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Meng vs Msc Computer science

Hi guys,

I was just wondering what the pros and cons are for doing an MEng Computer science degree at Hull university compared to an MSc Computer Science at a better ranked uni.

Its just I have recieved offers from Bsc courses and one Meng course and I need to decide which one would be suitable. Thanks very much :cool:

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Reply 1

anyone? :smile:

Reply 2

I thought they were practically the same thing lol? Because CS at Southampton is BSc or MEng. Southampton is a really good uni for CS and they call it MEng.

Reply 3

MEng and MSc are practically the same thing. Both masters degrees. It depends on the university which degree they give out at the end, generally it's MEng but occasionally there are some MSc's. BSc is a bachelors degree (under masters), and it's usually a year shorter. A few decide to give out BA degrees at the end, but that's very rare.

Reply 4

There are also BEng degrees. Basically, in order to be a B/MEng degree, it needs to be accredited by a body associated with the Engineering Council, so having an Eng rather than an Sc means a bit more.

Reply 5

secretmessages
MEng and MSc are practically the same thing. Both masters degrees. It depends on the university which degree they give out at the end, generally it's MEng but occasionally there are some MSc's. BSc is a bachelors degree (under masters), and it's usually a year shorter. A few decide to give out BA degrees at the end, but that's very rare.

I might be wrong about this, but I think the difference between MSc and MEng (other than one is science, the other is engineering) is that an MEng is for undergraduates, MSc is for postgraduates. So an MEng course is 4 years of study and then you get your first degree, where as an MSc is a 1 year course you do after doing a 3 year BSc/BEng.

Reply 6

Psyk
an MEng is for undergraduates, MSc is for postgraduates. So an MEng course is 4 years of study and then you get your first degree, where as an MSc is a 1 year course you do after doing a 3 year BSc/BEng.


I dont quite get now the purpose of the MEng. So it's an Undergraduate Masters...and for what purpose actually? The purpose of a masters degree is to prepare you for a PhD, whiles the MEng is where you just have an extra year where you do a project or an industrial attachment is it? Then they should just call it a BSc of 4 years then.

Confuse here lol :woo:

Reply 7

newman24x
I dont quite get now the purpose of the MEng. So it's an Undergraduate Masters...and for what purpose actually? The purpose of a masters degree is to prepare you for a PhD, whiles the MEng is where you just have an extra year where you do a project or an industrial attachment is it? Then they should just call it a BSc of 4 years then.

Confuse here lol :woo:

No, MEng isn't a year in industry (although it can be - but that would make it a five year course, similarly you can get four year BSc courses with a year out). It's a whole BSc, plus another year to get you a masters.

Reply 8

secretmessages
No, MEng isn't a year in industry (although it can be - but that would make it a five year course, similarly you can get four year BSc courses with a year out). It's a whole BSc, plus another year to get you a masters.


so is the undegrad Masters equivalent to the postgrad Masters?

Reply 9

newman24x
so is the undegrad Masters equivalent to the postgrad Masters?

Well, in a sense, because they are both Masters degrees. However the MSc is usually a postgrad degree, whilst an MEng is usually an undergrad degree.

Reply 10

secretmessages
Well, in a sense, because they are both Masters degrees. However the MSc is usually a postgrad degree, whilst an MEng is usually an undergrad degree.


So who would have a better career prospect? An meng or Msc from computer science:confused:

Reply 11

hasin_arshad
So who would have a better career prospect? An meng or Msc from computer science:confused:

I believe they are pretty much equal.

Reply 12

secretmessages
I believe they are pretty much equal.


Ok thanks mate :smile:

Reply 13

hasin_arshad
Ok thanks mate :smile:

Bear in mind that you can't do an MSc (postgrad) degree unless you've already done an undergrad degree. So you can go straight into an MEng after you finish school, but not an MSc (apart from weird differences that some universities have in the degrees they offer, but ignore these irregularities) :smile:.

Reply 14

secretmessages
I believe they are pretty much equal.

They're equal in theory. But I've heard many employers don't really see it that way. To them an MEng is more of a BSc+ where as an MSc shows specialised knowledge in a particular area.

You might as well do an MEng over a BSc unless you really can't bare another year at uni. As far as funding goes, the 4th year is just another year. There's no extra stuff you have to do to get your loans and grants. So the extra cost of the year isn't really too much (depending on how much you drink:p: ), and it will generally pay off later. I get the feeling I wouldn't have got my job if I had only done the BSc.

I'm not sure how you get funding for an MSc. But because it is a separate qualification, I guess you'd at least have to apply for another loan. And if you do an MEng, there's no reason you can't do an MSc afterwards if you do want to specialise.

Reply 15

newman24x
I dont quite get now the purpose of the MEng. So it's an Undergraduate Masters...and for what purpose actually? The purpose of a masters degree is to prepare you for a PhD, whiles the MEng is where you just have an extra year where you do a project or an industrial attachment is it? Then they should just call it a BSc of 4 years then.

Confuse here lol :woo:

Masters aren't just to prepare for PhD's. First off, you don't need to do an MSc to do a PhD (I know people that gone straight in with BSc/BEng), and I'm doing an MSc and have no intention of doing a PhD - I'm just doing it to specialise and boost my employment prospects in the area I want to work in.

Reply 16

Psyk
They're equal in theory. But I've heard many employers don't really see it that way. To them an MEng is more of a BSc+ where as an MSc shows specialised knowledge in a particular area.

You might as well do an MEng over a BSc unless you really can't bare another year at uni. As far as funding goes, the 4th year is just another year. There's no extra stuff you have to do to get your loans and grants. So the extra cost of the year isn't really too much (depending on how much you drink:p: ), and it will generally pay off later. I get the feeling I wouldn't have got my job if I had only done the BSc.

I'm not sure how you get funding for an MSc. But because it is a separate qualification, I guess you'd at least have to apply for another loan. And if you do an MEng, there's no reason you can't do an MSc afterwards if you do want to specialise.


So its better to do an Msc? :rolleyes:

Reply 17

hasin_arshad
So its better to do an Msc? :rolleyes:

Remember you can't do an MSc without an undergrad degree first...

Reply 18

secretmessages
Remember you can't do an MSc without an undergrad degree first...


Yes, I knew that :smile:

Reply 19

Well, the reason that Meng started was because the Engineering Council wanted to bring the undergraduate degree in par with the other European countries degrees. You see in other EU countries you study between 4-5 for an undergraduate degree. In the Meng your final year project is more research intensive(and longer in duration) than a Beng project. Another important difference is that you get student finance for it. If you do a separate MSc you cannot apply to SFE for financial help.

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