What is General Engineering?

 General Engineering programs differ from the other engineering majors (Mechanical, Electrical and others) because it is an interdisciplinary, broadly focused major studying concepts related to several engineering disciplines. The initial coursework (e.g. mechanics, materials, math and science, thermodynamics) for General Engineers is the same as the course work taken for other engineering majors and you will interact closely in many of the same courses other engineer students are taking for most of your third- and forth class years.  In our program, students take course work from Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, and Civil Engineering areas as well as the standard math and science courses employed by any engineering major.  The required courses in the program address all of the engineering topics encountered in the national Fundamental of Engineering Examination.

 

The engineering accrediting body ABET (ABET.ORG) describes the learning outcomes for General Engineering students as -

A successful general engineering graduate is expected to:

1. an ability to identify, formulate, and solve complex engineering problems by applying principles of engineering, science, and mathematics
2. an ability to apply engineering design to produce solutions that meet specified needs with consideration of public health, safety, and welfare, as well as global, cultural, social, environmental, and economic factors
3. an ability to communicate effectively with a range of audiences
4. an ability to recognize ethical and professional responsibilities in engineering situations and make informed judgments, which must consider the impact of engineering solutions in global, economic, environmental, and societal contexts
5. an ability to function effectively on a team whose members together provide leadership, create a collaborative and inclusive environment, establish goals, plan tasks, and meet objectives
6. an ability to develop and conduct appropriate experimentation, analyze and interpret data, and use engineering judgment to draw conclusions
7. an ability to acquire and apply new knowledge as needed, using appropriate learning strategies.

 

According to Engineering By the Numbers published yearly by the American Society of Engineering Education, in 2015 there were 30,681 students studying General Engineering across the United States.  The graph below shows how General Engineering fits into the enrollment of engineering majors across the U.S.:

Engineering can be a rewarding career choice both intellectually and financially.  According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), starting salaries for engineers are among the highest of those for all college graduates. The BLS notes that a bachelor’s degree is required even for most entry-level jobs in the field. According to BLS, the employment opportunities in the engineering sector are expected to grow by 11 percent across the many engineering disciplines by 2018.

Graduates with a bachelor’s degree in General Engineering can find many career fields where they can use their education.  Many small - to medium-sized industrial concerns need the distributed skills of a General Engineering graduate to support plant operations.  These small plants cannot afford to hire three engineers in each of the areas of electrical, mechanical, and civil engineering, but they can afford to hire a single engineering student who brings into the work place a General Engineering degree and who has skills in all three of these areas.

Typical job titles of the General Engineering graduate include:

• Development Engineer
• Engineer
• Manufacturing Engineer
• Process Engineer
• Product Engineer
• System Design Engineer

According to the BLS the hourly wages for a General Engineering graduate by percentile are (Sector listing 17-2199):

Percentile	10%	25%	50% (Median)	75%	90%
Hourly Wage	$25.01	$34.11	$46.11	$59.06	$72.52
Annual Wage	$52,010	$70,960	$95,900	$122,840	$150,830