Academic degree, is it ultimately important?
G
An unfortunate fact is that whilst postgraduate degrees are routinely available part time, there's nobody in Europe offering an undergraduate degree in either aeronautical or mechanical engineering part time.
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"aeronautical or mechanical engineering"
Given the central role avionics play in today's aircraft, a degree in electrical or computer engineering may also be relevant.
Given the central role avionics play in today's aircraft, a degree in electrical or computer engineering may also be relevant.
Given the central role avionics play in today's aircraft, a degree in electrical or computer engineering may also be relevant.
Sequential Logic... NAND, NOR gates.....
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Boring???? Electronics??? You just ain't been there!!!!
I think I used just about every button on a scientific calculator during my degree and indeed throughout my life in analog electronic design. It is about the most esoteric and mathematical life you can possibly contemplate. Complex maths (ie based on the sq rt of -1), vectors, sines and cosines, exponentials, hyperbolic functions, number bases, bessel functions, natural logs, oct and hex, statistics, matrices, 2pi and e everywhere, 2 over root 3, and the most extended use of multipliers from pico to tera.
That's before you start analysing circuits, and then start inventing new ones and getting patents on them....
I think I used just about every button on a scientific calculator during my degree and indeed throughout my life in analog electronic design. It is about the most esoteric and mathematical life you can possibly contemplate. Complex maths (ie based on the sq rt of -1), vectors, sines and cosines, exponentials, hyperbolic functions, number bases, bessel functions, natural logs, oct and hex, statistics, matrices, 2pi and e everywhere, 2 over root 3, and the most extended use of multipliers from pico to tera.
That's before you start analysing circuits, and then start inventing new ones and getting patents on them....
Henry,
You're right. I haven't been there as I haven't done the Degree yet. I'm looking forward to getting stuck into the Maths again. I found the HND boring due to the local College I studied at. Nowhere near University Engineering!
You're right. I haven't been there as I haven't done the Degree yet. I'm looking forward to getting stuck into the Maths again. I found the HND boring due to the local College I studied at. Nowhere near University Engineering!
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Hi Focha
I have to disagree. Firstly, getting a degree does not guarantee employment as a backup. A lot of graduates are finding it really tough to find jobs these days unless they take a highly sought after course (engineering, med ect). I know i wouldn't be able to get into any of those courses and they would be too hard basket anyway. It also means more money now course prices are so high, i don't know where you got your money from, but not everyone can afford to go to uni then get their cpl. Where i come from i got my first job without showing a Cv, its just who you no and working hard in this industry. Also i don't understand your point on personal development, i hear it come up a lot but in what ways does drinking and messing about at uni (as most of my friends do) develop you more than working full time and living away from home?
winglikehercules
I have to disagree. Firstly, getting a degree does not guarantee employment as a backup. A lot of graduates are finding it really tough to find jobs these days unless they take a highly sought after course (engineering, med ect). I know i wouldn't be able to get into any of those courses and they would be too hard basket anyway. It also means more money now course prices are so high, i don't know where you got your money from, but not everyone can afford to go to uni then get their cpl. Where i come from i got my first job without showing a Cv, its just who you no and working hard in this industry. Also i don't understand your point on personal development, i hear it come up a lot but in what ways does drinking and messing about at uni (as most of my friends do) develop you more than working full time and living away from home?
winglikehercules
You are probably right, getting a degree does not necessarily means a guarantee of employment, sorry if I simplified the subject to that point, obviously you need a lot more than the degree. Although you have to agree it's a lot more easier to find good jobs and progress in the career, even as a pilot. That's why we make a CV or else we would only send a copy of hour log book.
I could also tell you the same about the CV. But ultimately, they will ask you for it if you want to progress and do different stuff.
Now, about the personal development, I never compared the two situations, what I can tell you is that if you use the university as it should be used, you will develop yourself for sure. I am, by no means implying that working full time and away from home does not develop a person also; for me that was what developed me the most and I can say without a question that part of my opinion today is related to the fact that I am working full time and way from home. Please don't get me wrong.
