electronic degree

x in the city

hi folks

anyone here into electronics? i got myself a diploma in electronic and computer eng, a merit 2 as it were.

im onto a degree in limerick now, a BSc in electronic systems

im still abit unsure in actual jobs afterwards, im sick of the technician stuff, i want to move into the , erm, ig bucks, haha

is there any difference between a bsc and a beng? my mate said take the quickest route

i am 30 and dont want to study all my life, this is my second diploma, the first was a city and guilds 271.

the limerick degree is just a year which seems feasible, apart from the obejct oriented programming bit........

i was looking at ul and some courses took my eye, but they are all 4 year degrees and i would be looking at doing two more years

i am more into the hardware aspect, digital electrtonics, digital signal processing and the like.

i look forward to some pointers

eza

gobby

Well...

A BSc is a Bachelor of Science whereas a BEng is a Bachelor of Engineering.

As for which one is better... I couldnt be 100%. But in fairness if you study for longer you will have a better qualification. imho...

I dont know enough bout the workforce to be able to give you any real advice... sorry!

jayok

I always thought that a B.Eng would be better recognition for engineering, since it's specifically states this (unlike a B.Sc which could be in any science field) or a BA.

But there's absolutely nothing wrong with a B.Sc, B.A. or anything. I get a lot of people asking me this (I am an employer). What most employers look for is some academic knowledge, and experience. For those without experience, the normal this is to look at aptitude, manner, drive, etc. For most employers is a question of "Can you do the job?", it would be better to get a Leaving Cert holder with a drive and enthusiasm than a PhD from someone who doesn't care!

As for your specific case, pursue whatever degree you like, the B.Sc is great, but try to do something that makes you different, in terms of passion, interest, etc. In the field, you'll stand a much better change of getting a job then.

Jayo.

jlang

Plenty of the Irish universities don't give a BEng for their engineering degree courses. NUI colleges (UCD, UCC, etc) give a B.E. and Trinity gives B.A. B.A.I. (don't ask), but these are all approximately equivalent in the workplace.

What is important is that the degree is accredited by the relevent institution as acceptable for professional Chartered Engineer status. To my knowledge the straight Engineering degrees from the Irish universities are, but some of the 'para-engineering' courses may not be. You can check whether the Electronic Systems course you're on to is such by asking at the college. Depending on whether your chosen career line will lead you to wanting or needing C.Eng. status this could be an issue, but even then your technician experience could be made to count as the extra year of college.

If it's not, I can't see anyone at a job interview faulting an electronics B.Sc. with several years of technician experience in electronics as lacking in technical ability, regardless of the position, and you should be better placed than a grad straight from a 4 yr BEng with no exp.

All that said, are you sure about the big bucks? I know several electronic technicians who would be fairly much raking in the big bucks themselves (ie paid considerably more than the degree-holding Engineers supervising their work!)

finnpark

Aparantly LImerick have ****ty degees. Very theoretical. You will find it tough. I went to an IT got a diploma and went 2 Galway. Not quite as theoretical as expected but still a lot of studying and paper work.

daveirl

This post has been deleted.

finnpark

:dunno: I think you will find you are. The theoretical material covered in universites is absolutely useless as far as engineering goes. I have seen students come into my company who have brilliant 4 year degrees but don't know the difference between a resistor and capacitor. Honestly, not joking. These people r not worth a F*** to any1. I would be better off taking on someone just out of school. If you produce the results at work thats all that counts. If you want to make big bucks you wont make it in a company anymore eitheer. Services iss the place to be. Simple services like PC repair, grocery shop, hairdresser things people really need , thats where the big bucks really is. Also property of course can be for a while until things slip. But back to collage work you really will learn nothing in University-just get your papers and get the hell out of there. Dont do research-so boring and wasteful of resources.

ecksor

I think that's a mindset thing, some people will find research boring and others will find the alternatives boring. Personally I'd like to do a bit of research sometime in the future if my command of the relevant theory is good enough, but otherwise I'd agree that plenty of graduates are a bit lacking in actual application.

finnpark

Every1 is different I guess. Research is only good if you can get supported by a company your working for. Of course if you have a masters or PHD you do get more respect in companies too but it doesn't usually make anyone a better engineer or whatever. It just proves that they can sustain boring lives by sitting down reading/studying for lots of hours. As long as their happy....

ecksor

On the other hand, who the hell wants to go work for a company.

