Online Environmental Engineering Degrees

Environmental engineers apply the principles of biology, chemistry, and computer science to directly address the world''s most pressing environmental concerns, from water erosion to waste disposal. With worsening climate conditions and more frequent natural disasters, the work that environmental engineers perform is becoming increasingly important. They manage hazardous waste, design more fuel-efficient cars, develop alternative sources of energy, and manufacture safer packaging materials. In essence, they spearhead a host of important initiatives with the aim of combating climate change in an increasingly overpopulated world.

Environmental Engineering Degrees

If you are interested in becoming an environmental engineer, a bachelor''s degree is usually the minimum education you need. Certain jobs and research positions actually require graduate training in the field. And if you plan on working at the local, state, or federal levels, you might need licensure and certification before you can begin practicing professionally. You should check with your local government to see what types of exams and requirements apply. Coursework typically includes the traditional biology, earth science, and chemistry fields you might expect. But given the environment''s growing importance in the political arena, you might consider adding courses in public policy, political activism, urban planning, and political science to your degree. And for long-term career growth, consider the benefits of graduate training in the field. The extra hours you put in today could prove extremely beneficial both to your career and to the world.

Online Career Training

While it is possible to complete the bulk of your training via online learning, much of your coursework focuses on laboratory testing and hands-on experience. So if you explore online degrees as an option, be prepared to supplement your theoretical career training with apprenticeships and on-site seminars.

Career Outlook in Environmental Engineering

In 2006, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported on 54,000 environmental engineers in the field. But through 2016, this number is expected to increase by 25 percent, which makes it the fastest growing engineering subcategory. And these predictions exist in the absence of global catastrophes. If the world''s oil supply plummets suddenly or if a series of natural disasters arrive simultaneously, demand for those with environmental engineering degrees could exceed even the current estimates.

If that happens, then the current median salary of $70,000 a year might climb substantially. But even without dizzying demand and attractive salaries, many environmental engineers enjoy a level of fulfillment that other careers may not. Environmental engineers focus on urgent matters of security, safety, and health. Equally enticing, they spend much of their time outdoors in a variety of locations.

Online Software Engineering Degrees

Online software engineering degree programs provide the training and education to manage the vast and ever growing world of computer software that we continue see expand through time. Just think, less than thirty years ago the term ''software engineer'' would fetch nothing but confusion and blank faces. When uttered in today''s world, this term applies to many of today''s workers in what is considered one of the fastest growing industries worldwide.

Computer software engineers must continually strive to acquire new skills in conjunction with the rapid changes that are occurring in computer technology. Browse the best software engineering schools on the Internet below, and please feel free to request information at no cost to you by completing the online request form over our secure servers.

Most online computer and software engineering programs feature a comprehensive focus on math and science classes like calculus and physics. There is also a heavy concentration on computer sciences like networking, programming, digital logic design, processor interfacing and technology.

Computer and software engineers design the complex integration system required for computer hardware and software to effectively work together. If a problem arises somewhere within the system, it is the responsibility of the computer and software engineer to find and resolve the situation.

Enrollment in online degree programs affords the students certain advantages that four-year college classes do not. For instance, the student can continue to work a full-time job and attend online classes at convenient times. Imagine being able to take college and university programs from the comfort of your own home. No traveling to school after a long day of work. No loud dorm rooms that can prevent you from studying.

Everything is under your control and can be tailored to fit your lifestyle and schedule. Enroll in a distance learning program and get the education you desire in a format that fits your life.

Online Industrial Engineering Degrees

Industrial engineering is a branch of engineering that specializes in manufacturing or service industry production procedures. More specifically, they investigate more productive and efficient ways to integrate machines, materials, energy, people, and information. Professionals with an engineering background often enroll in online college courses at the bachelor''s, master''s, and doctoral levels for career training in operations or systems engineering. Many experienced industrial engineering professionals move into management roles.

Industrial Engineering Degrees:

Undergraduate engineering students can begin their career training through coursework in chemistry, mathematics, physics, supply chain management, systems design, ergonomics, and statistics. Graduate programs leading to master''s and doctoral degrees offer advanced courses in manufacturing, technology, and process analysis.

Online Degrees in the Field:

Due to the heavy emphasis on theory, business, and information technology, industrial engineering is well suited for online study. You can tackle a large percentage of your academic requirements from the comfort of a home or office PC as you create workflow models and cost analyses for your various classes. However, more practical and hands-on aspects are also essential to industrial engineering. Career training that includes real-world experience through apprenticeships and internships is important both during and after your formal training.

