Engineering and technology
What’s on offer for postgraduates?
Engineering postgraduate student profile
Engineering and technology is a big, well-established field. At postgraduate level its familiar sub-disciplines (chemical, civil, mechanical) are now complemented by those which relate to emerging technologies, for example, biomedical engineering, telecommunications engineering and wireless communication. Then there are those which look at engineering and technology in specific fields of activity and industries, such as local government, water management, air conditioning, environmental management, pulp and paper production, transport and so on.
Engineers are big consumers of further education and training, and the profession has an unusually strong role in its provision. The majority of those enrolled in the engineering and technology field are doing coursework rather than research, typically for a professional upgrade but some choose to learn a new specialisation. This reflects the increasing mobility of engineers between organisations and areas of responsibility.
If you are contemplating an engineering and technology research degree you should not just look at research performance of the institution overall but at the activities of academics in your area of interest. Also, where relevant, consider the prevalence of interdisciplinary activity and industry links.
It is not unusual to find engineering research/teaching centres which bring together the efforts of universities and organisations from the private sector. Note too the availability of APA (Industry) scholarships which support research students wanting to work in conjunction with industry.
The experience and rewards
Visit the University Ratings section for engineering and technology course ratings or to see how engineering and technology rates in the Fields of Study Compared table.
Those who have recently completed postgraduate coursework in this field think the quality of teaching is poor and give their overall experience and the skills they gained below average ratings, according to the national Course Experience Questionnaire. The generally accepted view, strongly pushed by Engineers Australia, is that the economies of the future will demand more and more engineers. Demand for graduates of engineering bachelor degrees is strong, but the market for engineering postgraduates is patchy. Over a quarter of graduates surveyed in 2009 were still seeking work four months after graduation. On the other hand, those who do find work earn excellent salaries.
For more information
Depending on where your interests lie within the broad engineering and technology field, you should also browse specialisations in environmental studies , architecture , built environment , computing and information systems , and surveying . If you wish to branch out from engineering into management check out business and management as well.
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Joseph Berry — PhD in Engineering |
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