BEng or MEng? Which one?

I got a job offer with just a BEng, and I know many other people on my course also got job offers for just a BEng, even with companies that said they only take MEng, but ultimately the MEng makes it easier to get chartered and there are many companies that only take MEng graduates.

Usually it's really easy to transfer between BEng and MEng since the courses are identical until at least the second year, and often right up until the final bachelors year where the BEng folk will graduate and the MEng folk will stay.

Is its importance really only in regards to engineering careers?

For example if I wanted to go into finance would it actually matter?

Also what job did you get? And what type of degree?

Is its importance really only in regards to engineering careers?

For example if I wanted to go into finance would it actually matter?

Also what job did you get? And what type of degree?

I don't know anything about finance since it's not something I'm interested in.



Drilling engineer from mechanical engineering degree.

Up to some level an MEng is a certificate of intelligence (coupled with the university you attended), and a BEng is also a certificate of intelligence, but a 'less intelligent' one (though of course people do a BEng for other reasons as well, but there's a stigma attached).

Therefore though it depends who you apply to, an MEng will get you in anywhere a BEng does, but you can't go everywhere with a BEng you can with an MEng.

can I be cheeky and ask what uni you went to and what is/was your starting salary? If you don't want to answer specifically feel free to put in a bracket e.g £20-25k

In general how hard is it to get an engineer related job in the UK today?

I go to RGU in Aberdeen and the job offered £32,000 plus bonuses, rising to just over £52,000 after year one due to offshore allowance. I didn't take the job though because I was never fully interested in it and wasn't exactly the type of company I wanted to work for. It was also the only job I applied for and I would rather not commit myself to a job that I will have to be in for probably at least four years until I've properly explored all my avenues. I also want to do an MEng, primarily for personal reasons now that I've seen that many companies are quite happy hiring BEng graduates (I was also too late to apply to many places with just a BEng too).

Though I may very well regret that decision depending on how my exams went.



Very difficult to answer that because each sector is different. For example, F1 is almost impossible to enter, and construction is quite hard too I think. Oil & gas is much easier but maybe that's just because I live in the right area and go to a university that is heavily targeted by that industry.

Overall if you check out Unistats you'll see that at most universities a large amount of engineering graduates go onto careers in engineering. IT & telecommunications, laboratory work and technicians are probably the next most popular destinations.

You can massively increase your chances by getting work experience and participating in relevant or worthwhile (e.g. social secretary of drinking society doesn't count) extra curriculars.

But there are more engineering graduates than places on engineering graduate schemes.

thanks for the info

As for the last line, I'd say today that is true for all graduates:graduate schemes, the exception maybe medicine/related which seems to send most graduates straight into employment.

Any idea about working abroad?

If the course is accredited surely it doesn't matter so much about the institution?

I go to RGU in Aberdeen and the job offered £32,000 plus bonuses, rising to just over £52,000 after year one due to offshore allowance. I didn't take the job though because I was never fully interested in it and wasn't exactly the type of company I wanted to work for. It was also the only job I applied for and I would rather not commit myself to a job that I will have to be in for probably at least four years until I've properly explored all my avenues. I also want to do an MEng, primarily for personal reasons now that I've seen that many companies are quite happy hiring BEng graduates (I was also too late to apply to many places with just a BEng too).

Though I may very well regret that decision depending on how my exams went.



Very difficult to answer that because each sector is different. For example, F1 is almost impossible to enter, and construction is quite hard too I think. Oil & gas is much easier but maybe that's just because I live in the right area and go to a university that is heavily targeted by that industry.

Overall if you check out Unistats you'll see that at most universities a large amount of engineering graduates go onto careers in engineering. IT & telecommunications, laboratory work and technicians are probably the next most popular destinations.

You can massively increase your chances by getting work experience and participating in relevant or worthwhile (e.g. social secretary of drinking society doesn't count) extra curriculars.

But there are more engineering graduates than places on engineering graduate schemes.

is there any difference between MEng and MEng(Hons)

Would it be hard to get a job with a BEng? How much more limited would I be with the BEng?

Also, how hard/easy is it to switch between the two when you get to uni? In general of course as every uni is different.

No, not apart from the name.

Edit: It seems to be mainly Scottish universities calling theirs just MEng and English ones calling theirs MEng(Hons).

There is a difference between an "honours" degree and an "ordinary" degree. Generally, you'll get an ordinary degree if you fail to get a 3rd but still complete the course, or have too many re-takes. It's usually a given that any course, nowadays, is an honours degree, as far as I'm aware. A lot of people don't bother with the (Hons) in their signatures and titles, on documents/business cards/TSR even though they have honours degrees.

And to further complicate matters, different countries have different rules/regulations on degree classifications.

Wikipedia is the fountain of all knowledge:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bachelor's_degree#United_Kingdom

Stu Haynes MEng(Hons)

There is a difference between an "honours" degree and an "ordinary" degree. Generally, you'll get an ordinary degree if you fail to get a 3rd but still complete the course, or have too many re-takes. It's usually a given that any course, nowadays, is an honours degree, as far as I'm aware. A lot of people don't bother with the (Hons) in their signatures and titles, on documents/business cards/TSR even though they have honours degrees.

And to further complicate matters, different countries have different rules/regulations on degree classifications.

Wikipedia is the fountain of all knowledge:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bachelor's_degree#United_Kingdom

Stu Haynes MEng(Hons)

Yes, but a lot of Scottish universities don't award their MEng degrees with honours and as such don't award 1sts, 2:1s etc., instead using postgraduate classifications such as Merit, Pass, Distinction etc.

There is already a difference between an ordinary degree in Scotland and England: in Scotland an ordinary degree is awarded to people who complete their third of study but not their honours i.e. fourth year.

Also if you leave after 3rd year (at a Scottish uni) you get an ordinary degree ie a BEng.
Then 4th year BEng(Hons)and 5th year MEng(Hons).

Not sure what you mean here.

In england a BEng will be an Hons degree. All 3 year degrees in england are hons degrees. You can also do a 4 year MEng which is a hons degree and a masters combined into one.

Yes but in Scotland the MEng is often awarded without honours, and as such uses the masters classification.