Oh wait, some people do

Dave

In fairness, UL keep up with industry standards as their co-op programme is very substantial. So that "all limerick degrees are theoretical" remark is bullshít as all engineering courses in UL have to do 8 or 9 months co-op.

finnpark

Yes they do and NUIG do 5 months. But I was speaking about the degree-not work experience. The co-op thing is not really the degee part-you can get a degree without it. Im on about the course work anyway.

daveirl

This post has been deleted.

cerebus

Originally posted by finnpark
The theoretical material covered in universites is absolutely useless as far as engineering goes.

...

If you want to make big bucks you wont make it in a company anymore eitheer. Services iss the place to be. Simple services like PC repair, grocery shop, hairdresser things people really need , thats where the big bucks really is.

...

But back to collage work you really will learn nothing in University-just get your papers and get the hell out of there. Dont do research-so boring and wasteful of resources.

Originally posted by finnpark
Of course if you have a masters or PHD you do get more respect in companies too but it doesn't usually make anyone a better engineer or whatever. It just proves that they can sustain boring lives by sitting down reading/studying for lots of hours. As long as their happy....

I have to say I disagree with you - I'd suggest that it is often the person who understands the theory who ends up making the big bucks. Especially in the electronic engineering/high-tech field - some of the richest people in the world have made their money through the application/implementation of theory (engineering in every sense of the world - the appliance of science). Key word here being theory - they had to understand what they were doing.

I don't know too many hairdressers/PC repair techs/corner shop owners that I can say the same about. Even those that do very well end up applying theory - Sam Walton may have started with one store, but Wal-Mart uses cutting edge management and organisational theory to achieve the efficiencies that make them so successful.

Consider my own experience - I am, to all intents and purposes, one of those research-types you dismiss so lightly. I have a PhD in Electronic Engineering, published papers and spent many years in college. What did it ever get me?

Lets see... When I came out of college I pretty much had my choice of where to work and who to work for - lots of interviews in various parts of the world. I get paid well. I get invited to participate in various technical committees and conferences.

Day to day I get to work on real-world problems which have a huge impact on my company's success or failure. Lots of these problems need to tackled through basic theory - first we have to figure out what is going on before we can come up with an engineering solution to resolve the problem.

But apart from a good job, interesting work, professional recognition, and loads of other cool stuff, what did research/university ever do for me? Nothing, that's what! (Apologies to Monty Python fans). You're right, I obviously wasted my life. Mea culpa.

Instead I should have done like you suggested, skipped college because it did nothing to enhance my career and got myself a job assembling widgets. I would have been much more fulfilled

Seriously, I do hope I haven't come across too strong - I just think you should open your mind to the possibility that theory and research can be useful in a real-world setting. It certainly doesn't hurt to have the background to understand what is happening.

PhoenixRising

@finnpark - Have you done an engineering degree? I see you mentioned that you did a diploma and then learned 'on the job'. If you haven't then I really don't think you are in a position to come out with some of the stuff you have said.

The theoretical material covered in universites is absolutely useless as far as engineering goes

Ah, so the engineers who designed the space shuttle or the 747 just did a diploma and then learned 'on the job'?

I have seen students come into my company who have brilliant 4 year degrees but don't know the difference between a resistor and capacitor. Honestly, not joking. These people r not worth a F*** to any1.

Ok, that's either an exaggeration or an extreme case. Certainly the exception rather than the rule. I'm pretty sure my little sister would know the difference between a resistor and a capacitor.

Dont do research-so boring and wasteful of resources

Engineers shouldn't do research. I think you'll find that R&D is a huge employer of engineers and it's an area where a lot of money can be made.

