Started By
Message
re: Any Civil Engineers Post on this Board?
Posted on 3/4/14 at 1:53 pm to mizzoukills
Posted on 3/4/14 at 1:53 pm to mizzoukills
quote:
Question: Why is Civil Engineering considered the redheaded stepchild when it is in fact the second oldest engineering discipline behind military engineering?
We just like to poke fun because it was always a lot "easier". For the most part it was always pure statics and dynamics and material engineering. And like you said it's so 'old' that it is very well established.
Electrical and computer engineering are a lot newer and stuff is changing all the time. They are still discovering new ways to teach it. It's also a lot harder to understand because you can't physically see it. For the most part civil engineering and mechanical engineering you can see the effects happening in front of you. As you get in to other fields everything becomes more abstract.
I did aerospace engineering. End the end I was taking classes like Orbital Mechanics that left me behind. The 3 dimensional fields and relative reference planes were getting so complex that I sat there feeling dumb and hoping to graduate soon. And I was not able to keep up with electrical engineering because I was bad at conceptualizing it. You dabble in a little bit of all of it and for me electrical was hardest and statics/dynamics/materials engineering were the easiest.
And besides, it's always easy to point and laugh at the kids making popsicle bridges while you're working in wind tunnels.
2
Posted on 3/4/14 at 1:59 pm to mizzoukills
All that matters is that you know what kind of career you want and you do what it takes to have that career. Like you, my first degree was not related to what I ended up wanting to do. When I figured out what I really wanted to do, I took a risk and went back to school for another three years and got two more degrees. Best thing I ever did.
edit: My first degree was also in a non-STEM field, like you, and I started my physics degree by retaking Calc 1, which I hadn't had since high school. It was hard work, but was well worth it in the end. Good luck to you. Work your arse off (especially in extracurriculars like research/internships, I think that made a big difference for me when it was time to get a job).
edit: My first degree was also in a non-STEM field, like you, and I started my physics degree by retaking Calc 1, which I hadn't had since high school. It was hard work, but was well worth it in the end. Good luck to you. Work your arse off (especially in extracurriculars like research/internships, I think that made a big difference for me when it was time to get a job).
This post was edited on 3/4/14 at 2:04 pm
Posted on 3/4/14 at 2:09 pm to Kilgore Snout
quote:
for me electrical was hardest and statics/dynamics/materials engineering were the easiest.
Same. The circuits class probably took 5 years off of my life
This post was edited on 3/4/14 at 2:11 pm
Posted on 3/4/14 at 3:35 pm to Hog on the Hill
Hog on the Hill
I appreciate the advice. Like I said, I'm still in the decision making process, but everyone in this thread has helped clarify stuff that I need to consider.
Thank you.
I appreciate the advice. Like I said, I'm still in the decision making process, but everyone in this thread has helped clarify stuff that I need to consider.
Thank you.
Posted on 3/4/14 at 3:38 pm to Kilgore Snout
Kilgore Snout
That reminds me of a gifted class that I tested into during my K-12 years. The teacher always gave us projects to work on that complimented areas that we tested high in (ie. Science, Math, Art, etc.).
I seemed to always be building toothpick or popsicle bridges. Testing day was always fun. How much weight would my bridge hold? Gifted classes were a hoot.
quote:
it's always easy to point and laugh at the kids making popsicle bridges
That reminds me of a gifted class that I tested into during my K-12 years. The teacher always gave us projects to work on that complimented areas that we tested high in (ie. Science, Math, Art, etc.).
I seemed to always be building toothpick or popsicle bridges. Testing day was always fun. How much weight would my bridge hold? Gifted classes were a hoot.
Posted on 3/4/14 at 6:47 pm to mizzoukills
The other part is I went to an engineering school for undergrad. So it was all various types of engineering and physics majors. So of course we had to make fun of the other types of engineering because that's mostly all there was. My department was MMAE; Mechanical, Materials, and Aerospace Engineering. We would make fun of the Mechanical dudes because they were in the same curriculum with us for the first 2 years and then branched off some in the 3rd year and completely in the 4th year. We would say they couldn't hack it in the higher level aerospace stuff. The Materials Engineering kids spent a bunch of time in the basement because that's where most of the bending/breaking equipment was while we were on the 3rd floor where most of the wind tunnels and fluids labs were.
