[The_Gina]

Hi,

I am undecided on which engineering discipline to apply for as I have broad interests within engineering and would like to make a decision on which discipline to go down having experienced some of the different disciplines' courses.

For anyone who is studying for an engineering degree currently or has done, is there the option to switch between disciplines say in your second year? For example at Imperial a number of different engineering courses are offered and say if I chose to do mechanical engineering, would there be the option to switch to civil or materials for example if I prefer to structural/materials aspect of the course?

I know a general engineering programme would be the best option for me, and will be applying for oxbridge for general engineering, but I am not sure how thorough these courses are at univeristies such as Durham, Warwick and Exeter. Once you have specialised in one area of engineering in your fourth year having done this programme, are you as qualified and desirable to employers as someone who has specialised in the same discipline, but from the start and at a univeristy like Imperial?

All help is appreciated.

[Smack]

(Original post by The_Gina)
Hi,

I am undecided on which engineering discipline to apply for as I have broad interests within engineering and would like to make a decision on which discipline to go down having experienced some of the different disciplines' courses.

For anyone who is studying for an engineering degree currently or has done, is there the option to switch between disciplines say in your second year? For example at Imperial a number of different engineering courses are offered and say if I chose to do mechanical engineering, would there be the option to switch to civil or materials for example if I prefer to structural/materials aspect of the course?

I know a general engineering programme would be the best option for me, and will be applying for oxbridge for general engineering, but I am not sure how thorough these courses are at univeristies such as Durham, Warwick and Exeter. Once you have specialised in one area of engineering in your fourth year having done this programme, are you as qualified and desirable to employers as someone who has specialised in the same discipline, but from the start and at a univeristy like Imperial?

All help is appreciated.

Whether you can switch discipline during your second year depends entirely on your university and how the course is set up.

A general programme would be the best for you, and whilst a general programme won't teach you as much on a single discipline as those who specialised in that discipline from day one you are still every bit as employable as those who have because ultimately your degree is just a very small part of the learning you'll have to go through throughout your career, and a few different modules for a year years is absolutely nothing really.

Someone from a general course who has found the discipline that they're passionate about and have the best aptitude for is better than someone who has specialised in the wrong discipline.

[The_Gina]

(Original post by Smack)
Whether you can switch discipline during your second year depends entirely on your university and how the course is set up.

A general programme would be the best for you, and whilst a general programme won't teach you as much on a single discipline as those who specialised in that discipline from day one you are still every bit as employable as those who have because ultimately your degree is just a very small part of the learning you'll have to go through throughout your career, and a few different modules for a year years is absolutely nothing really.

Someone from a general course who has found the discipline that they're passionate about and have the best aptitude for is better than someone who has specialised in the wrong discipline.

Thanks for the help. I think I will apply for 3/4 general engineering courses and 1/2 for a specific engineering discipline. Which specialism is the most broad in terms of allowing to specialise in a range of areas?

[Smack]

(Original post by The_Gina)
Thanks for the help. I think I will apply for 3/4 general engineering courses and 1/2 for a specific engineering discipline. Which specialism is the most broad in terms of allowing to specialise in a range of areas?

I think mechanical is the broadest overall because it encompasses all of the following and more: engines, robotics, aerodynamics, pipelines, process, instrumentation, controls, statics, vibrations, materials... and the list goes on.

[The_Gina]

(Original post by Smack)
I think mechanical is the broadest overall because it encompasses all of the following and more: engines, robotics, aerodynamics, pipelines, process, instrumentation, controls, statics, vibrations, materials... and the list goes on.

Sounds ideal as I am interested in aerdynamics and materials. Will alot of the degree evolve around engines though as that I hear it is a large part of mechanical engineering?

[Smack]

(Original post by The_Gina)
Sounds ideal as I am interested in aerdynamics and materials. Will alot of the degree evolve around engines though as that I hear it is a large part of mechanical engineering?

Aeronautical is more focussed on aerodynamics since it's essentially a specialism of mechanical engineering so that also might be worth a look.

Course content varies between universities so some will have lots of stuff on engines and others won't.