Majoring in Engineering

Many high school students confuse engineering majors with general science majors.  They are related but not the same.  General science focuses on mastering and advancing theories.  Engineering requires the application of scientific knowledge to real-world situations. 

Most engineering majors concentrate on a particular field, and additionally take courses in the sciences and in mathematics.  Some universities focus on developing hands-on skills which engineers need at the workplace, while others lean more towards a science-like focus on theoretical  knowledge to prepare students for careers in academics or research.  Either way, engineering trains students to develop their ability to reason systematically and form logical conclusions. 

Through engineering courses, students develop more systematic approaches to processing information, and become efficient at formulating arguments and formulating conclusions based on this information.  Once such good thinking habits become part of your character, you will be able to perform better in just about any job.  For this reason, many engineering majors succeed in non-engineering professions after graduation, such as finance, business, law and even entrepreneurship. 

Here is a list of the main college engineering majors:

1. Aerospace Engineering:  Learning how to design aircraft.  Closely related to mechanical engineering.

2. Biomedical Engineering: Learning how to create and maintain medical devices.

3. Chemical Engineering:  Learning how to use chemical reactions to create products for consumers and industry.

4. Civil Engineering:  Learning how to build physical structures such as roads and buildings.

5.Computer Engineering:  Learning how to develop computer software/hardware and computer-controlled devices.

6. Electrical Engineering:  Learning how to create and maintain electrical devices.

7. Mechanical Engineering:  Learning how to use physics to create machines.  This is the broadest engineering field, in which students learn how all kinds of mechanical devices work.

8. Structural Engineering:  Learning to how to evaluate the safety and integrity of structures like buildings.