Bachelor of Science in Manufacturing Engineering: Exploring Engineering

Specialization and value-adding is the most profitable trend in the industrial sector as companies and multi-billion industries look for new products, new services and innovations. The emerging requirements and trials in the industrial sector give birth to new fields such as in the field of Engineering.

A lot of people may not realize that Engineering has a diverse spectrum of sub-fields that addresses specific needs of companies and industries. There is Civil and Structural Engineering, Mining Engineering, Electronics and Communications Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Aeronautical Engineering and Manufacturing Engineering.

Of course, all engineering degrees require heavy loads on Mathematics, Geometry, Algebra, Calculus and the Science of Computing. But for every specific sub-field, a unique curriculum is introduced to focus the learning on a certain specialization. It is the new trend and as the world develops and evolves, much has been broken down to specifics and details.

Engineering and Manufacturing

As the two words suggest, a Bachelor of Science in Manufacturing Engineering degree is a combination of the traditional Engineering subjects, manufacturing knowledge and economics. But in a more layman explanation, the degree aims to teach students how to transform engineering theories into new technologies and products or services that would sell in the industrial market. Take for example robotics, prototype designs, control systems designs, computer-aided systems for manufacturing and more.

Aside from these, those taking a degree of Bachelor of Science in Manufacturing Engineering also study the fundamentals of human communication, Production and Operations Management, Manufacturing Systems Management, Computer Integrated Manufacturing, Foundations of Computer Science, Engineering Economic Analysis, and Principals of Economics.

There is also an accreditation body that approves program for Bachelor of Science in Manufacturing Engineering – this is the Technology Accreditation Commission of the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (TAC of ABET). ABET is approved by the US Government and internationally accepted. Most programs offered by schools and universities are accredited by ABET. As for employment, ABET-accredited programs are given points by employers looking foe engineers.

Career outlook

Manufacturing engineers, just like other engineers from other sub-fields receive an average of US$75,000 to US$90,000 per year. Engineers are in-demand all over the world because of the non-stop development in the industrial world. Graduates of the degree can apply as Manufacturing Engineer, Tool Manufacturing Engineer, Project Engineer, Application Engineer, Plant Manager, Optical Manufacturing Engineer, Tool Design Engineer, and Product or Process Development Engineer.

The salary of manufacturing engineers varies depending on the industry, location, experience and educational attainment. In Houston, Texas, engineers’ salaries can go as high as UD$102,000.

Schools

The leading universities in US offer this degree including MIT, UCLA, Michigan and other but the more popular schools offering this degree are as follows:

o            Florida A&M — Florida A&M University’s Department of Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering offers bachelor’s degree, master’s degree and doctorate degree in manufacturing and quality engineering.

o          Ferris State University – it offers a bachelor’s degree. At least a 2.0 grade-point average is needed to complete the program.

o            Boston University  — it offers both master’s and bachelor’s degrees. Boston’s curriculum includes micro-electromechanical systems, also known as MEMS, robotics and green manufacturing. The grade ceiling is 3.0 or higher.

o          The North Carolina State University’s Integrated Manufacturing Systems Engineering Institute (IMSEI) – it offers a master’s program that is inter-disciplinary.

In Asia, the leading schools for engineering are the University of Tokyo, Seoul University and leading schools in China, India and Philippines.