Is online master’s degree in mechanical engineering worth it? If you have a thirst for learning more about mechanical engineering and are currently incapacitated from relocating, an online master’s degree is the sound and pre-eminent option.
You may have some queries about selecting a program, enrolling, duration, curriculum, and other miscellaneous inquiries surrounding an online master’s degree in mechanical engineering.
We have gathered around all the information you might require while applying and even after completion of your degree.
Before jumping into the many details of an online master’s degree in mechanical engineering, let’s first highlight how a master’s degree is a good idea for you even if you already have a job.
So lets start with the first and foremost question of all.
Is Online Master’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering worth it?
Well, the answer to this question is somewhat subjective for different contests as the aspirations and skillset of different individuals vary. But, its no rocket science that an upgrade in education at any level is always worth it. No matter how good you are at something, more knowledge will only enhance your existing knowledge and in most cases empower you to utilize your previous knowledge more effectively.
But since that is a super simplistic generalization, lets discuss a few specific benefits of enrolling in a masters degree. Firstly, you will open up new gates of career possibilities and even unravel a chance to switch up your major. Secondly, with a master’s degree on your resume, you will be able to upgrade your current payscale or your future salary in case you aren’t working currently.
Along with that, a master’s degree enables you to further expand your knowledge in the field of your choice and stands you out in a crowd of basic engineer, and establish yourself as an expert in the field, an authority figure, which in itself a big boost to your confidence.
Last but not the least, a master’s degree is absolutely crucial in helping you get promotions. In fact, most companies consider a master’s degree a mandatory requirement for higher promotions.
If you are skilled and experienced enough to be eligible for that promotion, the lack of a master’s degree will be a big bottleneck. So, it’s better to already have it under your belt so that you don’t have to do a masters just for the sake of that promotion.
Now that you’ve been presented with a number of benefits of the engineering degree, you are bound to take it seriously, but here come the next struggles.
The first dilemma you might face is selecting an ideal program.
There are several choices, and there is no hard rule for the appropriate selection but let’s have a look at some of the basic tips that could help you out immensely.
Choosing a Suitable Online Master’s Degree Program in Mechanical Engineering
For starters, you should be aware that there are over 100 programs offered worldwide. There isn’t a solid guidebook for selecting the best program for you. However, putting your passion, intelligence, future goals, and career orientation into thought can surely transform your choice into the best choice.
You should take your time for deciding by looking over the many options. Visit the college websites and read through the provided descriptions for the particular programs to further filter out your options.
After picking the program with your judgment, the next step is to prepare for enrollment. Here are some of the specifics of the many requirements you must be aware of:
Preparation for Enrolling in an Online Master’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering
The initial requirement necessary for admission into an online master’s degree in mechanical engineering is a valid undergraduate degree. Some universities may require to have a bachelor’s in a particular discipline. Whereas a few may even demand a list of pre-requisite courses.
Moreover, there are other conditions such as an acceptable GRE score, personal statement, and recommendation letters from your previous mentors. A fair few colleges even have a specific GPA requirement for admission into their school. One of the most important prospects of admissions is the application deadlines. A good practice in this regard is to regularly visit the university webpage and to fill in your application at least ten days before the deadline.
Now, let’s dive down into the domain of tenure and the nature of the curriculum of an online master’s degree in mechanical engineering.
Duration and Curriculum of an Online Master’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering
You will be allowed to finish your degree panning out from 1 to 2 years. Universities usually offer either a full-time study plan or a part-time study plan. You can pick your preferred choice without any conditions.
Proceeding to the curriculum of your degree, the curriculum might vary depending on the type of degree you have opted for. There are two types of master’s degrees, one with a thesis and the one with a non-thesis. Naturally, your curriculum will require a thesis if you go for the thesis option and vice versa for the other option.
Other than that, a master’s degree usually requires you to qualify for eight to ten courses. The nature of the courses will depend on the stream you picked out and also on the choice of your university. Although a couple of conventional courses are advanced mathematics, manufacturing engineering, engineering materials, and statistics.
The next question that might arise in your head is whether there are scholarships and/or financial aid available for an online master’s degree in mechanical engineering. Let us now unravel the particulars of this query.
Availability of Scholarships & Financial Aid
There are multiple scholarships and financial assistance programs available. The assistance programs range from merit-based to need-based to government grants or college grants.
It all comes down to your specs including your grades, employment history, extra-curricular activities and so forth defining the amount of scholarship you can qualify for. Different institutions have different policies regarding their funding and therefore you must read the offers thoroughly.
The application process for the funding varies from college to college. Some universities have a completely separate application for funding whereas others have integrated it into the admission application.
Make sure you fill in the application completely and provide all the required documents before submitting it. This increases your chance of getting the grant.
We have scoured the internet to bring you a list of schools for getting an online master’s degree in mechanical engineering. They are listed down.
List of Schools for Getting an Online Master’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering
The school that you would like o get admission into is obviously dependent upon your preferences, whether it be academic, geographic, or financial. Depending upon the type of research you want to pursue, you have to check out different universities and list out which suits you best.
But to help you out, we have shortlisted some of the best universities in the world.
Here is the list of the 10 best universities that you should look into on our recommendation for online MS degree in mechanical engineering:
All the answers for applying are now covered. So let’s progress to what happens after successfully acquiring an online master’s degree in mechanical engineering.
As aforementioned, acquiring a master’s degree will open up more career opportunities as well as result in incrementing your wages, so let’s finish up this article nicely by covering the various opportunities that you can get after you acquire your master’s degree..
Opportunities after Acquiring an Online Master’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering
After having a master’s degree under your belt, your career options will expand remarkably.
You can take on technical work, research-related work, or even seek leadership roles. But of course, your line of work will depend on the nature of the master’s degree you opted for and even the courses you chose during the time of your degree.
This is why it is absolutely crucial to align your career passions with your academic choices so that it’s a good fit and your studies can complement your career choices.
Getting an online master’s degree in mechanical engineering will also give you a comparative advantage over others and add positively to your skills and knowledge.
It’s never too late to go for excellence and stand out in your field as a person of authority. A master’s degree is a means of excellence and it opens up ways to ends you can’t imagine.
In conclusion, a master’s degree is absolutely worth it, offers huge benefits that aren’t available in the absence of it, and is essential to your personal and professional growth.