Thinking about doing a B.Eng (Hons)

[Caddy2000]

With the OU for three reasons.
1 - I love engineering, and really wish I had studied it.
2 - I'm fed up with my job, can't see anyway to progress in my industry and fancy a change
3 - I want to build my own bike from scratch and for some ludicrous reason build a scale model of TSR-2

Any advice out there? I've already got a B.Sc in conservation and rural land management, so I hope to use the credits from that towards the first year of the new degree, but any good books, study aids etc?

Ta


Paul

[cuffy]

Which field of engineering are you looking at getting into?
Mechanical, Electrical, Aeronautical or another.

[Dave20046]

I'm looking at doing similar (but in IT) but can't work out the OU website...what do I need (qualification wise) to apply? How long will it take? What will the degree consist of. Can't help but feel they don't want you to know the answer to those questions as it would reveal the immence cost!
Infact might ring 'em.
Will watch this thread closely.

[yorkie_chris]

With the OU for three reasons.
1 - I love engineering, and really wish I had studied it.
2 - I'm fed up with my job, can't see anyway to progress in my industry and fancy a change
3 - I want to build my own bike from scratch and for some ludicrous reason build a scale model of TSR-2

Any advice out there? I've already got a B.Sc in conservation and rural land management, so I hope to use the credits from that towards the first year of the new degree, but any good books, study aids etc?

Ta


Paul

I am in last year of B-eng at the moment. I will send you some notes if you like to give you an idea.

Though point 3 is a bit different, you won't use much of the degree materials doing that.

[Owenski]

What sort of engineering, I guess mechanical if your wanting to bike build.

Only advice I have is DONT DO CIVIL ENGINEERING! Im doing it and it sucks

[Caddy2000]

Which field of engineering are you looking at getting into?
Mechanical, Electrical, Aeronautical or another.

Well I'm red colour blind so that takes Electrical out of the question, but I'm interested in both mechanical and aeronautical - I'll have a better clue when the OU gets back to me.

I am in last year of B-eng at the moment. I will send you some notes if you like to give you an idea.

Though point 3 is a bit different, you won't use much of the degree materials doing that.

True, but it should give me a better understanding of hows and whys.

[Dave20046]

Just spoke to OU , today is the last day for registering for courses. until march but apparently only a few start in march. Then it's september.

[TazDaz]

What sort of engineering, I guess mechanical if your wanting to bike build.

Only advice I have is DONT DO CIVIL ENGINEERING! Im doing it and it sucks

Civils can open doors to a lot of jobs though.

[Alpinestarhero]

How good are you with mathematics? I wasn't very good or confident with it before I went to uni to study chemistry, but I knew I had to learn; I picked up Foundation Maths by Anthony Croft and Robert Davison (see amazon: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Foundation-Maths-Dr-Anthony-Croft/dp/0131979213 ). I worked through it steadily, and learnt how to do simple things like rearranging equations to more difficult stuff, like integration by parts and things. I recoommend it, even to refresh yourself on mathematics . Plenty of worked examples and loads of questions to test yourself, with answers in the back

If you really are enthusiastic about doing a university course, then do it. Uni can be expensive and you have to have alot of motivation from within yourself to learn; you get out of what what you put in :) I think you seem very enthusiastic, so go for it :D

[ArtyLady]

I think (I might be wrong though) that you can credit some of your existing degree and top it up with OU courses to give you another one? They'll tell you if you speak to them.

[timwilky]

I did BSc(Hons) Mech Eng 30 years ago and it was damm hard work.

Doing it part time will take one hell of a commitment. I have seen quite a number start off and quite, but in saying that I had a mate who did his degree, and PHD in maths, part time whilst working as a project manager for a nuclear power station build in China. So if you have the time, enthusiasm and commitment do it.

[Alpinestarhero]

I did BSc(Hons) Mech Eng 30 years ago and it was damm hard work.

