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07-01-2008, 12:54 PM
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#1 | | Junior Member
Join Date: Feb 2008
Posts: 75
| What's the hardest/most intellectual type of engineering?
I'm looking for a challenge, but also the ability to innovate with the knowledge I gain in college, rather than just design vacuum cleaners. Any suggestions? Thanks! | 
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07-01-2008, 01:10 PM
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#2 | | Member
Join Date: Dec 2005
Posts: 780
| probably engineering physics
at my school it's renowned as the hardest undergraduate degree. | |
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07-01-2008, 01:16 PM
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#3 | | Member
Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: University of Phoenix - Main campus
Posts: 346
| The people in the engineering forum have answered this question a few times....
It really depends on what type of intro class you find hardest. Most people would say physics, thus engineering physics. | |
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07-01-2008, 01:35 PM
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#4 | | Member
Join Date: Dec 2005
Posts: 780
| I wouldn't say that it has much to do with intro courses. Intro physics is pretty basic, like everything else. Physics just gets insanely difficult in the advanced courses and when you have to do 7 courses a semester like you have to for EngPhys at my university, it's a bit of a grind. | |
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07-01-2008, 02:53 PM
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#5 | | Member
Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: University of Phoenix - Main campus
Posts: 346
| What I mean is there is no universal answer for these typical "what is the hardest..." questions; its up to the OP to say what he/she finds challenging.
If by "basic" you mean easy, then you probably dont find many things challenging, Russell. Gen physics or Physics 1-Mechanics was the hardest intro class I've taken on my engineering track thus far, and many of my classmates would agree. For those who say engineering is made hard by its great courseload, I would still say physics 1(4/5 creds) had the most work, imo. | |
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07-01-2008, 04:52 PM
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#6 | | Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Seattle, Lynchburg, VA
Posts: 8,201
| Chem E, EE and Aero E. | |
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07-01-2008, 05:07 PM
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#7 | | Member
Join Date: Dec 2005
Posts: 780
| If by "basic" you mean easy, then you probably dont find many things challenging, Russell. Gen physics or Physics 1-Mechanics was the hardest intro class I've taken on my engineering track thus far, and many of my classmates would agree. For those who say engineering is made hard by its great courseload, I would still say physics 1(4/5 creds) had the most work, imo.
I find lots of things challenging. Just not intro courses. Mechanics was a bit of a bastard, though, I agree. Mechanics 2 was even worse. Engineering physics doesn't really have anything to do with mechanics, though. It's optics and waves and crap. | |
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07-01-2008, 05:29 PM
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#8 | | Member
Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Chicago
Posts: 643
| Was electricity and magnetism actually easier than mechanics?
Most innovative type of engineering: EE & ME, because they're the most broad and applicable.
Hardest: I'd 2nd barrons on the ChemE, EE, and AeroE. Maybe include engineering physics or engineering mechanics. | |
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07-01-2008, 05:38 PM
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#9 | | Member
Join Date: Dec 2005
Posts: 780
| Electricity and magnetism was easier than mechanics, IMO. It's just a bunch of applied calculus. Calculating flux, electric fields at a certain point, etc.
There was a pretty low class average, though, so most people did find it hard. | |
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07-01-2008, 08:25 PM
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#10 | | Member
Join Date: Aug 2007
Posts: 761
| Even though I got A's in mechanics and electricity & magnetism, I changed my major to math because I want a life. | |
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07-01-2008, 08:26 PM
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#11 | | Member
Join Date: Dec 2005
Posts: 780
| what do you mean by that? Engineering degrees are versatile and you can work in many fields. I'm a former math major and now I'm in Mec E because it's (from what I understand) the MOST versatile degree. | |
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07-01-2008, 09:05 PM
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#12 | | Junior Member
Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Baltimore
Posts: 276
| I 3rd Barrons...ChemE, EE, and AE are the three most widely regarded "tough majors" at my school | |
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07-01-2008, 09:09 PM
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#13 | | Member
Join Date: Feb 2007
Posts: 931
| You guys are forgetting Nuclear Engineering. | |
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07-01-2008, 09:14 PM
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#14 | | Member
Join Date: Dec 2005
Posts: 780
| Not many schools offer nuclear, although it is supposed to be hard.
I don't get why AE is supposed to be hard. I thought that it was just Mec E with a few different courses. Maybe not.
And over here ChemE isn't supposed to be the hardest... more like 2nd teir behind EE and EngPhys. I've heard it described as "just a bunch of table-monkeying bull****." From the one ChemE course that I took, I have to agree. | |
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07-02-2008, 12:13 AM
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#15 | | New Member
Join Date: Apr 2008
Posts: 19
| If you're thinking of picking an engineering field based on whats hardest, I think that means you just need to do more research on the different areas. | |
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