How to Become an Automotive Engineer

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Engineering is the study of structure and design. Automotive engineers apply that study to developing and manufacturing cars, trucks and cargo vehicles. The field includes separate specialties, each of which requires its own specialized education and career path. Far from being another step on the track of building or repairing autos, automotive engineering can be a lucrative career choice that requires advanced education and training. There are two basic tracks for becoming an automotive engineer. You can train in automotive engineering technology, or you can get a general degree in mechanical engineering.

Steps

Preparatory Steps

1. 1
   Decide which training track you want to follow: automotive engineering or mechanical engineering.

   
   

Mechanical Engineering

1. 1
   Pursue an undergraduate degree in chemistry, physics or mathematics. If getting your degree from a liberal arts school, fill your nonmajor credits with courses in design and computer science.
   • Germany, Italy and Japan are all major players in the automotive manufacturing market. If your college requires a foreign language, these will serve you in the automotive industry.
   • Graduate school is typically a requirement for an advanced career in engineering, so keep your grades up to get your best shot at a quality graduate program.
2. 2
   Complete a graduate course in mechanical engineering or automotive engineering. These courses will require you to take classes in physics, structural engineering, electrical engineering, system design and analysis. A typical graduate degree can take 2 years.

Automotive Engineering Technology

1. 1
   Pursue a bachelor's degree in automotive engineering technology. This classwork will include study of automotive parts, safety considerations and industry issues like energy efficiency and emissions control.
   • Get good grades and work in the automotive industry while pursuing this degree. Since this path doesn't require a graduate degree, there's a larger pack of potential candidates. Anything you can do to stand above the rest will help in your job search.

   
   

Tips

• Some of the better programs for automotive engineering careers are at Ferris State University, Arizona State University and the University of Michigan.
• Consider joining--or at least subscribing to the newsletter of--the Society of Automotive Engineers and the American Society of Mechanical Engineers. If you keep track of what's going on in your industry, you will have more context for the information in your classes and will be better able to answer interview questions.
• The median income for 2008 for automotive engineers was just under $75,000 per year in the United States according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Sources and Citations

• http://www.sae.org/
• http://www.asme.org/
• http://www.onlineengineeringdegrees.net/automotive-engineer-degree
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