Architectural Engineering

[Tamness™]

I was wondering how much architectural design work was in this course or is it almost all engineering?

I was think of doing it at Strathclyde but I know its a fairly new course so its a long shot.

Thanks in advance

[Haz]

It really is a cut 50/50 of design/building engineering.

But at the end, you can't call yourself and Architect, or a Chartered Engineer.

Plenty of work though.

[TomR]

Depends what you want to do, you could slug it out for a full architecture course and say bye to a lot of years, or do structural engineering and then focus on the architectural side. could enquire with a few practices and ask which might be best and what jobs are available and wha tthey include, obvisuly pretending that youre interested in working for them or something. A lot of people at work do it part time, but that really does take a while. I think some have done their part one, then do their part 2's part time while working.

[ben_travis]

I did architectural technology at RGU in aberdeen. Something i now very much regret, and am in the process of organising myself onto a mech engineering course as i very much hate the architectural work that I do. Its un-challenging, monotonous and generally creates a brain f**k .

I honestly hate my job, and wish i had studied harder at school and gotten into something more rewarding.

Also, on a further note....the money is not great in architecture (compared to that of engineers), so if your after a salary £40k + when your older, then without owning your own architecture practice, I am unsure that you will be able to achieve that. I hope it does not put you off any life goals you have, and dont take my word for it, but its my experience so far.

Should you care, i graduated last year with a 2.1, and due to placement and part time work, i currently have 3 - 3.5 years work experience.

my two pence . Should you wish to talk more, give me a PM

[TomR]

Are you kidding? The architects in our place are minted. And the reason the engineers earn more is because they've gotta fix the architects f**k-ups There are a lot of areas of architecture and a lot of practices do very different things, even within the same field, so you can't really generalise that easily.

[Haz]

But Architects and Architecural Engineers are completely separate.

Only one of them has the status as an Architect, and only one earns that amount. As a Civil or Building Services Engineer, you earn as much, bit only because you are a Charted Engineer.

With only a degree, there's no say whether you will earn a lot, or little.

[James Quigley]

If I were you I'd do an engineering course.

I'm about to enter my 3rd year in Architecture and so far am hating it (same problems with it as Ben Travis). Full of pretentious knobs and is far too monotonous.

With engineering you can earn just as much if not more than an architect and the work is far more challenging and rewarding. (I only speak from second hand experiences).

[Haz]

I've just finished my first year of Architecture and I've decided I'm not going back, the life is awesome, but I don't enjoy the work.

I'm hoping to change uni for next september and do a Mech Eng degree/masters.

[Andy P]

I work as an estimator for a structual steelworks company and at this moment in time I've got a shedload of architectual and engineers drawings scattered across the desk.

I work with them all day everyday. In my opinion GOOD sturctual engineers are more saught after. We subcontract to a couple of engineers who work privately and they both make a mint (and neither of which are particularly good in my opinion!)

I'd guess that there are more people trying to be architects than engineers meaning the opportunity for work is more open and usually employers need you more than you need them. You'll be able to name your price.

Andy

[ben_travis]

I've just finished my first year of Architecture and I've decided I'm not going back, the life is awesome, but I don't enjoy the work.

I'm hoping to change uni for next september and do a Mech Eng degree/masters.

thats just uni life though isnt it . everyone wishes they were still at uni, cos it was a doss compared to working. Pissed 4-7 nights of the week, and only having to work at the end of semester.

TomR - i understand that my generalisation does not cover all areas of architecture, but I did indeed say from my experiences. I would recommend someone who is a student, and currently making his decision as to what career he wishes to follow. I believe, if he wants better money, then not to follow the architecture route. The big architects, those who attack niche markets earn the big bucks, but those that just become CAD monkeys do not. I can vouch for that, and from the colleagues i have met, who studied architecture for the full 7 years, are on not much more than me and are aged at 30+.

That said, i do live in a very affluent area (aberdeen is the oil capitol of the uk for those that didnt know), and as such salaries around here are mental in that industry and this is the industry im trying to get into, as such, i wish to undertake a mech eng course to get me in easier.

sorry for my lack of punctuality.....im at work, and cant be arsed.

[Haz]

thats just uni life though isnt it . everyone wishes they were still at uni, cos it was a doss compared to working. Pissed 4-7 nights of the week, and only having to work at the end of semester.

Exactamundo. Will be a shame, but aww well.

[TomR]

Full of pretentious knobs

I think that about all of my mates' uni friends anyway!

I prefer engineering full stop, if i did anything else it'd be town planning, although the bureaucracy would drive me nuts! Theres loads of things civils and structural engineering can be applied to, and on the civils side theres both Civil Engineering and Construction Management to choose from, dunno about structural.

I do civils, mainly for residential projects and its mainly road and drainage design, and the more detailed layout design that the planners dont do. The infrastructure sides quite good too because you get involved in the planning process a bit more.

[Tamness™]

I'm contemplating doing architecture at RGU, Liverpool, Manchester or Dundee or the architectural engineering at Strathclyde. Been to a few open days and as far as I can tell, I think I'll enjoy it. Did my work experience at an architecture practice in Edinburgh and loved it but I will take all your comments into consideration as I choose what to spend the next 4-7 years studying.

[Joe_Elding]

slightly off topic but im probably gonna do a maths masters, will it still be possible to go down the engineering road after this or will i HAVE to do an engineering degree. because im at a stage where i have no idea what i want to do and maths seems like it leaves more options for me.

[OD404]

slightly off topic but im probably gonna do a maths masters, will it still be possible to go down the engineering road after this or will i HAVE to do an engineering degree. because im at a stage where i have no idea what i want to do and maths seems like it leaves more options for me.

Depends on the nature of the job, I know people that have purely maths or physics based degrees under them working in an engineering environment, but that is more in the development of mathematical models for fluid and structural simulations. I suspect that the majority of engineering jobs will not accept much other than an engineering degree as there is more to engineering than simply maths.

What area of engineering did you want to get into?

[Bigman]

you got me all excited, i mis-read it as Agricultural Engineering.......

That i could have helped you out with

Adam

[TomR]

slightly off topic but im probably gonna do a maths masters, will it still be possible to go down the engineering road after this or will i HAVE to do an engineering degree. because im at a stage where i have no idea what i want to do and maths seems like it leaves more options for me.

Theres a guy at work with a maths degree and he's a CAD techie. You'll get far more money if you get a qualification that applies your maths skills to a certain profession, as generally the degrees in question will test your maths abilities as much as they will need to be.