Now that we have seen the job prospects for a Mechanical Engineer post completion of a Master’s degree, let’s attack the most common dilemma. What would be your field of interest in your Master’s degree?

In order to make things easier for you, we have shortlisted 10 common streams in Mechanical Engineering. This post will help you understand the streams better and the type of job roles you will be taking up after your Masters in Mechanical Engineering Degree with any of theses 10 specializations.

1. Automotive
2. Biomechanics Engineering / Biomaterial
3. Combustion / IC Engine modeling (Experimental, Computational)
4. Controls, Robotics
5. Dynamics, Controls & Vibrations
6. Energy / Heat & Mass transfer / Thermal Science
7. Fluid Mechanics / Computational Fluid Mechanics
8. Manufacturing
9. Materials / MEMS / NANO – 3D Printing
10. Solid Mechanics – Computational mechanics

• Automobile Engineering teaches manufacturing, designing, mechanical mechanisms as well as operations of automobiles. It is an introduction to vehicle engineering which deals with motorcycles, cars, bus trucks, etc. It includes a branch study of mechanical, electronic, software, and safety elements. [1]
• Biomechanics / Bio Material Engineering, as the name suggests is a combination of Mechanical Engineering principles to Biological systems. You will be studying the structure and function of biological systems such as humans, animals, plants, organs, fungi, and cells by means of the methods of mechanics. You will be working on Biomaterials, Biotribology (simply said, friction, wear, and lubrication of human joints), Comparative Biomechanics – where you see nature (animals, birds, etc.) and compare its motion towards the products that we develop, and Computational Biomechanics.
• Combustion / IC Engine modeling, the focus is on in-cylinder combustion, the chemical kinetics that is happening inside the combustion chamber, and the by-products of it. With strict emission norms and higher demand for fuel efficiency, this is one field that tries to tackle the challenges. From fuel injection to exhaust every aspect is covered in it. You can either be a Computational modeling engineer or an Experimental engineer if you specialize in combustion modeling.
• Controls and Robotics: If you are into Robotics, you know what it is, an interdisciplinary field that combines mechanical, electrical & computer science engineering. The main areas of Robotics are around its design, construction, operation, computer systems for their control, sensory feedback, and information processing. ML & AI are new additions that are being looked upon.
• Dynamics & Vibrations is the study of the kinematics and dynamics of particles and rigid bodies. Principles of motion of mechanical systems. Concepts of inertia, work, kinetic energy, linear momentum, angular momentum, and impact. Applications to engineering systems involve a wide range from satellite orbits, Space Rovers, Vehicle dynamics (i.e. Cars, Trucks, Bikes, etc.)
• Energy / Heat & Mass transfer / Thermal Science: If you are someone interested in HVAC systems (Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning), Heat and Mass Transfer, Thermal engineering this field might be for you. With renewable and sustainable energy being talked about ever than before, this might be your chance to contribute to the field of energy.
• Fluid Mechanics / Computational Fluid Mechanics: If Navier’s Stroke means something to you, then this might be your field. A strong background in undergraduate Fluid Mechanics will help you go towards computational methods of Fluid mechanics. CFD is one of the hot areas in the development process of any product, so if you are a CFD engineer, your chances of getting a job are higher.
• Manufacturing: Manufacturing, Quality, Production, Assembly – Developing a cost-effective production Mechanism to aid in mass manufacturing. You need to have a good understanding of statistical tools and manufacturing processes.
• Materials / MEMS / NANO & 3D Printing: Material Engineering, Nanoparticles, Micro-Electro-Mechanical systems, composite material – All these in combination with 3D printing can be a very potent field. With various material research in bio and nanomaterials, 3D printing has given the ability to get the materials printed, tested, and to the market at a faster pace. Understanding 3D printing technology is essential in additive manufacturing as well.
• Solid Mechanics – Computational mechanics: Solid Mechanics is our last field. It is split into experimental mechanics and computational mechanics. The concentration is more about structural analysis focusing on the motion and deformation of solid materials.

One thing to note, there is plenty of opportunities in each of these fields. Every field can get you a job, all you need to do is be the best in it.

References:

1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Automotive_engineering

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