MSc vs MEng – Differences between the two courses

Every student who wishes to study engineering abroad faces a common dilemma – do they choose MEng or MSc? If you have enquired the same with educational consultancies, they would have probably told you that there is not much of a difference. Others might have told you that MEng is called an MSc in some countries. But if you have taken some time to do a bit of research, you will see that some universities offer MSc and MEng – signifying that MSc is not an alternative for MEng. Rather, they are different approaches to the same subject. In this article, we will explore how different the two courses are how the different impacts the learner’s employment.

 

MEng is not always a postgraduate study

In Europe, MEng is considered as an undergraduate degree while MSc is considered as a postgraduate study. Whereas in America or even India, MEng or ME is considered as a postgraduate degree.

In Europe, an MEng degree will immediately qualify you to become a Chartered Engineer (which can be done if you pass the assessment). If you are an international student who graduated in Europe, you can still apply for a Chartered Engineer assessment.The alternative to becoming eligible for a Chartered Engineer would be to do a BEng + MSc. An MEng is not considered as professional engineering as BEng + MSc is.

 

The programs are structured different

An MSc specialises in theories and studies and is more research-oriented. An MEng is structured with technical coursework and focuses more on application.

An MSc degree requires you to work on a thesis paper. Depending on the university, an MSc contains 2-3 pre-requisite courses and a number of assorted electives from which you can choose to specialise in. So if you are planning to get into a PhD, it will benefit you more. Being classified, MSc has a wider scope.

An MEng requires you to work on a project and is designed with a close, specialised focus and therefore the options are limited. It is usually structured with 2-3 electives. It is suitable for students who are looking to gain technical experience.

 

Tenure of the courses vary significantly

In Europe, an MEng lasts 4 years minimum where it covers similar syllabus to BEng in the first three years and during the last year, it offers advanced study. In the US, an M.E lasts one year whereas, in either place, an MSc usually lasts two years.

 

Employers have their own preferences, depending on the type of job:

In many cases, companies only mention the level they are recruiting in (under graduate or post graduate's) or the departments they want their candidates to be (electrical or mechanical). This has led to students thinking that it doesn’t matter whether you hold an MEng or MSc. But what we fail to perceive is that the skills the employers look for, they are usually not taught in both the programmes. An MSc covers a wide range of topics and skills the learner in various areas over a period of two years. A ME that spans only a year does not convey all the skills a learner has to know. So ultimately, when applying for a job, the student will find himself holding a post graduate certification but lacking the skills required.

On the other side, an MEng that spans for four years once again opens only a few technical opportunities as opposed to learning MSc which opens a wide door of chances for the graduates.

 

To summarize the above points:

                                                       

 

Conclusion

If you are looking to study abroad and you find yourself at crossroads on whether to apply for MEng or MSc, decide an option based on your future plans. At the same time, bear in mind that the salary range for a Post graduate depends largely on the location of the company. On average, it is estimated that MSc graduates are paid a little higher than MEng graduates due to their diverse knowledge and skills.

If you wish to secure funded admit to MSc or MEng degree, all you have to do is enroll with us and complete the projects in our coursework. These projects can help you get a funded admit/scholarship when you transfer abroad. 

 

Check out List of Job opportunities for your Engineering Domain