The curricula and teaching tools associated with online education has gotten progressively better over the years, and now it is even possible to get a degree in engineering online. It used to be that many employers looked upon online degree programs as inferior to their traditional counterparts. This bias has all but vanished as nearly all of society gets used to learning on digital formats, and online degree graduates continually prove their expertise in the marketplace. Years ago there were also limited distance learning opportunities within disciplines like applied science and engineering where students had to perform supervised projects in laboratory settings. While there are still a few challenges for effectively presenting some undergraduate level engineering concepts using online formats, many schools readily offer graduate engineering degree programs that are conducted fully online as well as some undergraduate engineering programs that are hybrids of online and traditional formats. Here are some examples of popular engineering programs that can be earned online.
Bachelor of Science in Software Engineering
The technical discipline of software engineering is a top pick for those who want to pursue an engineering degree online, and many reputable schools offer programs at both the undergraduate and advanced degree levels. Online software engineering students learn the industry standard methods for designing, developing and testing software, and instructors usually have them apply their knowledge to realistic problems through creative projects. After establishing good software development practices, students usually learn multiple programming languages that are used to create software products for applications in a variety of industries. Instructor and peer classroom interaction, exams and project work products can all be conducted and reviewed through the use of online tools.
Master of Science in Electrical and Computer Engineering
Undergraduate electrical and computer engineering programs have heavy laboratory requirements that help to enforce the engineering concepts that students learn while in classroom settings. Advanced degree programs build on these foundational engineering concepts and are ultimately more conducive to online delivery formats than their undergraduate counterparts. Some typical course topics for Master of Science (M.S.) in Electrical and Computer Engineering programs include engineering modeling and simulation, network engineering and security, communication systems and computer architecture.
Master of Science in Engineering Management
One of the most popular online engineering degree programs is the M.S. in Engineering Management. Engineering management programs were created to prepare those who have academic or professional backgrounds in technical fields for corporate leadership positions. The typical engineering management student already has an engineering undergraduate degree and a firm grasp of technical issues within their field. The engineering management program exposes students to engineering challenges from an economic and business perspective, and course work often include topics on project management, finance and product development, according to US News and World Report.
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Conclusion
The convenience of online education is attractive to many students who desire to gain skills and knowledge by working through problems at their own pace. Certain undergraduate level and many graduate level engineering programs’ curricula lend themselves well to online delivery formats. However, all online programs are not of equal quality or value. Prospective students should look for online engineering programs at schools that offer the same quality curricula for their online programs as they do for their traditional ones. When a student decides to get a degree in engineering online from a strictly online school, they should check to see if the program is accredited.
