Thanks; I’ll probably send you a PM in the next day or two, when I have more time to elaborate.
1 Like
The attitudes to these degrees are somewhat different in the U.K. (specifically England) where the baseline is a three year bachelors degree (although increasingly engineering has become almost expected to be a four year degree including a masters).
It is common in many STEM subjects to stay for a fourth year and get a masters degree (and this is often accommodated as part of the UK’s loan scheme for undergraduates). Many students stay at their undergrad university but some will go elsewhere if they get a more prestigious offer.
You would typically have a mix of taught courses and a research-based thesis (though some courses intended as the intro to a PhD are more heavily weighted to research). And though some students take them with the intention of doing a PhD afterwards (it is typically a required prerequisite in the U.K. since a PhD is just 3 years of full time research), others do it to stand out in the job market as having more in depth knowledge and (particularly in STEM) more practical experience. It doesn’t have to be decided in advance which path you’ll take, unless it is an overtly research based degree.
Hopefully that explains how this is looked at there. There are some overseas students, including from the US, who take these courses. I would think about doing it if you can get a prestigious offer such as at Oxbridge, especially if you don’t have to pay (for example a Marshall or Rhodes scholarship). I wouldn’t expect it to be so much use at a lower ranking university.
1 Like
This thread has taken a couple of turns, and has focused on the question about the PhD angle, but I wanted to respond to part of the initial question:
If their plan is to remain in industry, then in my experience - and there may be differences in specific kinds of engineering, most likely civil engineering, which I know less about - this would be just fine, especially if the university is either a recognizable name or in a country generally respected for its educational system (which is sort of an analogy for developed countries, and has some obvious bias in it).
For the most part, when a job description requires a masters degree, it’s a checkbox that demonstrates advanced education (and sometimes includes higher compensation), and there is significantly less concern about the institution - partly because people understand undergraduate educational institutional rankings (or think they do) much more broadly than masters institutional rankings.
In short, it should be just fine - your son should find the program they’re most excited about, or fits most into their life.
2 Likes
Just in case his field is civil/structural, the licensure requirements (PE, SE) are complicated enough, and a foreign degree would likely create additional hurdles. But if this is his field, he likely is already aware.
2 Likes
For engineering, it is really important to think about graduate degrees in the context of which discipline you are talking about. A chemical engineer will usually tell you an MS is essentially worthless, whereas a structural engineer will usually tell you an MS + PE is what you need for a good career.
2 Likes
Not to mention the emphasis would likely be on foreign design codes that might or might not agree with US codes of interest to US companies.
3 Likes
ABET listed programs abroad. Not sure about masters.
https://www.abet.org/global-engagement/substantial-equivalency/
1 Like
Few graduate programs are accredited by ABET, since they tend to be on specialized advanced topics.
While ABET does accredit some non-US programs, it has mutual recognition agreements with accrediting organizations in other countries. These are more likely to be relevant in those countries.
https://www.abet.org/global-engagement/mutual-recognition-agreements/
Thanks to all for your excellent and informative comments and suggestions! I think that now I can at least offer some informed opinions to my son – in the event that I am asked for them, of course! 
Totally agree. My son told me some ’programs are more well known but he thinks a MBA would be better anyway depending on the field and company
1 Like
What in the world are you talking about? You need a PhD to teach engineering for all intents and purposes.
A huge portion of practicing engineers in industry have an MS. Shoot, the overwhelming majority of engineering PhDs are employed in industry.
Don’t make things up.
1 Like
He doesn’t need a masters to get a PhD.
Yes, and I asked if that was his intention…to teach engineering.
There are many many practicing engineers who don’t have masters degrees or PhD degrees.
I simply asked…why does this student want to get a masters in engineering.
I’m a bit flabbergasted by this. This is not the norm. Most companies are populated by engineers with a BS or MS. PhDs are still very much the minority in most cases (but certainly valuable in many cases).
1 Like
Please don’t intentionally do this. It’s very unethical and really screws over the advisor.
1 Like
Just relating what my H has experienced. His input was - If someone wants to be an engineer, they really just need a BS. To move into management or to run a division/ company, an MBA or PhD is needed depending on the industry. He doesn’t see the value in an MS in engineering in his line of work.
YMMV.
1 Like
This topic was automatically closed 180 days after the last reply. If you’d like to reply, please flag the thread for moderator attention.