The Civil Engineers were in a completely different building with the concrete labs and other cool things. The Biomedical Engineering/Chemical Engineering guys had their own building and it always smelled weird because of the chemicals and clean labs and what not. The Physics building was always in disarray. Like all he labs/lecture rooms/offices seemed like they needed someone to clean them and organize them.
The few non-tech majors on campus were ridiculed by everyone.
For my masters I got an MBA to broaden myself. But I definitely miss engineering and being around smart people. After engineering being my only exposure to higher education I was amazed at how easy everything else was. Especially in business where accounting, finance, economics, and all the 'soft' classes were a breeze.
The Civil Engineers were in a completely different building with the concrete labs and other cool things. The Biomedical Engineering/Chemical Engineering guys had their own building and it always smelled weird because of the chemicals and clean labs and what not. The Physics building was always in disarray. Like all he labs/lecture rooms/offices seemed like they needed someone to clean them and organize them.
The few non-tech majors on campus were ridiculed by everyone.
For my masters I got an MBA to broaden myself. But I definitely miss engineering and being around smart people. After engineering being my only exposure to higher education I was amazed at how easy everything else was. Especially in business where accounting, finance, economics, and all the 'soft' classes were a breeze.
Posted on 3/4/14 at 9:23 pm to Kilgore Snout
Interesting subject.
Not the least bit relevant, but I had to have Cal 1 and 2 for my BS(Biology, Baylor)
I made a squeaker A in Cal 1 and then crushed Cal 2. I have no idea why, but I made the highest grade in Cal 2 at Baylor that semester. My prof tried to talk me into changing to Math as a major, but I declined. The Cal 2 was effortless. I guess maybe I was better at math than I thought ?
One of my partners in my practice did EE at TAMU before med school
He insisted that his EE degree was much more intellectually challenging than med school even though the volume of info in med school is mind- boggling at times.
Not the least bit relevant, but I had to have Cal 1 and 2 for my BS(Biology, Baylor)
I made a squeaker A in Cal 1 and then crushed Cal 2. I have no idea why, but I made the highest grade in Cal 2 at Baylor that semester. My prof tried to talk me into changing to Math as a major, but I declined. The Cal 2 was effortless. I guess maybe I was better at math than I thought ?
One of my partners in my practice did EE at TAMU before med school
He insisted that his EE degree was much more intellectually challenging than med school even though the volume of info in med school is mind- boggling at times.
Posted on 3/7/14 at 6:38 pm to mizzoukills
quote:
You make a fair point, but I think you assume Mizzou Engineering is the same as Missouri S&T - Rolla. Missouri S&T is offering the degree and that school is certainly one of the top 10 engineering schools in the country.
However, I would love a completely online engineering program. Does Arkansas offer that?
Ah, I wasn't aware that Missouri S&T was that highly-ranked. Honestly, I couldn't tell much of a difference in how "good" the professors were at the UofA (so-so state school I got my undergrad at) and Georgia Tech (top 5 school I got graduate at). The big difference is that the professors teaching you at the better school are generally a lot more accomplished. That doesn't mean that know how to teach, though.
Oh, and the research supports/facilities. Arkansas actually has a pretty dang good research department but it doesn't hold a candle to Georgia Tech. I swear you could get everything you needed there to do any research you wanted with very little resistance.
But for undergrad, especially online, you will be doing very little research and honestly the material is going to be pretty tough either way so are going to find yourself doing a lot of independent studying outside of what your professor teaches you so any decent school will suffice.
Posted on 3/7/14 at 8:17 pm to mizzoukills
I have a cousin on The Hill working on his MS in Biomedical Engineering.
Posted on 3/7/14 at 9:03 pm to DaleDenton
quote:
Civil Engineering is the special ed of engineering, get a real engineering degree in Chemical, Mechanical, or Electrical if you want to an engineer.
Aerospace Engineering is for the stars!
Posted on 3/7/14 at 10:25 pm to bpfergu
quote:
Honestly, MBAs are really all about networking and shaking the right hands and it is just really tough to do that online. I hope that changes as it is something I'm interested in but only time will tell if the big-name schools really make a push for it.
Are you thinking about getting your MBA?
Page 2 of 2
Latest Arkansas News
Popular
Back to top
Follow SECRant for SEC Football News