College Degrees???

[treeman]

Hey guys, I had few questions for those of you who went to school. My parents what me to have a few options when it comes to choosing a career and a college, so I was wondering, what's a popular degree to earn in this industry, civil engineer?? I don't want to get extremely complicated hi tech engineer, just something general. And from what I've read, a Civil Engineer is that sort of degree.

Any help appreciated. Thanks!!

 

[CM1995]

Hey Treeman-

I have a BS in Building Science (construction management). It is a combination of architecture, construction and business management, structural/civil engineering and law. It has helped me somewhat along my career path, especially in the office - estimating, accounting, project management, etc. Learning the field takes time in the field. Growing up in the business allowed me to learn the aspects of the field. I could have chosen Civil Eng. but I couldn't/wouldn't do the math.

My father told me to get an education to have something to fall back on if times were tough........ you never know when that piece of paper will give you an edge in a tough job market.:cool2

 

[treeman]

Thanks CM1995. That sounds like the degree I would be after. Right now, I want to earn a degree in Arboriculture, because this is what I've grown up around and I like it (not all the time though) but with the economy and just peoples views, it's not a big business right now. Right now, we're trying to keep our business afloat, with maybe only a week of work ahead of us right now. So having another degree or profession to fall back on would be great.

 

[dirt digger]

Civil Engineer here....i don't know why you wouldn't want to challenge yourself, the more you challenge yourself now the more opportunities you have later in life

if i were you i would suck it up for 4 years and go ahead and get as much education you can, rather then take an easy route...you might regret it later in life

 

[9420pullpan]

Penn College of Technology,

Heavy Construction Equipment Technology

 

[rino1494]

I have a Bachelor's degree in Criminal Justice. It has absolutely nothing to do with this business, but I find that alot of construction workers with degrees have criminal justice degrees. If all else fails, at least you will have something in common to talk about......lol

 

[CM1995]

rather then take an easy route...you might regret it later in life

I don't think that a Building Science or Construction Management degree is "taking the easy route". A 4 year accredited degree (http://www.cadc.auburn.edu/BSCI/Default.aspx) is nothing to look your nose down at. I have found in my career that the Civil's end up working for me.

 

[treeman]

Thanks guys. I'm still undecided as to what I want to do. For me, it's not all about the engineering aspect of it, but also the business, architecture, etc. I hope to one day start and own my own small construction business, so my goal is to learn at least general knowledge in all general areas of construction.

 

[swampdog]

I guess it all depends on what you want to do. College degrees probably won't help you much with running equipment, but they may provide you with something to fall back on. A lot of people like to do more than one thing in life, and college helps that happen. My college degrees have helped in various ways, but not much with operating or working on equipment.

Mechanical engineering degrees seem quite versatile. My son has a mechanical engineering degree and has worked as a project manager on progressively larger jobs. The money is good and he gets to tell people, including dirt workers, what he wants them to do. Before long, he'll probably be telling me what to do.

 

[dirt digger]

I don't think that a Building Science or Construction Management degree is "taking the easy route". A 4 year accredited degree (http://www.cadc.auburn.edu/BSCI/Default.aspx) is nothing to look your nose down at. I have found in my career that the Civil's end up working for me.

i didn't mean to sound like that at all...any degree is still a degree and is hard work

but he was saying he doesn't want a high tech complicated degree.....so i read into that as maybe being lazy and looking for something "easy"

i'm probably wrong with that assumption...but thats how i saw it

i personally took the Construction Management route with my CE degree...so I will most likely never design anything, but it's also nice to know I can one day get my PE

 

[treeman]

Thanks again. I have another question for you all. What colleges would you recommend I check out, or what type of college would offer a Construction Management Degree, or something similar. Thanks!!

 

[landrvrnut22]

University of Akron is where I got my Degree. It is titled "Construction Engineering Technology". It is a balance of enegineering, and Managment, so you get both sides. You get to choose some of the classes you take, so you can tailor it, if you want to be an engineer, manager, etc. They have a very good program, and it is growing every year.

 

[Red Bank]

I have a Bachelor's degree in Criminal Justice. It has absolutely nothing to do with this business, but I find that alot of construction workers with degrees have criminal justice degrees. If all else fails, at least you will have something in common to talk about......lol

Me too! Started out working on equipment out of high school, quit to go to college, wanted to go into mechanical engineering, math and chemistry killed me, switched over to criminal justice, got out and went back working on equipment. For me it was nice to try something different, but then realized what makes me happy

 

[stock]

For me ,well I worked iron for years and now I 'm doing a Diploma in construction management part time,and in the fall I hope to go to Uni for safety and health Diploma two evenings a week and do a days work as well.

 

[HeyUvaVT]

i quit school after 12th grade....

 

[ForsytheBros.]

for civil degree-might check out University of Texas

for construction management -seems like i've heard Texas A&M had a good program, as well as Texas Tech in Lubbock

 

[CM1995]

Auburn - my Alma Mater (http://www.cadc.auburn.edu/bsci/)
Texas A&M (http://archone.tamu.edu/cosc/about.html)
Florida (http://www.bcn.ufl.edu/)
Purdue (http://www.tech.purdue.edu/bcm/)

There are many more, these are probably the top 4. Of course I am partial to one.

 

[stock]

Spoke to an old labourer to day,he said to me ,that he has gone to the school of hard knocks and finished in the university of life

 

[raschmid]

CM1995 I'm currently going to Auburn and studying Building Science. As I'm sure you remember from your days, I'm in my last semester of pre-Building Science and taking Structures I this semester. I am partial to Auburn's program, but I know Florida has a well-respected program and the owner of the company I've worked for the past two years went graduated from Purdue's and has done very well with it.

 

[CM1995]

Welcome to the Forums raschmid!:drinkup It's good to have some more Auburn folks on here.

So you are finishing up pre-BSC and getting started with Structures I-III and Physics I-III for your second year or at least that's what it was on the quarter system when I was there. It was fun and tough at the same time, I really had to work at structures classes. Third and Fourth year were my favorite, Soils and safety, surveying, estimating, scheduling and computers in construction - never worked more in any one class at AU than that one.

I have not been into the new building yet, just seen it from the outside on gamedays. It looks very nice, although they did take up a nice parking area at the rear of the Fisheries building that you could sneak into and park if you were late to class without the parking ticket Nazi's finding you. My Senior year I did had an A zone parking pass......:cool2

PM me if I can be of any help.