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+--- Thread: Just submitted my application to go back to school. BS after a PhD (/showthread.php?tid=7508)
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Just submitted my application to go back to school. BS after a PhD - Baby Tats - 03-20-2006
Yes, it is a career change.
I have decided that I really don't like what I am doing as a career. So I just finished submitting my transfer application for a BS level engineering program in a field that is completely different than what I am doing now as a PhD. I visited the school and met with many of the faculty members who seemed a little perplexed by me. But, the head of the program was one of the most enthusiastic individuals I have ever met and seemed very devoted to graduating top notch engineers. Luckily the program has quite a few non-traditional students in it and is very small and personalized.
There is very heavy online support for the program with all lectures, class notes, home work and solutions, and test solutions posted online. In fact, some of the students work 9-5 jobs and only come to campus for tests and labs. Lectures are typically available for viewing online or at home within hours of being completed.
I have to admit that I am a little apprehensive about the whole thing. I wonder how this old brain will work when it comes to absorbing new knowledge, especially programming and embedded circuits. I know that it won't be as easy to learn as it was when I was 20. OTOH, I don't have to be worried about being distracted by hops, bongs, and coeds. Well, actually, I still am distracted by 2 out of 3 of those just not as much as I used to be. I will also have the advantage of: 1) knowing how to work 40+ hour weeks, 2) being able to speak with the professors on an adult to adult level, and 3) I don't have to take a lot of the freshman, sophomore classes because I already took them.
So now all I can do is wait and see if I got into my first and only choice school. I feel like a high school senior again except without the acne. I wonder what would happen if I applied for a visiting professor position as well? Maybe I could teach some of my fellow classmates. Do you think that would be a conflict of interest?
BT
Re: Just submitted my application to go back to school. BS after a PhD - Z - 03-20-2006
So which engineering discipline? Huh? Huh?
I'm enjoying my return to do a Master's degree right now in environmental engineering. Contemplating a PhD... hmm. Should get to work myself!
Re: Just submitted my application to go back to school. BS after a PhD - Baby Tats - 03-20-2006
Z Wrote:
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> So which engineering discipline? Huh? Huh?
Mechatronics. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mechatronics
Have you ever noticed that whenever someone draws a Venn diagram, they always put themselves in the middle?
BT
Re: Just submitted my application to go back to school. BS after a PhD - Z - 03-20-2006
Very intriguing! Sounds like a fun challenge - but switching from a PhD in what?
Hmm... and I thought that my BS in chemical allowed ME to be able to do anything :]
"The modern discipline of chemical engineering encompasses much more than just process engineering. Chemical engineers are now engaged in the development and production of a diverse range of products, as well as in commodity and specialty chemicals. These products include high performance materials needed for aerospace, automotive, biomedical, electronic, environmental and military applications. Examples include ultra-strong fibers, fabrics, adhesives and composites for vehicles, bio-compatible materials for implants and prosthetics, gels for medical applications, pharmaceuticals, and films with special dielectric, optical or spectroscopic properties for opto-electronic devices. Additionally, chemical engineering is often intertwined with biology and biomedical engineering. Many chemical engineers work on biological projects such as understanding biopolymers (proteins) and mapping the human genome."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chemical_Engineering
Re: Just submitted my application to go back to school. BS after a PhD - Michael - 03-20-2006
Baby Tats Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I wonder what would happen if I applied for a
> visiting professor position as well? Maybe I could
> teach some of my fellow classmates. Do you think
> that would be a conflict of interest?
Do it! Lots of schools have tuition waivers for faculty, so you could make a few bucks and save a bunch of bucks!
Best of luck.
Re: Just submitted my application to go back to school. BS after a PhD - kap - 03-20-2006
This post will inspire me, at 42 years of age, to go back to school just to earn an B.S. or M.S. in a discipline that is completely different from my B.A.
Kap
Re: Just submitted my application to go back to school. BS after a PhD - spearmint - 03-20-2006
I stumbled through undergrad, got drafted and then went to grad school being more mature (24) and not needing to act like an intensive student it was easy. Plus I got to go to 79 Cub games.
Now you already having the the perservance to get an PHD are going to show those undergrads a thing or two. Good Luck!
Re: Just submitted my application to go back to school. BS after a PhD - Zoidberg - 03-20-2006
If you've got a PhD they should just give you a BS for free.
Re: Just submitted my application to go back to school. BS after a PhD - spearmint - 03-21-2006
That Wikapedia article on mechatronics is truly fascinating. I loved the diagram. I learned something today. Sounds like a fascinating field. Good choice.
Re: Just submitted my application to go back to school. BS after a PhD - Numo - 03-21-2006
I went back to school at age 51 for a Education degree. One interesting thing that I noticed about the difference between older and younger students is that younger students often have an amazing ability to parrot the text book. However, just as often they don't know what it means. This is not meant to criticize - it is just that being young, they lack the experience (context) in which to evaluate ideas.
I also thought that when it came to assignments, some of the younger students tended to work harder than smarter - lots of energy, but not much planning.
On the other hand, I'm sure some of the younger students thought I was an old fogey!