M.Sc. 's

Hi guys. I got a question.
Which M.Sc. to pick.
I already got:

• B.Sc. in Naval Architecture
• B.Eng. in Marine Engineering

I got an offer for:

• M.Sc. in Mechanical Engineering
• M.Sc. in Naval Architecture

Actually:

• I think that industry is based on experienced rather than getting a relevant degree whats your opinion?
• Any stories someone would like to share ?

 

If you really think so, your question makes no sense: do not study and get quickly to gain experience. (probably you always cast it into the lack of knowledge)
If in doubt, my opinion is that you study the two, which are highly complementary. But beginning with naval architect

 

there is no substitute for practical hands-on experience, the more you have the more valuable you will be to the industry. Advanced degrees are only useful to advance your career if you are going to go into government employment or if you plan to become a university professor, or plan to do government/university funded research.

So it depends on where you want to take your career. It is highly doubtful that the extra education will make much of a difference in your income after ten years or more of experience in the private sector. but the extra education is beneficial if you want to go into education or research.

After a few years of work in private industry, you can choose to go back to school for the advanced degrees if you think it will beneficial for your employer, or you want to go into teaching. If you plan to do consulting, and run your own consulting firm, than the advanced degrees will do nothing for you, it is practical experience that will be most voluble. In private industry, you are paid well for what you can do for your clients. In government employment, you are paid well based on your credentials.

Good luck.

 

This is an odd question for the faceless masses to answer. Do you want to be a mechanical engineer or a naval architect? Do the one that interests you.

Are you presently working? In what capacity?

Why do you want an Msc?
- Are you having trouble finding a job and you hope more credentials will help in the search?
- Has your salary plateaued and you hope more credentials will lead to a higher earning potential?
- Do you just enjoy going to school and have money to burn?
- Is there a research topic that really interests you and you'd like to have the opportunity to study it is greater detail?

 

Hi guys!

To begin with thanks for you passive aggressive replies
NO if I had a job for real I would be there !!!

1. yea, i face trouble getting an entry level job most of the "graduate" programs require minimum an MSc with 2:1 (UK scale)
2. the last six months I completed over 50-60 entry level job applications w/o so much success.
3. Despite the fact I really like the Naval/Marine field I think that pursuing an MSc in Naval/Marine I will narrow the field of applications and you know its like a race to get a job.. so what if I pursue a carrer in mechanical engineering sector ( w/o being so devoted to that.. if you get my point)

Fyi I have to get an MSc so my degree will be professionally approved.( i.e. Im not burning away my money )

 

Marine engineering is the more versatile of the two. If you can design a power plant for a ship, you can design one for a hospital backup. The same goes for steam and hydraulic systems.

 

@ Petros Well I dont think Im gonna end up in the government employment. First of all goverment employment in Greece is dead and more than that government employment for a foreign employer (w/o having the nationality) is really difficult !!
I would like to be a part of the private sector of course.

 

The private sector marine field in Greece is not as hard hit as other sectors. Shipping companies employ superintendent engineers at a rate of roughly 1 per 5 ships. To rise to the top of the technical department you will probably need an advanced degree. Marine consultants and surveyors also work free lance or for underwriters technical bureaus like London Salvage and for shipping companies for specialty work like supervising new builds and damage claims. All these of course require experience and references. My suggestion is that you attend the Greek Merchant Marine Academy and get your degree plus a Chief engineers license. The hands on experience you will gain are highly valued by shipowners.

Dino

 

May I also add. Tuition is free. After graduation you will be earning many times a land based job while gaining more valuable experience. Life on board ship is presently better than life on Greek streets.

Dino

 

Well naupigos_gr I don't think any of us were trying to be passive aggressive. You did not give very much information in your first post. You didn't say anything about your situation or your interests. You just said should I do option a or option b.

I am sorry that you are unable to find work. All of my friends in the industry are in North America and the situation sounds quite different. Very few have graduate degrees. Everyone I have worked with has only a bachelours or a diploma. I only have one friend with a masters in naval architecture and he works at the university doing completely impractical research measuring infinitesimal changes in resistance of different bulbous hull shapes.

I have also never met anyone with two bachelours of engineering so you already appeared to be over-educated from my point of view.

If you are looking for more education to enhance your employment chances there are two ways to look at it. Gonzo is completely right. Marine engineering or mechanical engineering should give you more opportunities. Substantially more companies high mechanical engineers than hire naval architects. However, it's not always that simple. While there are substantially more mechanical engineering jobs out there, there is also substantially more mechanical engineers. I'm a naval architect. I have many friends who are mechanical engineers. I have always found that having the specialization helps when job finding. Sure I can't apply at as many places but the places I can apply at really want my skills. The mechanical engineering guys are a dime a dozen. They have to fight with so many other people for every job. Yeah you can apply at that place designing hospital power plants but without actually power plant designing experience you will miss out on the job because 10 other applicants have spend years designing power plants.

What I would recommend you do is go talk to the companies you would like to work for. Call them up and ask if you can arrange an interview to talk about a future career in the industry with one of their senior engineers or engineering managers. Ask those people what they see a bigger need of. Ask them what education would lead to the most opportunities.

If you still can't figure out which one is the "best" then do the one that interests you more. Life is always better if you life what you are doing and you'll be more employable as well. Almost every job interview I've ever had I've been asked why I chose to work there and/or why I chose my education. If the answer is I needed a job and didn't know what else to do the interviewer won't be thrilled.

 

make sure you get a degree from a UNI the industry doesn't laugh at or you will have wasted your time and that poor quality degree will haunt you for your whole career should you be an employee

 

I know a few guys that have done college then gone to sea to get stcw-95 engineer, then did mech eng.
That makes them very valuable to a shipping company's as they know a calculator and a spanner
There are many new shipping companies out there that need shore based guys