Types of Engineering

Have you always dreamed of building things and taken interest in working of different kind of machines? Have you been awed by the power of applied science which has changed the face of Earth? Do you enjoy problem solving of every kind? Then engineering might be the career option for you! This article is aimed at guys and girls like you, who have a genuine interest in engineering sciences. Below you will find a ' Major Types of Engineering' list, that will help you in getting an idea of all the options that you have while choosing your major.

What is Engineering?
Before we see the various types of engineering in which you could make your mark, let us try to understand what engineering is and what skills does it demand if you are planning to make a career in it. According to me, engineering is finding creative, economical and feasible solutions to problems, in the form of processes, technologies and products by harnessing principles of nature, properties of materials and by making optimum use of resources. Simply put, engineering is solving problems of any kind, by developing technology. Even more simply, engineering is devising solutions to make our day-to-day jobs easier and manageable. The lengthy definition above was unavoidable due to the nature of engineering as a concept. The skills required to be an engineer are problem solving ability, spatial thinking, ability to visualize, a capacity to integrate basic ideas to build a larger picture and most importantly, you need an ability to apply what you have learned.

Types of Engineering Disciplines
Engineering encompasses every human activity and production of every product of day-to-day use. It encompasses everything from creating an assembly line to manufacture soap to creating space vehicles. It is good to make a through review of all the options available to you before you go ahead. Here is a list of the main types of engineering majors that you could opt for.

Aerospace Engineering
Aeronautical engineering or aerospace engineering as it is called nowadays, encompasses the designing and building of all kinds of flying machines, which includes airplanes and spacecrafts. It is one of the most challenging and exciting branches of engineering that you could opt for.

Chemical Engineering
Chemical engineering is applied chemistry. This branch of engineering deals with the manufacturing of various types of chemicals from raw materials.

Civil Engineering
Civil engineering involves designing, building and maintaining of various kinds of structures like buildings, bridges, dams and so on. This is one of the most oldest forms of engineering. Some of the emerging sub fields of civil engineering are geotechnical engineering, structural engineering, environmental engineering and water resource engineering to name a few.

Electrical Engineering
Electrical engineering which also involves electronic engineering and telecommunication, is one of the most widely applied field of engineering. Every piece of electrical or electronic equipment or system comes under the domain of electrical engineering.

Mechanical Engineering
Mechanical engineering involves the design, manufacture and maintenance of every kind of machine (including automobiles) that is manufactured on Earth. This is also one of the oldest branches of engineering.

Computer Engineering
Computer engineering is the engineering discipline which emerged from the amalgamation of electronic engineering and computer science. It deals with the design, building and maintenance of every piece of computing equipment. Read more on computer hardware engineering.

Software Engineering
Software engineering is the development of software to operate machines of all kinds including computers. It includes developing algorithmic solutions to solve varied kinds of problems.

So, these were the major types of engineering degrees that you could opt for. There are many more specialized fields of engineering besides these which have arisen out of integration of these main fields of engineering. There are also entirely new emerging fields of engineering like genetic engineering and nanotechnology which will change the future of mankind. This division of the types of engineering is artificial and made for our convenience. Engineering is applied science and like science, it knows no boundaries. Trust your instincts and go for a branch of engineering that gives you full scope for developing your natural abilities.