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Newsletter Contents

Synopses of New Reports in Inside Engineering Education on the Engineering Trends Web Site  http://engtrends.com

1. "New Trends for Degrees per Faculty Member in Engineering Colleges - Analyses of Bachelor's, Master's and Doctoral Degrees for Overall Engineering and Ten Engineering Disciplines."
2. "Trends in Engineering Bachelor's, Master's and Doctoral Degrees Awarded in Individual States - Including Analysis of Six Engineering Disciplines"
3. "Significant Departures of Undergraduate and Graduate Degree Trends in Engineering Disciplines from the Trends of Engineering as a Whole"

Engineering Degree Graphical Information in Degrees Since 1945 on the Engineering Trends Web Site Now Includes AY2005-06 Data for Engineering and Twenty-One Individual Engineering Disciplines

Revision of Report 0806B, "Unraveling the Apparent Inconsistencies between Various Sources of US Engineering Degree Data - Comparison of ASEE, EWC and NSF Surveys", August 2006

New Studies Underway at Engineering Trends

Synopses of New Reports in Inside Engineering Education on the Engineering Trends Web Site

New Trends for Degrees per Faculty Member in Engineering Colleges - Analyses of Bachelor's, Master's and Doctoral Degrees for Overall Engineering and Ten Engineering Disciplines (Report No. 0207A)

Engineering degrees per faculty member were analyzed for engineering (AY1970-71 through AY2004-05) and ten engineering disciplines (AY1980-81 through AY2004-05). The impetus for the study was the continuing increase in the number of engineering faculty members at a time when bachelor's and master's enrollments were decreasing and doctoral enrollments ceased to grow.

The degree per faculty member ratios of the ten engineering disciplines included in the study differed from those of engineering overall for bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees. In addition, for many disciplines, the current trends in these measures differed significantly from the overall engineering trends.

Trends in Engineering Bachelor's, Master's and Doctoral Degrees Awarded in Individual States - Including Analysis of Six Engineering Disciplines (Report No. 0207B)

The growth in the number of degrees awarded by engineering colleges in the AY2000-01 to AY2005-06 period covered by this study was substantial. Bachelor's degrees increased by 17%, master's degrees increased by 20% and doctoral degrees increased by 32%. The increases for the fifty states plus the District of Columbia varied significantly from each other and the national averages. The study updated Report 0404A ("Engineering Bachelor's Degrees Awarded in States - Total Number and "Per Population" (with AY1990-91 and AY2000-01 Comparisons)", April 2004).

For bachelor's degrees, 32 states grew more than 10% in the number of degrees awarded and 9 states experienced declines. For master's degrees, 31 states grew more than 10% and 15 had declines. For doctoral degrees, 42 states showed increases of more than 10%; the other 9 had declines. In terms of degrees per capita, the "top 10" states in terms of the number of degrees awarded at each of the three academic levels generally ranked between 10th and 25th.

The "top 10" states in degrees awarded in AY2005-06 dominated the "top 10" positions in the six disciplines studied (biological, chemical, civil, computer, electrical and mechanical engineering), as anticipated. Exceptions to this generality were found; some of them were significant.

Significant Departures of Undergraduate and Graduate Degree Trends in Engineering Disciplines from Trends of Engineering as a Whole (Report No. 0207C)

Bachelor's and master's enrollments in engineering have been declining; doctoral enrollment did not grow in fall 2005 and declines are anticipated in the future, possibly as soon as fall 2006. Bachelor's and master's degrees declined in AY2005-06. This study was aimed at defining bachelor's, master's and doctoral degree trends in seventeen individual engineering disciplines.

For bachelor's and master's degrees, engineering discipline trends in many instances differed significantly from those of engineering as a whole. Among the larger disciplines, the numbers of bachelor's degrees awarded in aerospace, civil and mechanical engineering continue to grow; computer engineering, computer science and computer science and engineering continue to decline. Among the smaller disciplines, significant bachelor's degree growth continues for bioengineering, biomedical engineering and systems engineering. Slower growth continues for nuclear and petroleum engineering.

Among the larger disciplines, aerospace engineering is the only discipline experiencing master's degree growth. Electrical, industrial and mechanical engineering, computer science and computer science and engineering are all declining in the number of master's degrees awarded. Among the smaller disciplines, bioengineering, biomedical engineering and systems engineering are undergoing significant master's degree growth; nuclear and petroleum engineering continue to grow slowly.

The situation for doctoral degrees differs from those of bachelor's and master's degrees as would be expected since doctoral degrees in engineering are still increasing rapidly. All nine of the larger disciplines continue to undergo doctoral degree growth, although the growth rates for chemical, civil and industrial engineering slowed in AY2005-06. Among the smaller disciplines, biomedical and materials (materials science and engineering) engineering continue to experience rapid doctoral degree growth; bioengineering, environmental engineering, nuclear engineering and systems engineering continue to grow steadily.

Engineering Degree Graphical Information in Degrees Since 1945 on the Engineering Trends Web Site Now Includes AY2005-06 Data for Engineering and Twenty-One Individual Engineering Disciplines

The recent updating of the Engineering Trends Web site included addition of the latest data for bachelor's, master's and doctoral data for engineering colleges and twenty-one engineering disciplines. The data include bioengineering, biomedical engineering, computer science, computer engineering and computer science and engineering as separate disciplines.

Revision of Report 0806B, "Unraveling the Apparent Inconsistencies between Various Sources of US Engineering Degree Data - Comparison of ASEE, EWC and NSF Surveys", August 2006

Report 0806B pointed out that engineering master's degree data in the National Science Foundation report NSB 02-1 (Science and Engineering Indicators 2002) and the engineering doctoral degree data in NSF report NSB 06-01 (Science and Engineering Indicators 2006) appeared to have been "shifted" from earlier years, with some shifts being as large as six years. The master's degree data were obtained from Appendix Table 02-22 in NSB 02-1; the doctoral data were obtained from Appendix Table 02-30 in NSB 06-01. It was pointed out to Engineering Trends that the master's degree data in Appendix Table 02-23 in NSB 02-1 were not "shifted" and are consistent with data reported in other years by NSF. Similarly, Appendix Tables 02-31 and 02-32 in NSB 06-01 were not "shifted" and are consistent with NSF data in other years. Report 0806B has been revised to clarify this matter. What remains unclear is the reason why repeated data on successive tables differ.

New Studies Underway at Engineering Trends

A comprehensive survey of bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees awarded to women, various ethnic groups and foreign nationals is underway. Both engineering as a whole as well as individual engineering disciplines are being studied. The study covers twenty-five years and includes degrees awarded in AY2005-06, the most recent data available.

Can We Be of Assistance?

Engineering Trends specializes in client-defined studies comparing engineering colleges and departments at individual universities. We would be pleased to assist you in your activities in this regard. Engineering Trends has the capability to provide rapid responses and accurate studies at low cost to our clients. All studies are based upon a no-cost quotation specifying the scope of the study and the delivery time, as well as the cost.

We welcome your suggestions of reports to be added to the Inside Engineering Education section of our Web site and reviewed in forthcoming newsletters. You may contact us via our Web site http://engtrends.com, by e-mail at news@engtrends.com and/or by phone (906) 482-1523. We look forward to working with you.

Sincerely,

Richard W. Heckel
Founder & Technical Director

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