Engineering Doctorate

[dr_gn]

M3CHA-MONK3Y said:

(Mods, I wasn't sure where to put this thread, so feel free to relocate if it's in the wrong section)

I've heard of a few people in the construction industry being Doctors of Engineering and have just read a thread that spoke about a gent who was also a Engineering Doctor.

I'm just about to start my HND in Building
services and wondered whether it was possible to branch into general engineering and take a PhD?

The only problem is, I have a full time job already and although my company wouldn't have a problem sponsoring me through Uni, I'm sure they wouldn't want to lose me for 4 years. Is it possible to do a day release or does it require full-time education?

TIA

There are Eng.D's which are engineering doctorates, or PhD's which are philosophy doctorates, which can obviously be in an engineering subject.

I believe that the whole ‘PhD’s are considered overqualified and won’t get an industry job’ is crap, spouted by people who don’t really know. All of my friends who did PhD’s have excellent jobs in industry now. What I would say though, is that unless your ‘industry’ job is *directly* related to your PhD, you won’t earn any more than a first degree qualified candidate.

I’m much more of a practical engineer than theoretical, so I did a PhD with Rolls-Royce Aerospace, just to prove to myself that I could do it. I found absolutely no problem getting a job, in fact I was employed on a part-time basis in the third year of my PhD, and then full time on completion. I only went to the interview to get some practice for when I’d finished my research, but they made me an offer. The job was nothing to do with my PhD, my B.Eng degree in CAE was far more relevant. Many skills I learned during my PhD did come into play though, for example, at the interview, the two candidates who were interviewed before me were students to whom I’d lectured CAE & Design Theory as part of the obligations I had to undertake as part of the research department. The interviewer said that he’d just had two pretty impressive candidates, to which my reply was “Good - I taught them everything they know” (which got a good laugh after the explanation).

After 10 years as a design engineer, I have recently moved into Aerospace Research, where the experience I gained in my previous job, coupled with my PhD gave me a massive advantage at interview, and I now have a fantastic job, in which all my qualifications are amply rewarded.

My advice to you is to go for it, if you get the chance, and don’t look back. The status you will enjoy cannot be bought (and you’ll get a nice discount on car insurance too) .

BTW, many PhD’s used to begin with an M.Phil (master of philosophy) for one year, after which you transferred to the Ph.D proper. In this case, should you find you can’t handle the Ph.D, you will probably get an M.Phil (which to many is nothing more than a ‘failed PhD’, but that’s another story).

[rhinochopig]

dr_gn said:

M3CHA-MONK3Y said:

(Mods, I wasn't sure where to put this thread, so feel free to relocate if it's in the wrong section)

I've heard of a few people in the construction industry being Doctors of Engineering and have just read a thread that spoke about a gent who was also a Engineering Doctor.

I'm just about to start my HND in Building
services and wondered whether it was possible to branch into general engineering and take a PhD?

The only problem is, I have a full time job already and although my company wouldn't have a problem sponsoring me through Uni, I'm sure they wouldn't want to lose me for 4 years. Is it possible to do a day release or does it require full-time education?

TIA

There are Eng.D's which are engineering doctorates, or PhD's which are philosophy doctorates, which can obviously be in an engineering subject.

I believe that the whole ‘PhD’s are considered overqualified and won’t get an industry job’ is crap, spouted by people who don’t really know. All of my friends who did PhD’s have excellent jobs in industry now. What I would say though, is that unless your ‘industry’ job is *directly* related to your PhD, you won’t earn any more than a first degree qualified candidate.

I’m much more of a practical engineer than theoretical, so I did a PhD with Rolls-Royce Aerospace, just to prove to myself that I could do it. I found absolutely no problem getting a job, in fact I was employed on a part-time basis in the third year of my PhD, and then full time on completion. I only went to the interview to get some practice for when I’d finished my research, but they made me an offer. The job was nothing to do with my PhD, my B.Eng degree in CAE was far more relevant. Many skills I learned during my PhD did come into play though, for example, at the interview, the two candidates who were interviewed before me were students to whom I’d lectured CAE & Design Theory as part of the obligations I had to undertake as part of the research department. The interviewer said that he’d just had two pretty impressive candidates, to which my reply was “Good - I taught them everything they know” (which got a good laugh after the explanation).

After 10 years as a design engineer, I have recently moved into Aerospace Research, where the experience I gained in my previous job, coupled with my PhD gave me a massive advantage at interview, and I now have a fantastic job, in which all my qualifications are amply rewarded.

My advice to you is to go for it, if you get the chance, and don’t look back. The status you will enjoy cannot be bought (and you’ll get a nice discount on car insurance too) .

BTW, many PhD’s used to begin with an M.Phil (master of philosophy) for one year, after which you transferred to the Ph.D proper. In this case, should you find you can’t handle the Ph.D, you will probably get an M.Phil (which to many is nothing more than a ‘failed PhD’, but that’s another story).

Who do you work for now? Ex R-R here too

[dr_gn]

rhinochopig said:

dr_gn said:

M3CHA-MONK3Y said:

(Mods, I wasn't sure where to put this thread, so feel free to relocate if it's in the wrong section)

I've heard of a few people in the construction industry being Doctors of Engineering and have just read a thread that spoke about a gent who was also a Engineering Doctor.

I'm just about to start my HND in Building
services and wondered whether it was possible to branch into general engineering and take a PhD?

The only problem is, I have a full time job already and although my company wouldn't have a problem sponsoring me through Uni, I'm sure they wouldn't want to lose me for 4 years. Is it possible to do a day release or does it require full-time education?

TIA

There are Eng.D's which are engineering doctorates, or PhD's which are philosophy doctorates, which can obviously be in an engineering subject.

I believe that the whole ‘PhD’s are considered overqualified and won’t get an industry job’ is crap, spouted by people who don’t really know. All of my friends who did PhD’s have excellent jobs in industry now. What I would say though, is that unless your ‘industry’ job is *directly* related to your PhD, you won’t earn any more than a first degree qualified candidate.

I’m much more of a practical engineer than theoretical, so I did a PhD with Rolls-Royce Aerospace, just to prove to myself that I could do it. I found absolutely no problem getting a job, in fact I was employed on a part-time basis in the third year of my PhD, and then full time on completion. I only went to the interview to get some practice for when I’d finished my research, but they made me an offer. The job was nothing to do with my PhD, my B.Eng degree in CAE was far more relevant. Many skills I learned during my PhD did come into play though, for example, at the interview, the two candidates who were interviewed before me were students to whom I’d lectured CAE & Design Theory as part of the obligations I had to undertake as part of the research department. The interviewer said that he’d just had two pretty impressive candidates, to which my reply was “Good - I taught them everything they know” (which got a good laugh after the explanation).

After 10 years as a design engineer, I have recently moved into Aerospace Research, where the experience I gained in my previous job, coupled with my PhD gave me a massive advantage at interview, and I now have a fantastic job, in which all my qualifications are amply rewarded.

My advice to you is to go for it, if you get the chance, and don’t look back. The status you will enjoy cannot be bought (and you’ll get a nice discount on car insurance too) .

BTW, many PhD’s used to begin with an M.Phil (master of philosophy) for one year, after which you transferred to the Ph.D proper. In this case, should you find you can’t handle the Ph.D, you will probably get an M.Phil (which to many is nothing more than a ‘failed PhD’, but that’s another story).

Who do you work for now? Ex R-R here too

I work for a Boeing R&D establishment (which is why I've got tomorrow and Friday off for Thanksgiving