Engineering - Colleges, Courses, Fees & Scope

All intelligent mammals are common by a couple of characteristics: family bonding, a sense of direction and an earnest desire to make thing convenient for their species. Humans are no different. Since the advent of time, from the Neanderthals to our generation, human beings have invented, discovered and developed tools and techniques in order to bring about convenience and comfort for us. The pulley, the lever, the wheel – all these creations are a testament to mankind’s tendency for ease. And that is how the area of engineering comes about.

Engineering is defined as the creative and innovative application of the principles, methods, and techniques of science and mathematics to bring about design, manufacturing, operating, maintenance and development of apparatus, machinery, structures, and organizations. It has perpetually been one of the most primary and prominent fields of work and study. It is a dynamic and continuous area of education. It adapts and upgrades with any change in the political, social and technological perspective in the world. In addition to this, engineers are constantly at work to ensure that the operation of an apparatus is being executed in a way that ensures safety and complete efficiency. The historical standing of engineering is apparent in the existence of various monuments and structures, from the Pyramids of Giza in Egypt and the Great Wall of China to the Eiffel Tower in Paris and the Statue of Liberty in the United States of America. Even in current times, engineering strives to design, produce and develop technological solutions to problems that hinder the progress of the species.

Streams in Engineering

Engineering is a broad discipline and is suitably divided into a number of sub-disciplines to facilitate easy understanding and better education. The disciplines are defined according to certain criteria:

The work a certain discipline carries out, i.e., the field of life where education in a discipline can be applied

The materials or elements a certain discipline works with

Numerous engineering students study only one discipline so as to ensure specialization in the field. However, a few students may choose to study multiple fields in order to build up their skill-set. Some of the branches of engineering are listed below:

Chemical Engineering: It involves the application of the principles of chemistry, biology, and physics in order to execute and implement chemical processes on a commercial scale. It consists of activities such as the manufacture of specialty chemicals, petroleum refining, fermentation, etc.

Civil Engineering: This branch is centered around the design and construction of public and private structures such as buildings, dams, bridges, tunnels, and facilities such as airports, water supply, etc.

Electrical Engineering: This discipline is the study, design, and production of electronic systems and devices. It centers around electrical circuits, instrumentation, telecommunications, optical fibers, and electromagnetic elements.

Mechanical Engineering: This branch is focused on the design and production of physical and mechanical systems such as transportation, engines, compression technology, weaponry, vibration isolation systems and such.

Petroleum Engineering: Petroleum engineering is the branch of engineering that is concerned with the activities involved in the production and handling of crude oil and natural gas. The branch combines science with geophysical elements.

Aerospace Engineering: Aerospace engineering, further divided into aeronautical and astronautical engineering, is the branch of engineering that centers around the design, invention, upgrading, development, and maintenance of aircraft and spacecraft.

Biomedical Engineering: Biomedical engineering is the branch of engineering which combines the principles and concepts of engineering to medicinal and biological sciences. It seeks to integrate the problem-solving and designing tendencies of the former to the requirements and functioning of the latter.

Other than the aforementioned branches, there exist a myriad more of branches that cover a wide range of topics:

Naval Engineering

Mining Engineering

Nuclear Engineering

Automotive Engineering

Computer Engineering

Information Engineering

Architectural Engineering

With the passage of time, certain branches of engineering have come to assume greater importance than they did in the past. For instance, with the technology boom, human life has grown dependent on machines and devices to a far greater extent, thus contributing to the growth of computer engineering and information technology. With mankind’s efforts to discover our earthly atmosphere and our galaxy, aerospace engineering has risen astronomically over the past few years.

Educational Degrees in Engineering

Universities across the world offer educational degrees in the subject of engineering at all levels. Students of the subject possess degrees such as:

Bachelors of Technology (B. Tech)

Bachelors of Science (B. Sc)

Masters of Technology (M. Tech)

Masters of Science (M. Sc)

Some universities also offer doctorates in various subjects. Engineering is taught across the world by some of the best universities in the world such as Harvard University, Stanford University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, University of Oxford, University of Cambridge, University of California – Berkeley, etc. The United States of America is favored by students from all over the world owing to its educational and technological prowess. The courses taught at a multitude of institutes teach subjects like crystallization, compensation, measurement, risk analysis, engineering economics, traction, yield and a multitude of other related topics.

Careers in Engineering

The profession of engineering is one of the most high-paying, consistent and secure jobs in the employment market. Since the area strives on development and progress, engineers are always highly in demand from a variety of sectors. As mentioned before, engineering is a continually growing profession, taking into consideration the constant changes in the world. For instance, the rising issue of environmentalism has dictated that engineers take the rising levels of pollution and the rise in temperatures into account while designing, creating and developing any machinery, equipment or technique. Engineers find employment in the following sectors or capacities:

Engineering Supervisor

Engineering Group Manager

Research and Development

Government Departments

Academia

Department incorporates outlets such as production, mechanical, electrical, etc.

Hence, what started out as a survival instinct for mankind has today transformed into a profound area of study and profession. Considering its wide subject range and its high employability, it is of little surprise that millions of students all around the world choose to pursue engineering.