Should I go for my MSEE with current job?

[mdd1986]

Hello all, I have just joined on here and seems like a great place for advice. Well I guess I’ll start by saying that I'm planning to pursue an MSEE degree at City College in Manhattan. First off, let me explain that I do have my BS in Electrical Engineering Technology(not EE) and had no problems getting into to various MSEE programs such as Polytech and NYIT. To explain things a bit better, I went to a college that did not offer a full fledge EE degree and only offered an EET degree, so for those of you that say I should have gotten an EE degree it really wasn't an option at the time. To be honest with you, people on here say that EETs are not engineers. This is complete false and utter nonsense, because here in the state of New York EET's very well are considered a professional engineer once they pass both the FE/EIT(which I have passed already) and PE exam. So if the state recognizes you as an engineer, you are an engineer. Realistically, one you have a PE license, getting just about any engineering position shouldn’t be a problem regardless of EET or EE. And to prove most of the doubters wrong once more, I have a great job working as an Electrical Engineer(not a technician) right in Manhattan for a consulting firm. It’s my first job right out of school and I'm making 45,000/year. I get to design power distribution systems for commercial buildings using software such as ETAP and SKM power tools, as well as autocad of course. I can’t speak for the electronics field but in the Power & utility companies and consulting business it really doesn't make any difference.

With that out of the way, I think that my schools EET degree is very challenging. It is almost the same as many EE degrees out there (especially NYIT). There are some topic areas that were not covered, but I think this varies from school to school. When taking the FE exam I realized that I did not go much into Signal analysis. We did cover Fourier serious and Fourier transforms but not much in convolution and digital signal processing(DSP). The school seemed to focus heavily on programming and control systems. I took 2 control systems classes that really covered everything feedback systems, z-transforms, laplace transforms, bode plots, routh-horwitz, MATLAB etc. I took Calc 1, Calc 2, differential equations, linear algebra and even engineering economics. For whatever reason, Calc 3 wasn't required but I took it anyways. The only thing that is required for me to get into most MSEE programs is a probability course since I hadn't taken one. I actually found this degree harder for me because I’m very poor at programming and working with computers but excel in math and physics. What I didn't like is that they didn't really require us to take chemistry or a thermodynamics class. That really hurt me on the FE exam. I took a basic chemistry class in my freshman year of community college before transferring but that was a long time ago lol.

Anyways, what I’m trying to figure you out is if a MSEE at city college is doable with working a full time job. Do people do it? Also with my educational background not having experience with DSP, convolution and such really hurt me in grad school? Anyone on here experience City college’s graduate EE classes first hand? I really just want a feel for grad school so I understand what I'm getting myself into. I really wish they had an MSEE option dealing with power and power electronics because I know this very well from my job. I was thinking of concentrating on controls as I really loved it. Any advice is greatly appreciated.

 

[TonyG]

Hello and welcome to the forum! It's great to hear that you have a passion for electrical engineering and are considering pursuing a MSEE degree at City College in Manhattan. It sounds like you have a strong background in EET and have already passed the FE/EIT exam, which is a great accomplishment. Congratulations on your job as an Electrical Engineer in Manhattan, it sounds like a challenging and rewarding position.

To answer your question about whether a MSEE at City College is doable with a full-time job, it really depends on your personal circumstances and time management skills. Some students are able to balance work and school, while others may find it too difficult. It's important to consider the workload of the program and your job responsibilities before making a decision. It may also be helpful to speak with current MSEE students at City College to get a better understanding of their experience and workload.

In terms of your educational background, it's great that you have a strong foundation in math and physics. As for the topics that were not covered in your EET degree, such as DSP and convolution, you may have to put in some extra effort to catch up in those areas. However, many MSEE programs offer courses that cover these topics, so you will have the opportunity to learn and expand your knowledge.

I cannot speak specifically about City College's graduate EE classes, but in general, graduate school can be challenging and time-consuming. It's important to have a strong understanding of the fundamentals of electrical engineering and be prepared to put in extra time and effort to succeed. As you mentioned, you may want to consider concentrating in a specific area, such as power or controls, to align with your interests and experience.

In conclusion, pursuing a MSEE degree while working full-time may be challenging, but it is definitely doable with dedication and time management. It's important to research the program and speak with current students to get a better understanding of the workload and expectations. Best of luck in your academic and career pursuits!