Would I enjoy engineering?
Hi,
Im still in school at the moment but have been thinking about engineering as a career for some time. I just have one problem: I dont really like maths - which is obviously a large part of engineering. Now doing a calculation here or there in my work is fine, but will I be sat there doing endless rows of calculations like in maths? There is also the problem that I would require A level maths. But I have found you can do civil engineering at UWE with maths or physics. Does this have something to do with it being a Bsc rather then a Beng?
Im still in school at the moment but have been thinking about engineering as a career for some time. I just have one problem: I dont really like maths - which is obviously a large part of engineering. Now doing a calculation here or there in my work is fine, but will I be sat there doing endless rows of calculations like in maths? There is also the problem that I would require A level maths. But I have found you can do civil engineering at UWE with maths or physics. Does this have something to do with it being a Bsc rather then a Beng?
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If you want a career as a civil engineer you are really looking to do the BEng or MEng. With one of these degrees you are on the road to getting chartered.
Most civ eng courses require A level maths, but not all. I would say its more the case of a calculation here or there rather than endless rows.
Well, what I mean is, its less complicated maths, although sometimes repetitive.
It might be worth going to a university open day, even at this early stage, to talk to the staff about it.
Most civ eng courses require A level maths, but not all. I would say its more the case of a calculation here or there rather than endless rows.
Well, what I mean is, its less complicated maths, although sometimes repetitive.
It might be worth going to a university open day, even at this early stage, to talk to the staff about it.
Trixxy
If you want a career as a civil engineer you are really looking to do the BEng or MEng. With one of these degrees you are on the road to getting chartered.
Most civ eng courses require A level maths, but not all. I would say its more the case of a calculation here or there rather than endless rows.
Well, what I mean is, its less complicated maths, although sometimes repetitive.
It might be worth going to a university open day, even at this early stage, to talk to the staff about it.
Most civ eng courses require A level maths, but not all. I would say its more the case of a calculation here or there rather than endless rows.
Well, what I mean is, its less complicated maths, although sometimes repetitive.
It might be worth going to a university open day, even at this early stage, to talk to the staff about it.
Ok, thanks for the reply. yeah, its proberbly best to go to an engineering department somewhere. Any other replies?
jime456
Hi,
Im still in school at the moment but have been thinking about engineering as a career for some time. I just have one problem: I dont really like maths - which is obviously a large part of engineering. Now doing a calculation here or there in my work is fine, but will I be sat there doing endless rows of calculations like in maths? There is also the problem that I would require A level maths. But I have found you can do civil engineering at UWE with maths or physics. Does this have something to do with it being a Bsc rather then a Beng?
Im still in school at the moment but have been thinking about engineering as a career for some time. I just have one problem: I dont really like maths - which is obviously a large part of engineering. Now doing a calculation here or there in my work is fine, but will I be sat there doing endless rows of calculations like in maths? There is also the problem that I would require A level maths. But I have found you can do civil engineering at UWE with maths or physics. Does this have something to do with it being a Bsc rather then a Beng?
The course at UWE isn't accredited by the ICE and I wouldn't reccomend you to study that course.
Some universities may ask for either Maths Alevel or Physics, but you will find that A Level Maths is the standard.
It might be worth checking this website out.
http://www.efm.leeds.ac.uk/CIVE/CIVE1400/course.html
You could study architecture instead fo civil, if you really don't like Maths, or design (product, interior, exterior, etc.)
However, if you really want to do engineering, especially civil, A2 Maths will be necessary. Whether you'll end up doing endless calculations is another matter.
However, if you really want to do engineering, especially civil, A2 Maths will be necessary. Whether you'll end up doing endless calculations is another matter.
yeahyeahyeahs
The course at UWE isn't accredited by the ICE and I wouldn't reccomend you to study that course.
Some universities may ask for either Maths Alevel or Physics, but you will find that A Level Maths is the standard.
It might be worth checking this website out.
http://www.efm.leeds.ac.uk/CIVE/CIVE1400/course.html
Some universities may ask for either Maths Alevel or Physics, but you will find that A Level Maths is the standard.
It might be worth checking this website out.
http://www.efm.leeds.ac.uk/CIVE/CIVE1400/course.html
Ok, how essential is it to get accredited? Would it hurt my future job prospects?
Also, it suggests on the website that it is accredited. it says that after 1 year of relevant experiance you can apply to be a member. I assume I could get the 1 year from doing a sandwich degree.
jime456
Ok, how essential is it to get accredited? Would it hurt my future job prospects?
Also, it suggests on the website that it is accredited. it says that after 1 year of relevant experiance you can apply to be a member. I assume I could get the 1 year from doing a sandwich degree.
Also, it suggests on the website that it is accredited. it says that after 1 year of relevant experiance you can apply to be a member. I assume I could get the 1 year from doing a sandwich degree.
how essential is it to get accredited?
if youre getting a degree youre better off getting a MEng or BEng. Why get an non accredited BSc when you can get a BEng for the same length of time? you also have question why the course doesnt meet the ICE's standards for accreditation.
