Page:Engineering as a vocation (IA cu31924004245605).pdf/89

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page has been proofread, but needs to be validated.
ENGINEERING AS A VOCATION
75

becomes a man who practises an art in a scientific way.

few good schools still give the professional degree instead of a bachelor degree upon completion of the four-year course. The majority, however, of the better schools now grant the degree of Bachelor of Science. A student taking one or two years additional work in residence receives upon completion of this work the professional degree, but few except those who intend to become teachers take any graduate work. An attempt was made a year or two ago to have the schools abandon the professional degree altogether, for the letters C.E., M.E., etc., are merely abbreviations of the words Civil Engineer, Mechanical Engineer, etc., and, as such, are assumed by a great many men without college training, who are practising engineering. There are no laws to prevent them from doing so if they wish, so the professional degree is now not only an absurdity, but it is also meaningless. The men who have received it by doing extra work prize it, but wish there was some protection afforded the rightful owners.

Instead of the professional degree it is proposed to substitute the degree of Master of Science as a second degree, for graduate work. For a third degree the degree of Doctor of Science in Engineering is proposed for additional work of a research nature to engineering teachers and the degree of Doctor of Engineering for research work