Career Prospects in Industrial Engineering:

Job opportunities in industrial engineering are expected to grow quite rapidly through the end of the decade, as manufacturing and service businesses seek to streamline their processes, reduce waste, and cut costs in materials and labor. Global competition puts tremendous pressure on companies to maximize production and minimize drag using creative cost-cutting techniques. As a result, industrial engineers could continue to enjoy tremendous demand as globalization further refines the modern business landscape. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, job growth could be as much as 20 percent from 2006 to 2016, which is nearly twice the national average for most other industries.

The bulk of these positions are in manufacturing, transportation, and design, both in the private and public sectors. Contact your local, state, or federal governments for licensing and certification requirements.

Salary and Outlook for Industrial Engineering:

Equally encouraging are the salary figures that potentially await you after graduation. In 2006, the median salary for industrial engineers was nearly $70,000. If demand continues on its 20 percent trajectory, it is reasonable to expect that median salaries could continue to keep pace as well. It is possible that the highest 10 percent of current industrial engineer salaries ($110,000 a year) could eventually present the new median.

Online Chemical Engineering Degrees

Chemical engineers enjoy careers in a wide range of industries, from manufacturing and energy to biotechnology, product design, and pharmaceuticals. Career training for chemical engineering professionals typically begins with a bachelor's degree in chemistry or general engineering, followed by a rigorous graduate program in a particular specialty. Today''s online education programs offer bachelor''s, master''s and doctorate degrees in chemical engineering.

Chemical Engineering Jobs:

Chemical engineering professionals work on research and development projects to discover cost-effective manufacturing processes for materials used in aerospace, food, health care (medicines and devices), electronics, clothing, the military, and cosmetics. In addition to holding degrees from formal online chemical engineering programs, many chemical engineers seek professional engineer (PE) licenses. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports annual average wages for chemical engineers ranging from $53,813 to $79,591 based on degree and experience.

Online Bachelor's Degrees and Chemical Engineering Coursework:

Online programs offer a comprehensive curriculum comprised of classes in mathematics, physics, chemical dynamics, heat and mass theory, thermodynamics, kinetics, polymer science, and process control. Advanced online work at the master''s degree level offers studies in chemical engineering and thermodynamics processes along with significant research opportunities.

Online Mechanical Engineering Degrees

One of the broadest disciplines in engineering, mechanical engineering focuses on the design, development, research, testing, and manufacturing of tools, engines, and mechanical devices. Their work is crucial to most of the machines that have come to define modern society, from internal combustion engines to power drills to robots.

Mechanical Engineering Degrees:

Like most engineering disciplines, mechanical engineers usually require a bachelor''s degree for entry into the field. If you are interested in research or teaching, you might even explore the possibility of securing a master''s degree or higher to be more competitive in the job market. For engineers working on public projects, local, state, or federal licensing tests are required.

Mechanical Engineering Coursework:

Coursework focuses on mathematics, statistics, physics, solid mechanics, instrumentation and measurement, thermodynamics, heat transfer, energy conversion, fluid mechanics and dynamics, hydraulics and pneumatics, and drafting (CAD/CAM). And given mechanical engineering''s close relationship with the manufacturing industry, your career training should also encompass production, business management, and design as well. Thereafter, you can specialize in additional subcategories. Aerospace engineering, for example, has many ties with mechanical engineering, and you could have extensive overlap if flight design is something that interests you career-wise. Other specialty fields include robotics, logistics, cryogenics, optics, biomechanics, fuel technology, and automotive engineering.

Online Mechanical Engineering Career Training:

Because so much of mechanical engineering requires hands-on experience with moving parts and engines, online degrees aren''t always well suited for this particular discipline. If you do decide to purse distance learning, be sure to supplement your career training with sufficient internship experience or apprenticeships to bolster your theoretical knowledge with real-world practical knowledge. Doing so can make you a better employment prospect down the road. You might also consider the benefits of extensive IT training. As nanotechnology continues to make inroads within the larger manufacturing industry, an understanding of computer systems and micro-technology could prove beneficial.

Careers in Mechanical Engineering:

Mechanical engineers work in industries like aeronautics, bioengineering, cryogenics, heat transfer, medicine, manufacturing, and defense. Typically, a mechanical engineer works with machines such as electric generators, internal combustion engines, turbines, and boilers. Of the fifteen most popular engineering fields, mechanical engineering is second only to civil engineering. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were nearly 227,000 mechanical engineers reported in 2006 (out of 1.5 million total engineering jobs).

Salary and Career Outlooks for Mechanical Engineering:

Job prospects in mechanical engineering are expected to grow more slowly than the national average due to globalization and international competition. This trend only highlights the importance of advanced education. With career training at the graduate level, you can better insulate yourself from slowed industry growth. Salary potential, on the other hand, is quite encouraging. In 2006, the median income for mechanical engineers was $70,000, with the upper ten percent earning almost $105,000.