Maybe degree graduates are not what your company needs, but that doesn't substantiate any of the comments you have made regarding engineering degrees.

x in the city

greetings

was reading the posts and i think , having already 2 diplomas, a city and guilds 271 and more recently a electronic and computer engineering one, i still need that degree.........its where you learn more in dept knowledge of microchips, logic devices,asic's, dsp and the like

i did a fair amount of maths, and laplace transforms and dsp filters in the diploma just completed, but i want more! we have this book, the intel microprocessor, a humongous bastard of a book, who wants to learn all the stuff, huh!!? we covered a few relevant chapters, but theres alot of water under the bridge yet


i need a job for my future, as it stands technician roles is the best i could get, i havent looked for jobs (full time ones) since may, because i am going back for this elusive degree, be it in limerick, cork or maynooth even

2 years is the maximum i will do. the way i look at is is that, with a degree and a knowledge of asics, architecture, 8051 micros,power supply design, assembly language, there is a shed load of jobs, in england and the us anyway it seems,. i also have nearly 4 years experience prior to my diploma, so thats useful

its just shyte doing nothing now and waitin for september

none of my mates have a clue what a microprocessor is or the like ,and that also feels weird, they think im some sort of freak.......joke:)

on a side note ****


does java and oo programming really matter in a work sense?

i did java in the diploma and everyone, hated it, the lecturer couldnt teach for shyte, and the course is dropped now

i am considering doing the fas on line java course.

i think assembley and 8051, embedded stuff is more relevant to industry??

thanks for listening!

eric

Earls

Hi Everyone,

I was wondering does ne1 no nething bout the MEng Electrical and Electronics in Queens.
I heard it was a 5yr degree with 1yr work placement included. Its meant to try to match the longer european degrees.

Is there any equivalent in cao uni's or are they all pretty much the same?

Thanks,

Earls

finnpark

Its a 3 year degree with the option of a year's work experience. Like the title says it is quite electrical. But it's not a 5 year degree. The year is quite long though. The exams are handier than the south(I have seen both). There is very little practical projects. Just one final year project in 3rd year. Also its quite expensive to convert Euro into sterling.

However one big disadvatage of doing this course. It is not recognised(I think) by the Institude of Electronic Engineers. This means that your officially not an engineer and also you will not be recognised abroad as been so. This can be a great dissadvantage. But it is a 3 year degree unless you go to an IT first which I would reccemmend.

Hope this helps. WEhat aspect of Electronics are you most interested in?

cerebus

finnpark wrote:

Its a 3 year degree with the option of a year's work experience. Like the title says it is quite electrical. But it's not a 5 year degree. The year is quite long though. The exams are handier than the south(I have seen both). There is very little practical projects. Just one final year project in 3rd year. Also its quite expensive to convert Euro into sterling.

You may be thinking of the BEng that QUB offer - the MEng is a four year degree with an optional year-out for work experience (which would indeed make it a 5-year degree). See here for more details.

Don't know if I would agree with you on the projects - I studied/worked in the EE department at QUB and got to supervise some undergraduate projects. They seemed to be at the same level as those I have seen in other colleges/universities.

finnpark wrote:

However one big disadvatage of doing this course. It is not recognised(I think) by the Institude of Electronic Engineers. This means that your officially not an engineer and also you will not be recognised abroad as been so. This can be a great dissadvantage. But it is a 3 year degree unless you go to an IT first which I would reccemmend.

QUB claims that it is accredited by the IEE. The IEE seem to say it is accredited as well. I'd be inclined to believe them...

finnpark

Yes I meant the B eng . I said I wasn't sure about the IEE thing. I don't think the B eng is. In relation to the project work I know that in the Beng there is no project until 3rd year(final).

I would recommend that anyone picking a degree should go the website and check out the subjects on offer. Pick a course to suit you. Of course I think if your really interested in analogue electronics my advice is to go to an IT first and then say after getting a diploma there transfer to university into 2nd last year. Universities are more inclined towards software , probably because there is a lot of jobs in that area.

3 of my friends did 3 years in an IT before transferring into 2nd year at Queens. They did struggle a little in the IT and one failed a year. However they all did extremely well at Queens, their only critisism was the lack of practical work but this is probably through in most universities. The reason I decided not to go to Queens was due to the fact that at the time they played the british national anthem at the graduation but this iwas me and Im sure your different. I think they stopped playing it now.