Preface
The majority of engineering freshmen see the Bachelor's
degree as their ultimate educational objective. However,
while progressing toward this goal they discover that there
is more to learn than they first realized. Usually they
find one or more areas which particularly interest them
and recognize that more study is needed to develop their
ability in these areas. At this point, the idea of going
on to graduate school begins to form.
This booklet was written for those of you who have reached
this stage in your engineering development. It is not a
"sales pitch" for graduate school, but rather
a guide for those who have already made the decision to
pursue graduate study or are at least seriously considering
it. The booklet presents answers to some common questions
about graduate school. Although written especially for mechanical
engineering students, the information is generally applicable
to any engineering discipline. We hope you find it useful.
A Different World
Graduate study differs from undergraduate study
in several respects. The courses are, generally speaking,
structured in a manner not unlike undergraduate courses,
but require more critical thought on the part of the student.
Since graduate students major in a particular area, the
selection of a suitable course sequence is very important.
The student, therefore, selects a major professor to assist
in setting up a "plan of study" tailored to meet
the student's background and interests. When the student
is engaged in research, the major professor plays an even
greater role in the process.
Research is a key element in many M.S. programs and the
major element in all Ph. D. programs. Some students do choose
to pursue non-thesis M.S. programs consisting simply of
additional coursework beyond the B.S. degree. For the moment
we will restrict our attention to thesis option programs.
Why does research make graduate study different from undergraduate
study? Answering this question completely would make a good
Ph.D. thesis for someone in the humanities, but simply stated,
the conduct of research requires the production of new information
as opposed to the absorption and use of existing knowledge
characteristic of undergraduate study. This has several
implications for the student. First, he or she is forced
to review thoroughly the existing state of knowledge in
the area of concern so that its scope and limitations are
understood. This means that the technical literature must
be studied - - an important task which goes well beyond
reading the latest textbook on the subject. Secondly, the
student must perform analytical and/or experimental work
to generate the new knowledge required. Finally, and of
utmost significance, the student must present the results
of the investigation in a clear and comprehensive, written
thesis for the benefit of others who may need the information
obtained. Thus, the student has a fundamental responsibility
to conduct the research carefully and professionally, because
those who later use the results produced must rely heavily
on the validity of the work. Undergraduate students rarely,
if ever, are faced with such responsibility.
Obviously, there are differences between M.S. and Ph.D.
thesis, although the comments in the previous paragraph
are generally applicable to both. Sometimes the distinctions
are fuzzy, but normally the M.S. student will be engaged
in a study which involves only a limited advance in knowledge
- - often based on a rather straight forward extension of
previous work. An example would be repeating an earlier
experiment under different operating conditions to broaden
the data base. A Ph.D. thesis, on the other hand, is expected
to produce original results of broad applicability. The
Ph.D. student carries more individual responsibility for
the direction and conduct of the research.
A word about non-thesis M.S. programs is in order here.
These involve only additional course work beyond the Bachelor's
degree and are often selected by students wanting simply
to extend their engineering capabilities without the concentration
in a particular area inherent in a thesis. At many schools
it is strongly recommended that the "coursework"
include three to six credit hours of special project activity
carried out under the direction of a faculty member. This
provides some of the experience gained in a thesis program,
although certainly the two are not equivalent.
Should I Go to Graduate School?
Now that the "big picture" has been presented,
we can look at the details and answer some important questions
which every prospective graduate student faces. The first
question is whether graduate study should be pursued at
all. The answer will have a major effect on your career
in engineering and several factors must be considered.
Undergraduate performance is certainly important. Normally,
you must have at least a B average or, if not, some additional
evidence that you can be successful in graduate study in
order to be considered for admission at most schools. It
is interesting to note, however, that once this minimum
criterion is met, performance at the B.S. level is only
a partial indicator of graduate school success. Straight
A students are sometimes not as successful at research,
for example, as those with less impressive academic records.
A desire for more knowledge is obviously a factor. If you
have maintained the interest in technical work which brought
you into engineering in the first place, you probably have
this desire. Motivation is always the key to success.
Most important is the career you have in mind. Graduate
school tends to channel you toward a career in research,
development, or advanced design as opposed to production
or sales. If such a career is your goal, then graduate school
is almost a necessity. It goes without saying that, if you
want to become a university professor (some people actually
do), you will need to go all the way to the Ph.D.
