Types of Engineering Degrees: Your Guide

If you're creative yet analytical, you might enjoy studying for an engineering degree. Engineers design all kinds of things that benefit users: bridges, buildings, cars, planes, rockets, satellites, computers, robots, medical devices, and more. Then, they build and test their designs.

"Engineering degree" is an umbrella term that covers several different types of degrees. Some standard degree programmes in engineering include:

• Aeronautical engineering

• Electrical engineering

• Chemical engineering

• Computer engineering

• Civil engineering

• Marine engineering

• Mechanical engineering

You may also find more specific degrees within these larger fields of engineering. During an engineering degree, you learn the tools to tackle complex problems within our society and develop innovative solutions. Discover which area resonates with your interests by learning the ins and outs of six common engineering degrees. 

6 types of engineering degrees

While engineering is a broad field, it can be loosely divided into six subcategories. While not every university offers a degree in these types of engineering, they tend to be common.

1. Electrical engineering degree

Average base salary (UK): £38,025 [1]

If you enjoy maths and physics, you may want to consider an electrical engineering degree. Electrical engineering (EE) involves designing, creating, testing, and installing electrical equipment. You can find a wide range of focuses within electrical engineering, ranging from microelectronics to large electrical systems.

Electrical engineers work across many sectors, including the building industry, transport networks, manufacturing, construction, power production, and renewable energy. Depending on your area of interest, you can opt for several paths within electrical engineering, including:

• Electronics engineering

• Power systems engineering

• Telecommunication engineering

• Signal processing engineering

2. Chemical engineering

Average base salary (UK): £35,853 [2]

Chemical engineering deals with converting raw materials into products through chemical processes. You’ll typically be involved in the design of many types of products, including petrochemicals, plastics, and pharmaceuticals. 

Earning a degree in chemical engineering could lead to a career in pharmaceuticals, energy, manufacturing, biotechnology, food and drink, oil and gas, or environmental sustainability, among others. With this degree, you might enter a related career as a:

• Environmental engineering

• Biochemist

• Food scientist

• Research scientist

• Process industry engineering

3. Civil engineering

Average base salary (UK): £36,248 [3]

This degree programme is a step toward becoming a civil engineer. In this role, you'll design infrastructures like roads, bridges, and water systems and ensure their safety for public use. As you might imagine, this involves advanced knowledge of applied physics and maths, along with professional skills like surveying, budgeting, and planning.

You can work in exciting industries within civil engineering, like urban planning, water, transport, buildings, energy, and geotechnology. As a civil engineer, you can specialise in several types of engineering, including: 

• Water resource engineer

• Fire engineer

• Environmental engineer

• Geotechnical engineer

• Structural engineer

4. Mechanical engineering

Average base salary (UK): £36,273 [4]

In a mechanical engineering degree programme, you'll learn how to design and build machines–everything from generators and engines to lifts and air conditioners. It's a broad field with job opportunities across a variety of industries. Your job responsibilities can vary significantly. For example, you might research and develop products, improve processes, develop and test novel theories, monitor existing designs, and more.

Because of the broad application of mechanical engineering, you can work in diverse industries. You might find positions in automotive, energy, government, oil and gas, pharmaceutical, food, cosmetic, sports, transport, or defence sectors to name a few. If you want to specialise your degree, you can pursue a master’s in related areas such as:

• Computer-aided engineering

• Design engineering

• Manufacturing engineering

• Medical engineering

5. Aeronautical engineering

Average base salary (UK): £35,926 [5]

For students fascinated by the skies, aeronautical engineering provides you with an exciting foundation in aviation, including aerodynamics, astroelasticity, and astronautics. This degree equips you to design and test aviation technologies, and you may have job responsibilities such as assembling aircraft components, devising new testing procedures, monitoring existing equipment, and writing reports and documentation of findings. 

With this career, you may work in a combination of office and field environments. For example, you may work in flight-test programmes, to measure landing capacities, rate of climb, manoeuvrability, and other important aviation metrics. This degree is related to aerospace and mechanical engineering, and you might enter related careers such as:

• Maritime safety

• Aerospace engineering

• Maintenance engineering

• Control and instrumentation engineering

• Design engineering

• CAD technician

• Consulting civil engineering

6. Computer engineering 

Average base salary (UK): £40,671 [6]

In a computer engineering programme, you learn how to use mathematical principles to design, test, and maintain computer systems. This type of degree focuses on both hardware and software, and you learn exciting tools related to experimental design, algorithm selection and testing, computer security, and implementation strategies. 

This degree uses both computer science and electrical engineering knowledge, allowing you to take part in exciting projects and work across multidisciplinary teams. If you choose to specialise in this degree, you enter industries such as:

• AI engineering

• Robotics engineering

• Software development

• Network architecture

• Computer systems engineering

Why study engineering?

