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Want to study engineering but not sure exactly what?

Don’t worry, this list of popular engineering majors and branches will help you decide!

Engineering Majors 1- Traditional Branches

Mechanical Engineering

This branch of engineering has to do with using physics and other scientific concepts to design, analyze, and ultimately create mechanical systems. This traces back to the prehistoric wheel, the works of Archimedes, and other primitive machines. In modern days, you’ll study things like dynamics, instrumentation, fluid mechanics, mechanism design and many other interesting courses.

Studying mechanical engineering can lead you to work in:

• Mechanics, analyzing the effect of forces on matter using physics and applying this to other engineering concepts.
• Kinematics and motion analysis
• Mechatronics and robotics, which combine mechanical with electrical and software engineering to create practical machines and robots.
• Structural analysis, explaining why objects fail.
• Thermodynamics- looking at energy transfer in systems, for example heat transfer in fuel operations.
• Drafting, and manufacturing parts for assembly.
  As well, many other emerging areas in mechanical engineering are on the rise which may be of interest to you in the future.

Electrical Engineering

The branch of engineering that deals exclusively with designing electrical systems and goods. The field began to emerge in the late nineteenth century, once electrical power supplies became commercialized. Electrical engineering deals with transmission of electricity across large-scale systems, whereas the related branch of electronic engineering looks smaller scales computers and integrated circuits. Famous electric engineers include Thomas Edison, Michael Faraday and George Ohm. You’ll be able to study electromagnetics, network theory, circuits and control systems, among many other topics.

A degree in electric engineering can lead you to:

• Power engineering, which deals with transmission of commercial electricity and devices like transformers, generators, and high voltage motors.
• Control, which focuses on designing structures that help facilitate the behaviour of systems.
• Electronics- designing and testing electric circuits and goods.
• Microelectronics, which has to do with designing very small components of circuits, used in integrated circuits.
• Signal Processing, both digital and analog, for telecommunications
• Instrumentation- designing devices to measure physical quantities like pressure or temperatures.
• Computer engineering and other complicated devices like MP3 and video game console designs.

Chemical Engineering

This aspect of engineering uses physics, mathematics, and (of course) chemistry to convert materials and chemical into useful things. Chemical engineering has a hand in the processes that help create such things as plastics, pharmaceuticals, detergent products, and fuels. Chemical engineering focuses on finding the most economical chemical process, in terms of financial and environmental costs. You’ll encounter topics such as biomolecular engineering, distillation design, process control, separation processes, unit operations and much more.

With chemical engineering you can get to such fascinating fields as:

• Biochemical engineering- designing processes that involve biological molecules or organisms, such as bioreactors used to grow cells and tissues.
• Environmental engineering, using chemical processes for air and water pollution control.
• Material engineering and the application of properties of matter in industries.
• Textile engineering, which deals with designing fibers and textiles.
• Metallurgy, which looks specifically at metals and their uses and properties.
• Food engineering- applying chemical processes to the preparation, packaging and other aspects of healthy food.

Civil Engineering

The second oldest engineering discipline, civil engineering deals with man-made and naturally built environments. Things like buildings, roads, dams and bridges are all works of civil engineers. Dealing with the basics of society and environment, civil engineering solves problems involving water supplies, living areas, weather difficulties, and more. You’ll be studying geology, applied geometry, project management, topographical physics, and many other topics to become a professional civil engineer.

Civil engineering can lead you to fascinating careers such as:

• Construction engineering, looking closely at the business aspects of site development and construction, such as contract drafting, logistics and supply management.
• Earthquake engineering, which designing and evaluating structures to withstand earthquakes.
• Geotechnical engineering, involved with the rock and soil that supports civil structures.
• Water resource engineering- collecting and managing water using pipelines and water systems.
• Structural engineering- looking at the structural design of buildings, bridges, towers, and other structures.
• Transportation engineering, designing roads, railways, harbors, and other ways of transporting goods and people efficiently.

Engineering has a world of options to offer you!

Photo Credit:
- Strange Machine, by (Tres)
- Electrical Pole, by Jeffk
- Chemical Reaction, by”neys
- Lego Building, by bonstromer