BEng / MEng / PhD
My son is in his second year of a Bioengineering degree in Sheffield. He is planning to do the full 5 year course = 3 years at uni + 1 year in industry + 1 year back at uni to get an MEng. They have asked him to decide soon whether he definitely wants to do the MEng because his 3rd year course is taught differently based in that decision.
He wants to work in the design of medical devices so I am wondering if it would be better for him to a PhD at a uni where they have a close relationship with nearby companies and do startup spin-offs from PhD innovations (eg Cambridge).
So my question is - is there any point him doing an MEng at Sheffield if he is then going to apply for a PhD in Engineering at Cambridge?
He wants to work in the design of medical devices so I am wondering if it would be better for him to a PhD at a uni where they have a close relationship with nearby companies and do startup spin-offs from PhD innovations (eg Cambridge).
So my question is - is there any point him doing an MEng at Sheffield if he is then going to apply for a PhD in Engineering at Cambridge?
Original post by Vlab
My son is in his second year of a Bioengineering degree in Sheffield. He is planning to do the full 5 year course = 3 years at uni + 1 year in industry + 1 year back at uni to get an MEng. They have asked him to decide soon whether he definitely wants to do the MEng because his 3rd year course is taught differently based in that decision.
He wants to work in the design of medical devices so I am wondering if it would be better for him to a PhD at a uni where they have a close relationship with nearby companies and do startup spin-offs from PhD innovations (eg Cambridge).
So my question is - is there any point him doing an MEng at Sheffield if he is then going to apply for a PhD in Engineering at Cambridge?
He wants to work in the design of medical devices so I am wondering if it would be better for him to a PhD at a uni where they have a close relationship with nearby companies and do startup spin-offs from PhD innovations (eg Cambridge).
So my question is - is there any point him doing an MEng at Sheffield if he is then going to apply for a PhD in Engineering at Cambridge?
I would in case he changes his mind. He could woek in a company rather than a uni and get Chartered status with a Masters.
Original post by Vlab
My son is in his second year of a Bioengineering degree in Sheffield. He is planning to do the full 5 year course = 3 years at uni + 1 year in industry + 1 year back at uni to get an MEng. They have asked him to decide soon whether he definitely wants to do the MEng because his 3rd year course is taught differently based in that decision.
He wants to work in the design of medical devices so I am wondering if it would be better for him to a PhD at a uni where they have a close relationship with nearby companies and do startup spin-offs from PhD innovations (eg Cambridge).
So my question is - is there any point him doing an MEng at Sheffield if he is then going to apply for a PhD in Engineering at Cambridge?
He wants to work in the design of medical devices so I am wondering if it would be better for him to a PhD at a uni where they have a close relationship with nearby companies and do startup spin-offs from PhD innovations (eg Cambridge).
So my question is - is there any point him doing an MEng at Sheffield if he is then going to apply for a PhD in Engineering at Cambridge?
Doing the MEng is not mutually exclusive with doing a PhD. It's very common for students to go from the MEng to a PhD. Arguably possibly more common than going from the BEng to the PhD, as the MEng will usually have a more substantial and in depth research project in the MEng year compared to that in the BEng year. The year in industry is still useful, particularly as some engineering PhDs are part-funded by industry partners and include secondments and such at the partner.
Also even if he changes his mind in the first two years it's usually fairly straightforward to swap between the two (and if students who don't meet certain progression criteria on the MEng will normally be automatically swapped onto the BEng anyway).
Original post by Vlab
My son is in his second year of a Bioengineering degree in Sheffield. He is planning to do the full 5 year course = 3 years at uni + 1 year in industry + 1 year back at uni to get an MEng. They have asked him to decide soon whether he definitely wants to do the MEng because his 3rd year course is taught differently based in that decision.
He wants to work in the design of medical devices so I am wondering if it would be better for him to a PhD at a uni where they have a close relationship with nearby companies and do startup spin-offs from PhD innovations (eg Cambridge).
So my question is - is there any point him doing an MEng at Sheffield if he is then going to apply for a PhD in Engineering at Cambridge?
He wants to work in the design of medical devices so I am wondering if it would be better for him to a PhD at a uni where they have a close relationship with nearby companies and do startup spin-offs from PhD innovations (eg Cambridge).
So my question is - is there any point him doing an MEng at Sheffield if he is then going to apply for a PhD in Engineering at Cambridge?
Yes, if you want to make a competitive application for a funded PhD then a masters degree carries far more weight then bachelors. There is a question of MSc v MEng (an MSc tends to have a greater research element & opportunities for more focused studies) but the funding situation is much easier for an MEng student, most “home” students tend to opt for the MEng & UK based professors understand this.
I suppose the question is what does he want to do, when you say “design medical devices” because you probably wouldn’t need a PhD to work on developing existing proven concepts and convert them to a final consumer ready product. If he wanted to work on specific goals on high level development on a focused area the PhD would be more useful.
Id also note a PhD will focus on one particular area, so whilst it might fall under the very loose umbrella of bioengineering it will be something very tailored & focused and he will need to ensure he has the right technical background for the type of research you want to pursue. Having an interest in the type of technical work will be more important on a PhD then the industry you want to work in afterwards.
Id also note you don’t need to work nearby a company to work with a company on a PhD unless your lab will be based physically on there site. I know plenty of PhDs who work with companies in different countries & even continents.
(edited 9 months ago)
There is a lot of good advice in this thread. Just to add to it, firstly, as has been noted, a PhD isn't required for most design jobs, and is unlikely to be more useful than a bachelors or masters. PhDs can be useful for R&D and specialist, highly technical roles, but doesn't necessarily trump an undergrad or masters for the rest.
The full five year course is probably the best route to take to be competitive for a graduate role. A year of industrial experience will be extremely valuable, and many big-name or well known employers also prefer masters level candidates (though this is sometimes mainly a way to reduce the number of applications to review).
But whether the masters is an MEng or a standalone MSc doesn't usually matter for the purposes of employment. I would imagine an MEng in bioengineering would already be highly specialised, though it's not uncommon for those studying the traditional engineering disciplines to do a more specialised MSc after their bachelors. An MSc may also be cheaper than an MEng - though it'd have to be funded out of pocket. It may be useful to weigh up the financial pros and cons of the MEng vs an MSc.
The full five year course is probably the best route to take to be competitive for a graduate role. A year of industrial experience will be extremely valuable, and many big-name or well known employers also prefer masters level candidates (though this is sometimes mainly a way to reduce the number of applications to review).
But whether the masters is an MEng or a standalone MSc doesn't usually matter for the purposes of employment. I would imagine an MEng in bioengineering would already be highly specialised, though it's not uncommon for those studying the traditional engineering disciplines to do a more specialised MSc after their bachelors. An MSc may also be cheaper than an MEng - though it'd have to be funded out of pocket. It may be useful to weigh up the financial pros and cons of the MEng vs an MSc.
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