If your goal is simply to maximize your financial status,
then the situation is not as clear cut. At the moment, the
high initial salaries being offered graduating seniors are
causing many students to reject the additional years in
school required of graduate students. Although there is
a salary advantage for those with a graduate degree, the
initial differential may be small. However, there is a major
advantage in having a graduate degree even if the financial
reward is not large. As a research and development engineer
in a large company pointed out, "we're the ones who
have fun around here". This statement reflects the
fact that engineers with graduate degrees often have more
technical freedom and more variety in their work. Certainly,
in high technology industries, a graduate degree is a major
criterion for advancement.
What Subject Should I Study?
Your decision to go to graduate school may be based
on a general desire to broaden your educational background.
However, all graduate students specialize to some extent
and must select a primary area of study. Usually a student
chooses a particular area because of interests developed
during undergraduate school. It is important to recognize
that the division of subject matter at the graduate level
is not identical to that at the undergraduate level.
For example, in the Department of Mechanical Engineering
at the Florida A&M-Florida State College of Engineering
there are graduate programs in all of the usual undergraduate
subjects such as solid mechanic, fluid mechanics, heat transfer,
and controls. In addition, however, there are programs in
magnet design, combustion, and mechatronics. Many of these
areas are interrelated. Combustion analysis, as an example,
involves thermodynamics, fluid mechanics and heat transfer.
Therefore, a student who has developed a strong interest
in a subject such as fluid mechanics while an undergraduate
might find that graduate study in the combustion field would
be of interest. The point is that you should keep an open
mind and not be afraid to enter a field just because you
have not taken undergraduate courses in that specific subject.
No one expects you to be an expert when you begin graduate
study.
How Do I Select a School?
Once you have decided upon an area of study, the
next point to be addressed is where you should go to graduate
school. There are usually several equally-good choices.
However, there are also poor choices, so it is important
to do some study before selecting schools to which you will
apply.
First and foremost, you should pick schools which have
strong programs in your area of interest. Curriculum catalogs
(usually in your library) may be of some help here, although
these can be deceiving. If no courses are listed in heat
transfer, for example, it is a good indication that a student
interested in that subject should look elsewhere. However,
the fact that six courses are listed does not guarantee
that a strong program exists, since some of them may not
be taught regularly. Therefore, such printed material, while
useful, should not be your only source of information.
The best resources are professors in your school doing
research in the area you plan to pursue. They will be aware
of other universities with strong programs and can provide
you with a great deal of specific information. Although
they may naturally promote their own research, they will
usually make a real attempt to be fair and give you all
the information they have on programs at other universities.
A good source of information about programs at your own
school is graduate students. Ask them about their work and
gauge their response. If they are enthusiastic and interested
in explaining their own research, that is a positive sign.
If they spend a great deal of time complaining about their
lot in life, this may be a reason to scrutinize the program
more closely. Make sure you get more than one data point
though, since you can find an unhappy soul anywhere.
This brings up the topic of whether you should continue
for the M.S. degree at your own school or go elsewhere.
Some feel that a change of schools is desirable for its
own sake by virtue of the chance to be exposed to a new
environment. While this has some merit, it is probably most
important at smaller schools. At larger schools, the students
will find that the academic environment is quite different
in graduate school. He or she will be interacting with professors
whose existence may not even be known as an undergraduate
and will find that being a graduate student puts a completely
different perspective on life. It certainly makes no sense
to move from a school with a strong program to one with
a weaker program simply to be in a different location.
Perhaps a word on how one recognizes a strong program is
in order here. The number of faculty and students working
in the area is a possible measure, but not an exclusive
one. Often one professor working with one or two students
at a time can represent a major effort in a specific area.
The key element is, in fact, the professional reputation
of the faculty member(s). This is why talking to your own
professors or others with direct knowledge of the work being
done in a particular field is so important.
One could go on for pages on the subject of selecting a
school, but we will avoid that urge. The point is that it
is a major decision and should be done carefully on the
basis of as much reliable information as you can collect.
This information should include specific details about your
area of interest, since an otherwise "good" school
may not be strong in this particular area.
How Do I Finance Graduate Study?
An undergraduate student may be able to rely on
financial support from parents, but most families are not
excited about continuing that support beyond the B.S. degree.
So where does the money come from? Basically there are five
sources.