I continue to think that doing a degree for the sake of having a degree is a poor life choice. Doing a degree for a passion in the subject, or for a life plan that has more than *just* flying in it however can make perfectly good sense.
You are totally right. Maybe I express myself badly. The more I learn, the more I get into subjects of aeronautical engineer, the more I understand about it the more passionate I am about it. Unfortunately, for all the reasons, I was not able to continue what I am accomplishing today, that is, finishing my degree. Agree with your post.
Focha, you're far too good to be a pilot. Finish that degree and get a job in industry on the technical design side. The degree will be a passport whenever you need to change jobs all the way through life. I can fully recommend aero engineering as a career, every year you get to work on something new, challenging and different.
You are right, sometimes a pilot's life just halts, seems that you are not progressing at all... And I have a really big necessity of learning and not stall in front of a monitor, if you know what I mean.
All in all, my opinion: a degree is important, for all kind of reasons.
Regards.
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I find this thread very helpful, as I find myself in a very similar situation.
I have obtained a B.Sc. in Aerospace Engineering (they call it aerospace, but it's basically aeronautical) right after school. Back then I didn't really know what it would be like to study let alone work as an engineer, I did it because I wanted to get a degree and of course I wanted it in the field I am passionate about: aviation. So I gave it a shot and it turned out well. I will always thank university for having given me the chance to study mathematics and physics to an advanced level. It's just not something you end up achieving in your free time.
Now, after having almost completed my first semester of the M.Sc. and being a handful of years older I am starting to ask myself what I want to do for a profession. And as much as I found and still find most of what I study extremely interesting, this academic course is just preparing me for a job I am not longing for.
Now I feel it is time to pursue my real dream and go on getting the flight licences. Exactly as Genghis said, there is no point in studying for a degree without a real passion for it, and this is exactly how I feel.
And spare your warnings, I have this and many other threads more than once
Thanks to all for your posts
I have obtained a B.Sc. in Aerospace Engineering (they call it aerospace, but it's basically aeronautical) right after school. Back then I didn't really know what it would be like to study let alone work as an engineer, I did it because I wanted to get a degree and of course I wanted it in the field I am passionate about: aviation. So I gave it a shot and it turned out well. I will always thank university for having given me the chance to study mathematics and physics to an advanced level. It's just not something you end up achieving in your free time.
Now, after having almost completed my first semester of the M.Sc. and being a handful of years older I am starting to ask myself what I want to do for a profession. And as much as I found and still find most of what I study extremely interesting, this academic course is just preparing me for a job I am not longing for.
Now I feel it is time to pursue my real dream and go on getting the flight licences. Exactly as Genghis said, there is no point in studying for a degree without a real passion for it, and this is exactly how I feel.
And spare your warnings, I have this and many other threads more than once
Thanks to all for your posts
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An unfortunate fact is that whilst postgraduate degrees are routinely available part time, there's nobody in Europe offering an undergraduate degree in either aeronautical or mechanical engineering part time.
Q65 - Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) - Open University Degree
My uni had part time Aerospace and Aerosystems course in the hills of Herts as a couple of my classmates were on that due to circumstances..
The only attractive thing about my uni was its proximity to London and the Gonnorhea over the A1, I meant the Galleria shopping mall :P
Cheers
as a couple of my classmates were on that due to circumstances..The only attractive thing about my uni was its proximity to London and the Gonnorhea over the A1, I meant the Galleria shopping mall :P
Cheers
Is this the closest thing, have you looked at it?
Q65 - Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) - Open University Degree
Q65 - Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) - Open University Degree
What it isn't is aeronautics / aerospace oriented so a lot of the subject knowledge that makes aeronautical engineers "special" (aren't we all!) such as aerodynamics, flight mechanics, aircraft structures aren't there. But the delivery of the core skillset to become a professional engineer is certainly there.
Adding that to a CPL/ATPL, might work pretty well to be fair as a reasonably complete knowledge base for somebody working in aeronautics. Or it could be added to a specialist MSc, of which there are many to choose from.
G
