M.S. vs M.Eng. vs M.B.A.

[CrazyRedHead95]

Alright. I'm 16 years old, and I plan on attending Texas A&M University in one or two years for a B.S. in Electrical Engineering. From what I have heard, here is the line up.

M.S. M.Eng. M.B.A.

-Theoretical approach (w/ thesis) -Applied approach (more class-oriented) -Business approach

-More scientific knowledge -More applied mathematics knowledge -More business-related mathematics knowledge

-Better for working towards a Ph.D. -Better for working towards an E.E. or P.E. -Good for staying as-is

-Better for scientists -Better for engineers -Better for businessmen

-One to two years to complete -One to two years to complete -One to two years to complete

I eventually want to work on a Ph.D. in physics (specifically astrophysics), but I also want to have a high-paying job to support an eventual large family. I want to be both a good scientist and engineer or businessman. So, my questions are:

• Can a B.S. in electrical engineering alone give me enough umph for a Ph.D. in astrophysics?
  
• If so, can I make more money with a M.Eng. degree, or an M.B.A.?
  
• If not, will a M.Eng. or M.S. degree be better for an engineering field?
  

Well, just let me know please! Any thorough answers would be well appreciated.

[CrazyRedHead95]

Dang, this did not come out the way it was ordered. If anyone has trouble following the M.S. M.Eng. M.B.A. section, know that the first "-" on a line is M.S., the second "-" on a line is M.Eng., and the third "-" on a line is M.B.A.

[ktel]

You can get into a PhD program straight out of undergrad. Otherwise if you don't do that, and you go into a Master's, you will need an M.S. to then go into a PhD program and do research.

An MBA and an engineering degree can be a good combination, but the quality of the MBA depends greatly on the school you get it from, and can be quite expensive. An M.Eng. is a very practical degree oriented towards giving you more specialized knowledge to take into the workforce. It's difficult to judge which degree would be more lucrative, as you could be very successful in the business world without any type of business degree.

[CrazyRedHead95]

Yeah, thanks! I figured to be an eventual Electrical Engineering Manager, I would only need experience with my degree. Texas A&M has a fast-track program in which I can start an M.S. in my senior year. I'm heading to A&M when I'm 17 or 18, so I can have an M.S. by the time I'm 21 or 22. I could (if I start immediately) get a Ph.D by age 23 to 25.

[ktel]

A PhD takes longer than that, trust me. I started university when I was 17 and will be 23 when I get my M.S. A PhD easily takes 4-5 years.

[George2248]

Is a MEng really worth it? from waht I read they ussually require almost the double of credits than a MS and I dont know what benefits does it have over the MS?

Any experiences?

[ktel]

My boyfriend did an M.Eng. in Engineering Management. He did this to give him a leg up in the company he works for. He's slightly more experienced and qualified, so can get paid a little more and has a few more credentials to make himself stand out. Similarly I see a lot of M.Eng. students in Aerospace Engineering, because it's a more specialized field and the knowledge you get in undergrad isn't enough to get you into the industry. It's double the credits of an M.S. because you don't do a research thesis, although you may do some sort of final project, but it's course-based only.

[George2248]

Engineering or Construction Management is actually what I plan to study. But for now Ive only found the MEM programs of the MEMPC and they all are 1 year programs. Ive found only a few MEng in Construction Management, must top programs only offer MS. And some offer Professional MS which I dont know what the difference is?

Im still not sure what to apply....