Good certification

Please clarify if your degree will be in Electronics, Electronics Engineering or Electrical Engineering.

If I want to get the certification in electrical engineering, which certification should I get? Hope your early reply and thanks indeed.

The best.

Hi Sarahr,

You have selected Electronics why you want to change to other certification?

Is it so because you did not get admission in other course and was forced to take Electronics?. Also make more money should not be your criteria at this stage. So pursue your own selected course of Electronics there is good scope for you in future.

Suresh Sharma.

hi sarahr202,

your future should not be dictated by a democratic vote on an Internet forum.

follow your heart, dear.

Hi Sarah,

First, I would recommend that at the B.S level you pursue and electrical engineering degree which would give you electrical engineering education along with electronics engineering education.

Second, should you want extra credentials and a greater focus, pursue a Master's degree in electrical engineering. This degree will give you the education for a specialty in electrical engineering, like electronics engineering, that you have found you like.

Third, if you want to practice professional engineering then you will need to have the PE license the requirements are different for each US state. Other countries have their own licensure to practice professional engineering, like Canda which has a PEng license. Check with governmental license issuing boards for more information.

You will want (need) to join the IEEE. Institute of Electronics and Electrical Engineers. You can join as a student. This is an international organization that you should get plugged into (no pun intended) to advance your career. Check them out at www.IEEE.org

I hope all this is helpful, enjoy your journey into engineering, its a great field!

All the best!

Dear Sir:

You should reallly put some thought into what you like or enjoy about Electronics.

Do you like to "tinker": put things together, take them apart, test performance, etc? If so then I would look into a Electrical Engineering Technology. EET will teach you the "hands on" skills.

Do you like to design: think up stuff, do the math, design the circuits, etc? If so then Electrical Enginering

In the USA, professional registration is the goal to seek, IF you plan to work in an engineering firm designing electrical systems.

If you plan to work only in electronics, then there's a host of organizations which will be more than happy to take your money to "certify" you as a technician. Take BICCSI, for example. A group of people got together and decided to market their proper CAT 6 ethernet wiring practices by selling institutions on the idea that the way they had developed is the only proper way to do it, and that computer network wiring should only be done by BICCSI certified technicians.

So, wait until you get nearer to getting a job and ask potential employers what they desire.

Obviously IEEE membership is useful - if only because the low-cost journal access allows you to follow up on any interest you develop. (It's also useful for networking; activity within the institution helps on the CV - but only do this if it gives you satisfaction in other ways).

The advice to follow your interests is always good - pay in nearly all areas of electronics is adequate, and what real benefit would you get from high pay for a job you loath* (plus you'll almost certainly be left at the bottom of the pile in any field that doesn't truly excite your interest)?
*Remember that work will occupy more than half your "otherwise free" waking hours - that being after subtracting routine activities such as brushing teeth...

Assuming that you are in the USA: professional registration is only appropriate if you are in specific fields or in consulting. I worked in the USA for some time, and the issue never arose; and not only was I was doing what I enjoyed, but I was earning more than my GP (but no, I can't promise you will achieve that).

The advice to work intelligently, get top honours and follow on with a masters is good - and it pays to choose your institution for the Masters. MIT and Stanford, for example, are immediately recognised both in the USA and internationally. Or you could go abroad - if you are already anglophone, extension to one of the Grandes Ecoles would be great (if you can manage the language); otherwise you might consider Imperial College or Cambridge University. But whatever you do you should also leave time available to pursue some leisure interest to a high standard - though it probably doesn't matter much whether this be extreme Frisbee or semi-professional standard violin playing...

Finally, always proof-read anything professional you send out, and use your spell checker (but check it is giving you the right word; grammar checkers can also be useful - but you need to know when to ignore them). In the end, the results will never be perfect, but it should make life more pleasant for the reader.

I second bascia1's answer, but add the following comments:

MS should give you excellent job opportunities and is the best value option. Only 1 more year (over BS) at most universities, so cost in time and $$ is minimal. PhD may be better for job opportunities, but it requires a lot more effort in time and $$ to get one. Only you can decide which is best for you.

The PE credential is a must for certian jobs and unnecssary for others. Do some research on the need for a PE in your particular area of expertise.

Warning: If you are thinking of engineering as a career just to make money, do some more research. There are easier and more profitable career choices. If you really enjoy discovering how things work and enjoy designing and building new things, where getting paid is just a bonus, then you may enjoy a career in engineering.

Best Wishes!

As soon as you graduate, get your PE. As you know law makers around the world are in overtime creating laws and attorneys are sue happy. I graduated in 1976 with a BS. I can no longer work in some of the industries that I once worked because liability is perceived to be lower if the engineers have a PE. A new graduate with a PE has a better chance of getting a job in some industries that someone like me with 35 yrs experience.