- #1
A_Wellesley
- 4
- 0
Hello,
I am preparing to go back to university for a second degree (BS in Physics). My intention has been to go to graduate school afterwards for a Masters of Aeronautical/Aerospace Engineering. I spoke to a friend of mine last night who recently got a Bachelor's in Civil Engineering and he was telling me about the professional licensing required for engineers to work in industry. I must confess, this was a new concept to me. After going home and doing some research, I quickly found some problems with my plan.
I can't afford to get a Bachelors in AE. The closest school to me that offers it is an hours drive away, and since I'm a second degree student, I don't have access to enough financial aid to be able to afford to move there or complete the course of study. The University that I was planning to go to for Physics is the same one I got my first degree in, and it's in the city in which I live, so I should be able to check out of there money wise.
The school that's an hour and a half away has MAE and PhD programs as well (NC State, for the curious). I'm reading about these FE and PE exams, and one of the requirements to take them is to have graduated from a school that is ABET accredited. If you take them coming from a non-ABET accredited school, you have to work for 8 years I believe before you can take your PE, compared to 4 coming out of an accredited school. The ABET website lists only two graduate programs that are accredited: USAF Institute of Technology and Naval Postgraduate School.
Is there anything I can do? I want to make sure that I can get a good job after school, but many of the job postings I've been looking at since hearing this say coming from an ABET school is preferred but not required. How big of a deal is this? Would a BS in Physics and a MAE get me a decent job? Can anyone offer me any advice?
Thank you
I am preparing to go back to university for a second degree (BS in Physics). My intention has been to go to graduate school afterwards for a Masters of Aeronautical/Aerospace Engineering. I spoke to a friend of mine last night who recently got a Bachelor's in Civil Engineering and he was telling me about the professional licensing required for engineers to work in industry. I must confess, this was a new concept to me. After going home and doing some research, I quickly found some problems with my plan.
I can't afford to get a Bachelors in AE. The closest school to me that offers it is an hours drive away, and since I'm a second degree student, I don't have access to enough financial aid to be able to afford to move there or complete the course of study. The University that I was planning to go to for Physics is the same one I got my first degree in, and it's in the city in which I live, so I should be able to check out of there money wise.
The school that's an hour and a half away has MAE and PhD programs as well (NC State, for the curious). I'm reading about these FE and PE exams, and one of the requirements to take them is to have graduated from a school that is ABET accredited. If you take them coming from a non-ABET accredited school, you have to work for 8 years I believe before you can take your PE, compared to 4 coming out of an accredited school. The ABET website lists only two graduate programs that are accredited: USAF Institute of Technology and Naval Postgraduate School.
Is there anything I can do? I want to make sure that I can get a good job after school, but many of the job postings I've been looking at since hearing this say coming from an ABET school is preferred but not required. How big of a deal is this? Would a BS in Physics and a MAE get me a decent job? Can anyone offer me any advice?
Thank you