Doing a MEng or BEng will allow you to become a chartered engineer and generally speaking they earn more money.
Would it hurt my future job prospects?
doing a non accredited BSc will not hurt your future prospects. civil engineers are high in demand by recruiters, so there will be loads of job opportunities. However some companies (atkins, arup, faber manusell etc) may ask for a minimum of a BEng or MEng for graduate roles and chartered status for more senior roles.
saying that, you don't actually need a degree to become a civil engineer. you can start off as a civil engineering technician after your a levels and work your way up from there. alternatively you can just get a HNC or HND in Civil Engineering and start from there as well.
my boyfriend is geotechnical engineer (a discipline in civil engineering). he actually flopped he's AS math with a U and never got round to the A2. He is now doing a HNC in construction and plans to do a degree in Civil Engineering afterwards. i wouldn't say maths is he's strong point but he is managing.
anyways most consultant civil engineers use computer programs to do their caculations for them
if you want to do a civil engineering degree but dont have a maths a level, you can do a engineering foundation course for one year and do a degree in civil engineering afterwards.
you should also check out UCL for civil engineering, last time i checked they were only asking for is BBB in any 3 A levels (except general studies).
jime456
Also, it suggests on the website that it is accredited. it says that after 1 year of relevant experiance you can apply to be a member. I assume I could get the 1 year from doing a sandwich degree.
I'm not sure but I think the experience would have to be post-degree. Also I believe that if you do a BEng you need to take extra exams set by the institution.
Yes, in engineering you're likely to come across a lot of maths. Once you're in the actual job I'm pretty sure engineers know the computer programs / formulae to plug data into and that's it... but at university there will be a big emphasis on knowing where the formulae come from so you understand them fully.
As for calculations - it's less calculations as such, more algebra. You'll find most post-GCSE maths involve this. A lot of it involves faffing around with letters rather than numbers to find some general relationship, finding maximum and minimum values, using it to help you design something, etc... once you have a GCSE in maths it is pretty obvious that you can rattle off calculations, so it's more about deriving more formulae.
Put it this way - if you were a chartered engineer, responsible for legally signing off designs for, say, a bridge, as safe and adequate, would you really want to trust your computer programs and formulae without having a clue about how they actually work? A lot in engineering is about understanding the limitations of what you can predict and the assumptions you're making, and this is why it helps to be able to do the maths (at least, the algebra) and know in depth the way it all works.
I thought you need and MEng to become a chartered engineer..something about standardising it across the different countries or sumthin...
I think you can get a BEng + Msc(Eng) + work experience to become chartered as well.
im in year 12 and live in dubai in the UAE, so its really hard to get a hold of information on universities and courses. My only resource is the internet but i was wondering if anyone can give me any extra information on mechanical engineering. I really want to go into product design but am told that it is easier to get a job in the long run if you have a base in mechanical engineering and then a postgrad in product design. Does any1 know anybody who has done that or has an opinion on whether that is a good route to take. thanx
Theres a university called Loughborough.
http://www.lboro.ac.uk/departments/mm/
they do Mechanical engineering and product design courses.
you could take a Mechanical and Manufacturing course, then do a Masters in Product Design engineering. thats one option.
http://www.lboro.ac.uk/departments/mm/
they do Mechanical engineering and product design courses.
you could take a Mechanical and Manufacturing course, then do a Masters in Product Design engineering. thats one option.
jime456
Hi,
Im still in school at the moment but have been thinking about engineering as a career for some time. I just have one problem: I dont really like maths - which is obviously a large part of engineering. Now doing a calculation here or there in my work is fine, but will I be sat there doing endless rows of calculations like in maths? There is also the problem that I would require A level maths. But I have found you can do civil engineering at UWE with maths or physics. Does this have something to do with it being a Bsc rather then a Beng?
Im still in school at the moment but have been thinking about engineering as a career for some time. I just have one problem: I dont really like maths - which is obviously a large part of engineering. Now doing a calculation here or there in my work is fine, but will I be sat there doing endless rows of calculations like in maths? There is also the problem that I would require A level maths. But I have found you can do civil engineering at UWE with maths or physics. Does this have something to do with it being a Bsc rather then a Beng?
In addition to what I wrote much earlier, be aware that engineering as a profession will inevitably involve a significant amount of maths.
Eventually, sooner or later you will need it. You can't dodge it so you might as well tackle it early or find it much harder later.
izzi
thanx a lot ill have a look into it, any others you can recomend?
My mate at Queen Mary says they have this new course called 'Innovation and Design'. You study at Queen Mary for all the engineering modules and do all your design projects at Goldsmith College (part of London University of Art).
yeahyeahyeahs
My mate at Queen Mary says they have this new course called 'Innovation and Design'. You study at Queen Mary for all the engineering modules and do all your design projects at Goldsmith College (part of London University of Art).
hey! can you please tell me more about the course? i have an interview with them for that course and i was wondering if you could tell me what kind of questions to expect? and how good the course is? thankz xx
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