Online Civil Engineering Degrees

You've never seen the water as high or flowing as fast. Your responsibility as a project manager is to close a breach that occurred during a recent storm on a city canal. Your team of engineers has already investigated and reported the situation to you. Urgently, you make a few calls to temporarily close other waterways to the canal. You sign a stack of contracts for materials and modes of transportation like barges and helicopters to close the gap and stop the flow of water from a nearby lake into the city. After reporting to your supervisor, you head out of the office to meet with the water pump operators and assess the flood damage yourself. Variety is one reason for choosing a civil engineering career. You might be in the office, working on designs at a computer or reporting progress to a client. You could be on site, leading teams, solving problems and literally being "hands-on." A 2004 survey by a U.K. civil engineering institution reported a high degree of job satisfaction among civil engineers--71 percent reported being satisfied with their employer and 75 percent indicated that they were satisfied with their present role.

Civil Engineering Degree Programs:

A degree in civil engineering offers an education focused on creating, improving, and protecting the environment in which we live. A four-year bachelor''s degree is the standard qualification for an entry-level civil engineering job.

Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering:

The B.S. in Civil Engineering begins with core liberal arts and sciences courses, which build analytical thinking, problem solving, and communication skills. In the final two years of the program, students focus on civil engineering career training. Courses include management, technology, construction in commercial and personal transportation infrastructures, and heavy construction. Civil engineering degrees are also available at the master''s and PhD degree levels. These graduate programs allow civil engineers to hone their design skills and develop their own independent research projects. The Master of Science in Civil Engineering serves as a continuing education qualification for many practicing engineers, affording exposure to the latest advances in the field. The master''s degree may also be required for advancement to supervisory or higher-level research roles. The PhD in Civil Engineering is designed for engineers who want to become research scholars, teaching at the college level and performing cutting-edge research.

Career Outlook for Civil Engineers:

According to the U.S. Department of Labor''s Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), there are 256,000 jobs in civil engineering, with 18 percent more expected by 2016. Median annual earnings of civil engineers were $75,230 in 2007. The highest 10 percent earned more than $109,100 annually. If you have a real sense adventure and a commitment to help those in the greatest need, civil engineering might be the career for you. Civil engineers literally build their communities from the ground up; with a civil engineering degree, you''ll gain the technical training to take on this important role and build a strong career future.

Online Electrical Engineering Degrees

Electrical engineering, also known as electronics engineering, is the application and study of electricity, electronics, and electromagnetism. Electrical engineers play a crucial role in everything from power management and digital electronics to telecommunications and artificial intelligence. Because professionals in this field design, create, test, and manage the production of electrical equipment, very few disciplines within IT and manufacturing escape their input. Electrical engineers are vital to the long-term stability of modern society because they oversee the generation and supply of power and their accompanying systems.

Career Training for Electrical Engineering:

A bachelor''s degree in the field is usually the minimum employers expect for entry-level electrical engineer jobs. It is possible to enter the field from math and natural science programs, but given how rapidly the industry evolves, you may need to supplement your training with specialized coursework. Some programs offer two-year degrees, but again, four-years of intensive study represent the norm. Bachelor''s degrees are especially important if you plan on offering your services to the public. All 50 states require licensing and certification for engineers employed by local, state, and federal government agencies.

Coursework for Electrical Engineering:

The bulk of your coursework focuses on math, science, engineering, information technology, and computer science. Depending on your intended career field, however, you might also be expected to include classes from the social sciences, humanities, and public policy. If you pursue an online degree in electrical engineering, you might consider supplementing your education with an apprenticeship or internship. By its very nature, electrical engineering is a field full of potential hazards. Bolstering your theoretical knowledge with hands-on training can give you a more thorough grounding in the safety guidelines required for this field. Your online program should be able to direct you to firms in your area that have temporary openings. If not, consider contacting relevant government agencies that oversee public engineering projects in your city.

Career Opportunities in Electrical Engineering:

The bulk of electrical engineering opportunities are in architecture and manufacturing. Growing demand for electronic appliances and alternative energy management could help create more jobs in the future, but international competition might put added pressure on the industry as a whole. As a result, electrical engineering could enjoy slower than average growth from 2006 to 2016, highlighting the need for advanced education to be competitive. Those who work for firms that provide design services and engineering expertise to manufacturers should enjoy the best prospects. On a more positive note, salary potential for electrical engineers is very encouraging. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median income for electrical engineers was approximately $75,000 in 2006. The highest 10 percent earned a median income of $115,000 during the same time period.