Is a broad engineering degree too general for getting specialist skills?
A broad engineering degree is not necessarily too general to develop specialist skills. Whether it enables depth depends on the advanced courses, laboratory work, projects, research activity, and thesis opportunities included in the program, as well as the student’s course choices and learning. It is important to check whether the program offers learning relevant to the field you want to pursue.
Key points
- A broad foundation can help students understand connections between fields and provide a basis for choosing a specialization.
- Advanced courses, laboratory work, projects, research activity, and a thesis can offer opportunities to develop depth.
- Course choices and independent learning also affect the specialist skills developed.
Things to check
- The range of specialist courses and the availability and content of research activity or a thesis vary by university, faculty, department or program, and entry year; check the official curriculum and syllabi.