Which Type of Engineering You Should Study in College

So, you know that you want to pursue engineering, but you’re unsure which type of engineering you should study in college. That’s totally fine. Whether you’re stuck between two different majors or undecided on all of them, we’re here to show you the basics of each of the most popular branches of engineering in order to help you come to a more informed decision.

Mechanical Engineering

We’ll begin with one of the grandaddies of this profession: mechanical engineering. This field is all about the manufacturing and maintenance of mechanical-based systems. Thermodynamics, fluid dynamics, and stress analysis are some of the big topics you’ll become more knowledgeable about, so if you already love tinkering with mechanical devices, that will be a good starting point for this major.

Electrical Engineering

There’s actually a subcategory for electrical engineering known as electronic engineering. The former encompasses all large-scale electrical power dealings, whereas the latter focuses more on small-scale electronics, such as computers and phones. Both are great avenues if you already have an interest in electronics and how they work. If you don’t but want to be at the forefront of technological developments, this would be a good choice for you too.

Computer Engineering

If you have a bigger interest in PCs rather than electronics as a whole, computer engineering would be a better choice. In this profession, you will be dealing with both the hardware and software for computer companies, which will help you become even more a part of the bleeding edge of technology. If you’re a computer nut, this is hands-down the major that you should pursue.

Chemical Engineering

We feel like chemical engineering is one of the most misunderstood sections of this field. It’s not only about chemistry; it also heavily uses physical science and utilizes parts of microbiology and biochemistry. This is the perfect type of engineering for you if you love all areas of science and have an analytical mindset. Plus, there are way more industries that have jobs in chemical engineering than most people realize.

Civil Engineering

If you still can’t figure out which type of engineering you should study in college, maybe you need to go into one of the less conventional options, like civil engineering. Many people tend to forget that this path exists, but it’s just as prestigious and essential as any other kind of engineering. In this major, you’ll learn how to design large city projects such as roads and other mass transportation methods to best align with the city’s needs. As well as having an interest in designing and building things, you’ll also want to have an interest in computers because these days, most work is done electronically.

If none of these options seem to be a good fit, there are a few smaller branches of engineering that you can look into, but don’t be afraid to look outside of this profession either. There are a bunch of majors that deal with similar ideas that you can follow as well.

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