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Online engineering education
Engineering is simply applying knowledge and using a set of tools and principles to reach a specific objective. There are several different types of engineering, grouped together by their function. Chemical engineering is a profession that involves taking natural resources and other raw materials and developing ways to turn them into useful products. Aerospace engineering is the development of aircraft and spacecraft. Civil engineering involves construction of bridges, buildings, and other structures for the benefit of the public. Electrical and mechanical engineering involve developing electrical systems and mechanical systems, respectively. All of these engineering fields require a college degree, which can be completed with an online engineering education.Traditional engineering education
Traditional engineering programs take place on a college campus and require students to attend scheduled classes. This can be problematic for students for many reasons. Some students cannot afford to commute or live on campus. Other students have full-time jobs or family obligations and do not have the ability to attend several classes each week. In rural areas, access to education is often limited, so students wishing to get an engineering education may have to travel great distances. Online engineering education can eliminate these barriers to education and open up engineering career opportunities for students who otherwise would have had to study in other fields.
Online engineering education
Online engineering education is offered by some accredited colleges and universities as a way to make obtaining an engineering degree more cost-effective for students. One of the most popular schools that offers an online engineering education is North Carolina State University's College of Engineering. The programs offered are master's degrees in aerospace engineering, civil engineering, chemical engineering, computer engineering, electrical engineering, materials engineering, mechanical engineering, and nuclear engineering. Because these programs are offered using distance learning methods, there is no residency requirement for those who want to complete an online engineering education.
Benefits
The benefits to receiving an online engineering education are similar to the benefits experienced by other distance learning students. Professionals who want to obtain an advanced degree or make a career change do not have to give up their jobs in order to attend on-site classes. Instead, an online engineering education offers students the ability to review course materials and complete assignments on their own schedules. Students who are unable to afford attending classes at a campus with a residency requirement are able to get the online engineering education they want without having to move away from home and pay to live in a college housing unit. Getting an online engineering education also helps people with unique routines complete a degree. Students who are at their best in the morning can complete their coursework as soon as they wake up. Those who sleep until noon and are at their most productive in the wee hours of the night can work on their assignments when they are wide awake.
Disadvantages
There are also some disadvantages of online engineering education, which are similar to the disadvantages of other online education programs. Engineering is a complex topic and students who complete online programs do not have the ability to work through problems with other students or the instructor in a classroom setting. If a student has a question about an assignment or a concept outlined in the course material, they need to call the instructor or send an e-mail. It may take several hours or even a day or two to get a reply. This can cause students to get behind on their assignments and prevent them from moving on to the next course topic. Most traditional engineering programs require students to complete an internship or a field experience with an engineering firm. This gives students the advantage of getting real-world experience while they are still in school. Online engineering education programs usually do not have this requirement, so students miss out on this valuable opportunity to learn practical skills and gain an employment reference for the future.
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