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Need advise - from PhD architecture to Master Civil Eng
Hi all,
I was recently keep thinking of changing my major from architecture to civil engineering. Currently I am a PhD student in architecture (the first year). I have both bachelor and master degree in architecture. My Master focuses on design computation dealing with CAD CAM and a some FEA for elementary performance-based structural analysis.
I love to do math (calculus, statistics -regression etc, geometry etc), although I am not sure if it is adequate for civil engineering. I guess my knowledge in calculus is just in the average of calculus 2 student (I plan to work hard improving this).
I am planning to apply for master in Civil engineering, doing it together with my PhD architecture later in my third year (after finishing all classes required). However, I do not know if it is possible from student with background in architecture to go to civil engineering without taking the bachelor first. I have never seen or heard people doing this before, usually the vice versa. But I know one of my professor has both PhD architecture and graduate degree from electrical engineering, so i guess there is a possibility for that.
Btw, I am 26 years old now, so I kinda feel old if I have to take civil from bachelor again.
Please advise (examples of such cases will be very helpful).
Thanks.
Ever think about getting a job? How long have you been in school? I kind of feel like a PhD in architecture is unnecessary. You only need a MArch. be an architect, and in some states, like my home state of Tennessee, you don't even need that. I'm not sure how much having a co-degree in civil or electrical engineering will help. Maybe it will, I don't really know. At a certain point, you are gilding the lily with all the degrees. Professional work goes much further than more schooling.
Of course, you could be working and I don't know it. Just my two cents.
Good luck!
@jdparnell1218
Thanks for the quick response.
You have the point there, and I understand. I used to have about 1 and half year work experiences in architectural consultant. I am pretty sure I am still much lacking in practical experience compared to many of my friends who are in architectural field. And we often meet to share experiences around practical and academic stuffs.
However, my desire for the future is working in a academic environment (teaching and researching), and the architectural projects I dream of will be oriented to a more kind of experimental type project. I know there is not much to research on in architectural field. It is however I found that dealing with CAD, BIM etc are quite a complex and interesting stuffs to research on in itself. I know some of the great schools such as Georgia Tech has a lot of their architectural PhD students focusing in these CAD area (BIM, IFC etc). I know when it come to this issue, there will be many pros and cons. And eventually its just a matter of perspective whether an architect should even bother to do a PhD degree, if perhaps he or she had a chance for it.
@Veuxx
To be frankly speaking, I might have a little of that luxury. I came from a third world country. Part of my future dream is to also be able to educate the people there and expose them to some of the technologies I learned.
More power to you. If you have a Masters, you have the degree you need to teach. Are you an adjunct teacher or a TA at your school? If not, I think one of those two things would be your next logical step. From what I understand, a M Arch. degree and a handful of experience in the field should be enough to allow you to teach somewhere, whether it be a design studio or computer applications. The PhD will probably help you as well.
Good luck in your future.
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