Engineer a degree between MSc and PhD. MIT, Stanford and several schools offer this t

http://www.eecs.mit.edu/grad/degrees.html

Interesting a degree of Electrical Engineer from MIT, is it challenging the protected Engineer word and the PE in USA?

This new to me that University in USA offers Engineer degree.


A degree between MSc and PhD. MIT, Stanford and several schools offer this type of degree.

http://www-ee.stanford.edu/gradhandbook/engineer.html

 

Several schools offer this degree in Engineering. Santa Clara University calls it the Engineer Degree. See www.scu.edu/engineering/graduate/program/engineerdegree.cfm. It is basically a continuation of the Master's degree for engineers who want to keep taking (and getting credit for) leading edge courses, but without signing up for a research PhD. It is more or less a second Master's. More courses - but not significantly more advanced.

It doesn't challenge the PE. The PE is about licensing - establishing a minimum competency level. The "Engineer Degree" is about accumulating technical knowledge.

 

I understand.
How would such degree be used in TX.

One can't state in TX that he is an Engineer unless that person is licensed.

Is it posing an issue?

Learner

 

The title "Professional Engineer" is protected in all States (and Canadian Provinces). You can't call yourself a "Professional Engineer" without being licensed. Also, you can't sell Engineering Services to the public (including to other companies) without being a Licensed Professional Engineer, so - strictly speaking - somone cannot claim to be an "Engineer" if he were offering services such that an ordinary person might mistake him for a Professional Engineer. (There are certain exemptions which vary from state to state - and of course anyone can be a train engineer...).

Also, most states have something resembling an "Industrial Exemption" (though close examination by NSPE attorneys a few years ago revealed there really is no such thing in the majority of states). The "Industrial Exemption" basically says that you can do anything and be called an Engineer inside a company - so long as that company bears legal responsibility for your work. Thus we have "Engineers" in industry who have only "Technologist" degrees - or no degree at all; the boss just decides one day to give them an "Engineer" title.

In effect, however, there is massive disregard for the law (except in Civil Engineering). Lots of Electronics Engineers, for example, sell their design services to the public (ie individuals or companies) illegally - without being licensed.

 

As a Licensed member of NSPE I remember reading in one of the publications about trial in TX were Software Engineers had to change their titles on the resume to Software Developers or Specialists because the title Engineer is protected.

Now if a person earned the Degree of Engineer and would like to call him self Engineer then that person without proper PE license may have an issue with the state law.


Learner

 

(a) Don't expect anything emanating from the state of Texas to actually make sense.

(b) Talk about going from the ridiculous to the sublime! For starters, the designation Professional Engineer can be had, depending upon what state one is in, with as little as an Associate's degree, provided one passes the state's Professional Engineering licensure exam. And people are worried about the possibility that someone with a year of education beyond the Master's might start calling themselves Engineer (which is their degree title!)? Talk about the death of common sense!

 

The Engineer's degree seem to be the academic equivalent to the CEng in the UK. The CEng is based on MEng plus structured professional development path. Which is kind of the same level as this degree.

In the UK, the CEng is more respected than PhD in Engineering because the standard requires proof that you can actually work as an Engineer.


To protect the word Engineer maybe extreme since anyone could actually perform engineering type work or principles. Example is maintenance type work or some mechanics.

 

To add another point. In Europe such as France and Germany, a graduate engineer with Diploma of Engineer is considered a qualified Engineer.

 

I was simply surprise when I learned that there is such a degree
offered by US Universities and institutes such as MIT.

I know about first professional degrees that are considered Doctor degree, DVM, JD etc but I never knew that there is a degree of Engineer in USA.

This is why I posted here to learn more about it and to see if there are any conflicts or issues with the state licensed and protected (TX) status of Engineers.

I always viewed a person with BScEE, BScME or BSET etc as
an Engineer. They are qualified with experience to become IEng in UK etc. Now this Degree really in my opinion sets the mark high \as a Doctoral degree or very advance Masters degree on a level of first professional degree.

Why there is a need for this degree and is it understood by the employers and academics to be on such high level?

If a person tels you he has degree of Engineer what is usually it means to you?

My foreign diploma is a combination of educational degree and qualification of Engineer - its a graduate level credential of Engineer but it is some 70 units / credits short of the US Engineer degree.

Learner

 

There is no great mystery about the "Engineer" degree. It is simply offered by some universities as a continuation of Engineering Master's studies, available to engineers who already have a Master's and do not wish to do dissertation-level research. A cynic might say it is a way to keep engineers paying tuition after they get their Master's degree. This "Engineer" degree has not been popular in the past, but may see a revival as credential inflation takes hold. It is not the "first professional degree" for engineers - which is considered to be the Bachelor's degree in Engineering.

The"Engineer" degree has nothing to do with licensing, and there is no practical conflict. One cannot substitute for the other. The name of the degree - "Engineer" - is admittedly awkward.

Most people - even most engineers - have never heard of this degree. They will think you are talking about the Bachelor's degree. Those in the know understand that the holder has taken post-Master's studies and is likely to have extra technical proficiency in his field.

In North America, due to the "industrial exemption" you would probably be titled "engineer" if you work within companies. "Outside" the company, You would be considered a candidate for Technologist Certification - "CET" - in North America. You might take the exams for becoming a PE - but only ~10% than of candidates who do not have a Bachelor's degree in Engineering but who take the first of two exams anyway, eventually become a PE - so in most cases it is not practical.

 

This, however, would be much too commonsensical for mere Americans.

 

The state of TX does protect the title "engineer" for individuals...in order to call yourself that, you would have to take and pass the PE exam and fulfull the "apprenticeship" requirements.

Recent changes do allow people in TX that work for companies to call themselves "engineers"

 

In Romania, Israel and couple of other countries the same apply to Engineers who hold and earned only Bachelors degree.

A Bachelors degree in Engineering from Technion makes the holder qualified Engineer with registration in Pinkas Ha Mehandesim ve Adrichalim.- Israels Registry of Engineers and Architects.

I think Romania had to make adjustments related to EEC directives on this issue, An Engineer named Silvio from Romania a coworker has a Bachelors degree and on his diploma it states qualified Engineer.

Any way I thank you all for the replies and clarifications.

I would like to learn more about NCU's Engineering Management
Doctoral program so here I go to their web site and any input on the experience with NCU is appreciated.

Thanks

Learner

 

This degree may only be useful on a larger scale if it can show progression in respect to engineering competency. Why go beyond masters if not PhD and its just to do additional courses?

Maybe a good option would be to run with direct PE preparation so one of the outcome is getting the PE in whichever state you study or live.

The other side is to make it more work based so you are practicing while learning new theories at the same time.