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Want to study engineering but not sure exactly what?

Don't worry, this list of popular engineering majors and branches will help you decide!

Engineering Majors 1- Traditional Branches

Lesson Summary:
Mechanical Engineering
Electrical Engineering
Chemical Engineering
Civil Engineering

Mechanical Engineering

What is mechanical engineering?

This branch of engineering has to do with using physics and other scientific concepts to design, analyze, and ultimately create mechanical systems. This traces back to the prehistoric wheel, the works of Archimedes, and other primitive machines.

What will you study?

In modern days, you'll study things like dynamics, instrumentation, fluid mechanics, mechanism design and many other interesting courses.

Where will it take you?

• Mechanics, analyzing the effect of forces on matter using physics and applying this to other engineering concepts.
• Kinematics and motion analysis
• Mechatronics and robotics, which combine mechanical with electrical and software engineering to create practical machines and robots.
• Structural analysis, explaining why objects fail.
• Thermodynamics- looking at energy transfer in systems, for example heat transfer in fuel operations.
• Drafting, and manufacturing parts for assembly.

Famous Example:

Bill Nye, the Science Guy. Nye was a mechanical engineer and worked for Boeing, the famous airplane manufacturer. He later launched a famous, critically-acclaimed television show called Bill Nye the Science Guy, which taught many kids and teens all about science.

Where do you start?

The New England Institute of Technology offers a Mechanical Engineering Technology program.
Mississippi State University also has a a Mechanical Engineering program.
Georgian College has a Mechanical Engineering Technology diploma.

Electrical Engineering

What is electrical engineering?

The branch of engineering that deals exclusively with designing electrical systems and goods. The field began to emerge in the late nineteenth century, once electrical power supplies became commercialized. Electrical engineering deals with transmission of electricity across large-scale systems, whereas the related branch of electronic engineering looks smaller scales computers and integrated circuits.

What will you study?

You'll be able to study electromagnetics, network theory, circuits and control systems, among many other topics.

Where will it take you?

• Power engineering, which deals with transmission of commercial electricity and devices like transformers, generators, and high voltage motors.
• Control, which focuses on designing structures that help facilitate the behaviour of systems.
• Electronics- designing and testing electric circuits and goods.
• Microelectronics, which has to do with designing very small components of circuits, used in integrated circuits.
• Signal Processing, both digital and analog, for telecommunications.
• Instrumentation- designing devices to measure physical quantities like pressure or temperatures.
• Computer engineering and other complicated devices like MP3 and video game console designs.

Famous example:

Amir Bose. Bose is a Bengali, Indian electrical engineer who studied in the US. He invented many patents in loud speaker design, and founded the Bose Corporation, a large audio equipment company. Bose was even inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame.

Where do you start?

NEIT also offers a great Electrical Engineering program.
You'll find a good Electrical Engineering program at the University of Kentucky.

Chemical Engineering

What is chemical engineering?

This aspect of engineering uses physics, mathematics, and (of course) chemistry to convert materials and chemical into useful things. Chemical engineering has a hand in the processes that help create such things as plastics, pharmaceuticals, detergent products, and fuels. Chemical engineering focuses on finding the most economical chemical process, in terms of financial and environmental costs.

What will you study?

You'll encounter topics such as biomolecular engineering, distillation design, process control, separation processes, unit operations and much more.

Where will it take you?

• Biochemical engineering- designing processes that involve biological molecules or organisms, such as bioreactors used to grow cells and tissues.
• Environmental engineering, using chemical processes for air and water pollution control.
• Material engineering and the application of properties of matter in industries.
• Textile engineering, which deals with designing fibers and textiles.
• Metallurgy, which looks specifically at metals and their uses and properties.
• Food engineering- applying chemical processes to the preparation, packaging and other aspects of healthy food.

Famous Example:

Jack Welch. Welch studied chemical engineering and joined General Electric as a junior engineer in 1960. He climbed the company quickly and became GE's youngest CEO in 1981. His uncanny and unique leadership and management made him a popular figure in top business circles.

Where do you start?

There's a Chemical Engineering program at the University of Kentucky.
MSU has a program in Chemical Engineering.

Civil Engineering

What is civil engineering?

The second oldest engineering discipline, civil engineering deals with man-made and naturally built environments. Things like buildings, roads, dams and bridges are all works of civil engineers. Dealing with the basics of society and environment, civil engineering solves problems involving water supplies, living areas, weather difficulties, and more.

What will you study?

You'll be studying geology, applied geometry, project management, topographical physics, and many other topics to become a professional civil engineer.

Where will it take you?

• Construction engineering, looking closely at the business aspects of site development and construction, such as contract drafting, logistics and supply management.
• Earthquake engineering, which designing and evaluating structures to withstand earthquakes.
• Geotechnical engineering, involved with the rock and soil that supports civil structures.
• Water resource engineering- collecting and managing water using pipelines and water systems.
• Structural engineering- looking at the structural design of buildings, bridges, towers, and other structures.
• Transportation engineering, designing roads, railways, harbors, and other ways of transporting goods and people efficiently.

Famous example:

John Roebling. He was a very famous German-born civil engineer. He started with river navigations and canal building, but quickly became notorious for wire rope suspension bridge designs. His most famous work is the Brooklyn Bridge in New York.

Where do you start?

You can find an awesome Civil Engineering program at Mississippi State University.
You can find another good one at the University of Kentucky.

Engineering has a world of options to offer you!

Click here for Part 2!

Image Credit: Strange Machine, by (Tres) , Electrical Pole, by Jeffk , Chemical Reaction, by neys , Lego Building, by bonstromer

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