If you enjoy problem-solving and want to have a positive impact on the lives of others, a career in engineering can be rewarding. As an engineer, you'll get to think creatively to solve real-world problems and, in doing so, make the world a better place. Engineers typically enjoy high starting salaries and levels of job satisfaction, low unemployment rates, and the ability to specialise in various fascinating fields. 

Engineering degrees by level

It's possible to earn engineering degrees at different levels, depending on your career goals. Within each of the following qualification levels, you can choose specialities such as general engineering, manufacturing engineering, mechanical engineering, and so on, depending on the programme you enter. When choosing where to apply, it’s important to understand what’s offered and whether it lines up with your interests.

Bachelor of Engineering (BEng) Level 6

The Bachelor of Engineering (BEng) is an undergraduate degree typically completed over three years. It provides a comprehensive education in engineering, covering both theoretical and practical aspects. While the exact timeline and content will vary, most BEng programmes include core modules, laboratory sessions, hands-on project work, and more advanced options.

Master of Engineering (MEng) Level 6

The MEng pathway is essentially an extension of the BEng pathway. Instead of ending your studies after three years, you continue to a fourth year. You might enter into your programme knowing you will end with an MEng, or you might enter into a programme that allows you to decide midway through your studies whether to complete a BEng or MEng. In some programmes, the MEng degree may encompass a Bachelor of Arts (BA) honours degree rather than a BEng degree.

Master of Science (MSc) Level 7

If you do not opt for the advanced undergraduate MEng degree, you can complete a stand-alone one-year postgraduate degree in engineering. In this programme, you might complete a research project in a speciality area related to your career interest. Other times, you might complete a set of core and optional modules to deepen your academic and applied knowledge of related subject areas.

Doctoral degree (PhD or EngD) Level 8

The field of engineering offers two types of doctoral degrees. If your career goal is to teach engineering or enter a research-oriented career, you may need a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in engineering to qualify for higher education or advanced industry positions. This degree typically takes about three to five years to complete, depending on whether you are full or part-time. With an Engineering Doctorate (EngD), you can prepare for career advancement and leadership roles in engineering with a combination of research and taught modules. This degree typically takes four years of full-time study.

Master of Engineering vs Master of Science in Engineering

Depending on your programme, you may have a choice between earning your Master of Engineering (MEng) or your Master of Science (MSc) in Engineering. Both degrees emphasise advanced technical training in the field and open doors for exciting career opportunities or further education

If you know you’d like to become a Chartered Engineer, an MEng might provide a more streamlined and cost-effective path to qualifying for this distinction. If you’re not sure yet what you want your career to look like, you can take time after completing your BEng to explore potential pathways. Later, if you decide it’s the right choice, you can enter an MSc programme to advance your engineering education. 

Other engineering education options

If you aren’t ready to commit to a full degree, you can complete several other levels of qualifications. These qualifications can stand alone or be steps on your pathway to a full engineering degree.

BTEC Level 3 National Diploma in Engineering

The BTEC Level 3 National Diploma in Engineering is a two-year program that provides you with foundational engineering principles. This qualification is equivalent to A-levels and prepares you for an entry-level role in the engineering sector or for further education in engineering, such as progressing to a Higher National Certificate (HNC) or Higher National Diploma (HND).

Pearson BTEC Level 4 Higher National Certificate (HNC) in Engineering

The Pearson BTEC Level 4 Higher National Certificate (HNC) in Engineering is a vocational qualification that typically takes one year to complete full-time. This qualification focuses on technical and professional education and creates a pathway into engineering employment opportunities. Professionals who want to upskill their engineering skills may also choose this course. Plus, students who complete this programme can ‘top up’ their education and complete an HND.

Pearson BTEC Level 5 Higher National Diploma (HND) in Engineering

An HND is equivalent to the first two years of a three-year undergraduate degree, making it a great option if you want more advanced career opportunities and deeper engineering education without the commitment of a full degree. 

This is also a natural next step after you complete your HNC to continue deepening your engineering education, as it offers theory-based classroom courses alongside hands-on practical education. 

Get your engineering degree on Coursera

Engineering is an exciting field filled with innovation and discovery. Even if you are confident engineering is the right field for you, you might have questions about exactly which type of degree to pursue. Mechanical, chemical, electrical, aeronautical, and computer engineering cover a wide range of potential career paths to consider. Plus, you can earn qualifications in engineering at several levels, further allowing you to tailor your engineering journey.

Earn your Master of Science in Electrical Engineering from the University of Colorado Boulder on Coursera. Admission is performance-based, meaning there's no application required. To start with an introductory course and explore different interest areas, consider taking Fundamental Skills in Engineering Design or Introduction to Engineering Mechanics. If you like the curriculum, you can upgrade and enrol in an engineering certificate or the full degree programme.