prepare someone to oversee electrical contracting type work regarding technical issues and safety.

So.... if you are just wanting some respect from the guys in the field, just read a little and go pull some wire with them for awhile...

If you want to oversee their work from a technical and/or safety perspective, then get an EE degree... then spend about 10 years or so (under supervision of an experienced electrical/power type PE) doing calcs (load studies, short circuit, arc flash, coordination, lightning protection, conduit fills, box fills, conductor sizing, voltage drop, etc... ), performing design, writing construction and equipment specs, writing safety procedures, overseeing installation, performing field testing, learning the dark art of electrical grounding, and of course still spend a great deal of time in the field getting your hands dirty (pull wire, stand in ditches, hang pipe, make terminations... all while getting your arse chewed out by the electrical installation supervisor for being the engineer that screwed up the design).  Meanwhile, make friends with the local equipment vendors, and be sure to fill out the accident report after someone hits a live wire or catches a blast from an arc flash incident (be sure to go visit him/her in the hospital and/or send flowers to the funeral)..... then - after all this, your're probably going to be well prepared make judgement calls on technical/safety matters in the field of the electrical contracting world...

RE: getting second bachelor's degree?

I was just reading some post more carefully above... I'm assuming the electrical work is performed by at least journeyman electricians? Please don't tell me you have a business doing electrical service work (of any kind) where no certifications are in place...

RE: getting second bachelor's degree?

Just to brainstorm, there might be a few other alternatives out there:

1 - Is it possible you might jump straight from BSME into an MSEE instead of BSEE?

It seems to me that BS then MS is the typical projection.  I'm pretty sure I have heard of people with a BS in one discipline and MS in another.  I have the sense that an MSEE might possibly be easier than a BSEE degree from the standpoint of total time and effort required, although I haven't investigated thoroughly.  Note that an MS program typically includes room for some undergraduate courses, so you could stack some undergraduate EE courses toward the front of your program.  Also, in my case, the courses I took in a BS program were mostly theoretical with not a lot of applications and the courses in my master's program tended to be more closely aligned to toward specific technologies and applications and somewhat more practical (although not any easier).

2 - Another alternative would be an MSME with a healthy dose of EE courses.

3 - Yet another alternative:
3A - focus on getting your PE
3B - take just a few courses (but not a degree program) to learn exactly what you are interested in electrical. Might include community college tech courses where you can get some good hands-on instruction.

=====================================
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