About Engineering Design

Engineering design is a method that engineers use to identify and solve problems. This course aims to develop your innovative thinking for designing and refining solutions in mechanical and electromechanical systems. It's a discipline which draws on knowledge of manufacturing techniques, product development, technical design and rapid prototyping to bring new innovations to market. It also focuses on improving existing products and the processes used for making them. This field of study aims to develop a range of fundamental design and engineering skills, with a particular emphasis on creativity, computer-aided engineering, optimisation, human factors and design process.

　　

Is studying Engineering design right for me?

Engineering design is a broad field, affording students the opportunity to move in many different directions in their careers. Have you ever thought “I could come up with a better design than that!”? If you want to apply your imagination to problem solving using leading design processes and tools, then this field of study is suitable for you. You will gain the enterprise skills and industrial experience necessary to launch brand new products to market and translate design engineering into impact. Prospective students who are considering engineering design degree will most likely have strong backgrounds in math and science and a strong interest in technology.

　　

Study options and costs

　　Bachelor in engineering design is post-secondary degree program that provides students with a solid grounding in design, manufacturing, technologies and product development. Obtaining a bachelor’s degree normally takes four years and cost of obtaining this degree varies depending upon the school, the length of the program and living arrangements. Approximately tuition fee ranges from $12,472 to $18,200 per year. A master’s degree is designed to impart skills and the ability to understand the market and to design products that can compete favorably with other products in the market. Obtaining a master’s degree typicall takes two years and costs between $15,000-$30,000 for international students.

　　

Future outlook

Research of the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects 4.1% employment growth for design engineers between 2020 till 2030 with an estimated 12,800 new job openings. According to the reports, engineering jobs take the longest time to fill in comparison to other job fields where the average fill time is 47.6 days, jobs within engineering takes 60-62 days to fill. The current rate of unemployment in the manufacturing & designing industry is 3.3%.

　　

Career Pathways for Engineering Design graduates

　　

CAD designer

　　A CAD designer creates plans for buildings and machinery. They use CAD software to design technical drawings for building construction or product manufacturing. CAD designers work alongside civil engineers, architects and design engineers to develop effective designs for projects and ideas. They often look over design layouts to identify and fix compatibility problems. These individuals earn on average $54,937 per year.

　　

Mechanical designer

　　A mechanical designer works within a team of designers and architects to create designs for devices, products, systems, machines and equipment. They use analytical thinking and computer software to solve problems and create designs. Their annual average income is around $74,824.

　　

Design engineer

　　A design engineer develops new products and production systems. They are responsible for ensuring the effectiveness and efficiency of product production. Design engineers use computer software to create, examine and adapt products and procedures. The average annual income of a design engineer is $87,066.

　　

Project engineer

　　A project engineer manages a company's technical and engineering projects. This involves overseeing project personnel, budgets and schedules. Project engineers are also known as field engineers, construction engineers or construction project engineers. The average annual income of a project engineer is $77,613.