Doing it part time will take one hell of a commitment. I have seen quite a number start off and quite, but in saying that I had a mate who did his degree, and PHD in maths, part time whilst working as a project manager for a nuclear power station build in China. So if you have the time, enthusiasm and commitment do it.

Unfortunatly, it would seem that modern degree courses are not as taxing as they once were :( so caddy, you might not find it as strenuous as The Right Honorable Mr Wilky did

[AndyBrad]

I've done a b eng hons in CAED (basically its mechanical with a bit of cad thrown in)

Interesting hearing Matt say dont go cival as i have often thourght this would have been a better career path.

if you want to buld a bike then become a mechanic!

also dont go into engineering if you are
a) workshy
b) wanting to make any money

just my 2penneth :)

[MrTom]

I studied Mechanical engineering to MEng level.

Looking at your 3rd reason to study, a degree like this will equip you very little in the way of hands on mechanical skill and knowledge.

A B/MEng degree will involve mostly mathematics, both high level pure maths and applying maths to the science of things like fluid mechanics, aerodynamics, failure modes of structures, IC engines, thermodynamics etc.

Oh and +1 for the two comments of the above poster ^^

[Caddy2000]

Ha! If I wanted to make money I wouldn't have gone into conservation!
A*hero - thanks for the advice on maths, really enjoyed maths and physics when I studied it both in my FE and HE courses, but a refresher is never a bad idea.

With regards to whether it's the right path for me or not I'm waiting for a call from the OU to discuss what they have to offer. I'll never go into civils - working for Carillion I met too many of the suicide squad.

[CoolGirl]

Got 10 months to go on my 3-year Masters with the OU - do not underestimate how much work it is on top of a job:smt101. If I'd have known what I was getting myself into....well, I probably would still have done it anyway. And the OU is good because you have to make more effort, and you'll get to meet other people who are similarly dedicated/mad.

[Well Oiled]

If you're interested in automotive stuff then do an automotive specific degree. If I were you I'd be looking to study Auto Engineering with a slant on alternative energy - in 10 to 15 years those skills and knowledge will be really sought after.

[dizzyblonde]

You can study BEng hons part time. Well the Computer Aided one you can, Carnivore studied it for four years part time, even though its really full time.
Very hard, if you work at the same time, it was a biatch at times standing on this side of the fence, knowing what he did. Luckily he worked weekends so went to uni all week. Only downside was sitting in a lecture on a monday morning straight after a night shift!

[sarah]

I did BSc(Hons) Mech Eng 30 years ago and it was damm hard work.



+1(ish). I did it 10ish years ago and it was flipping hard work.

[anna]

It really depends what you are thinking of studying, very often these days a B.Eng is not enough you will only have put yourself on the same platform as many others looking for a job. M.Eng is probably the better if you are prepared to put a little extra time into it.

Sadly you are up against a lot of other people out there with similar qualifications plus experiance right now, however that isnt to say when you have finished in four years time the economic and job market situation wont have changed.

If you are looking into doing engineering it might also be worth your time to look into learning a second language, specifically German.

If you have studied before or have experience in certain areas, then certainly you can obtain merits for those and knock them off the list of modules you need for the degree, although I am sure the OU will give you more information about that if you speak to them.

Which area is it you are looking into?

[instigator]

I studied Mechanical Engineering in 02-06 and got my B.Eng. Now studying with Brunel Uni, distance learning in MSc Building Services & Sustainable Energy. It is ****ing hard work to keep both a job and studying down, budget 1.5hrs a night if you want to keep on top of things and even then, you work at weekends also (if you're like me).

I glad I am doing my MSc a few years after as it allowed me to focus on what I wanted to do. And it looks like I've got 2 degrees and can specialise in what I want to. :D

Thoroughlly recommend doing it but don't under estimate the level of work you'll have to do.

[Ed]

How much will it cost, can you afford it? Will you get your money back (assuming that that is relevant). Will it get you a better job, is there lots of competition? As others have said, lots of work... is it a case of the grass is greener...

Not trying to rain on your parade but go into it with your eyes open.