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Newsletter Contents

Synopses of new reports in the Report Library on the Engineering Trends Web Site engtrends.com

1. "A Global Study of Engineering Undergraduate and Doctoral Degrees Awarded in Ninety-One Countries"
2. "Engineering and Engineering Discipline Degrees through AY2006-07 with Near Term Predictions Via Enrollment Data"
3. "Rapid Growth in Bioengineering and Biomedical Engineering Degrees - But, Why Are These Degrees Being Awarded in So Few States by So Few Universities?"

Updated Graphs on the Degrees Since 1945 Page of the Engineering Trends Web Site

New Studies Underway at Engineering Trends

Notice to Engineering Trends Members - New My Membership Page on the Web Site

Organizational Memberships in Engineering Trends Are Now Available

Synopses of New Reports in the Report Library on the Engineering Trends Web Site

A Global Study of Engineering Undergraduate and Doctoral Degrees Awarded in Ninety-One Countries (Report 0208A)

A global view of engineering education statistical information is contained in this report. Primarily, undergraduate and doctoral degrees reported by ninety-one countries are summarized. Data are also presented for degrees awarded to women and the origins (citizenships) of foreign national students in several countries are described.

Engineering degree data from the early 1980s through the present (most recent year reported) are presented. Undergraduate degree trends for China, Germany, Japan, South Korea, the United Kingdom and the United States are shown. Doctoral degree data are shown for China, France, Germany, India, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, the United Kingdom and the United States.

The most recently reported engineering undergraduate and doctoral degree data are presented in terms of numbers of degrees and degrees per capita. Undergraduate degree per capita data relative to both the population of 24-year old persons and total population were analyzed. Doctoral degree per capita data are presented only as degrees per total population. Rankings of the individual countries are presented for both total numbers of degrees and degrees per capita.

Recent data for undergraduate and graduate degrees awarded to women in various countries were also analyzed. Only about two-thirds of the countries reporting total degrees reported degrees for women. Rankings of the individual countries in terms of the numbers of degrees awarded to women and the fractions of total degrees awarded are presented.

Undergraduate and graduate enrollment data for Canada, France, Japan and the United Kingdom were analyzed in terms of the countries of origin for foreign national students. Few similarities were found in the fractions of foreign national students and the countries of origin.

(This 27-page report was requested by Hong Kong Polytechnic University for use in their report entitled "Research on the Cultivation of Innovative Talents in Engineering and Technology" (January 25, 2008) to be presented to the Chinese Academy of Engineering.)

Engineering and Engineering Discipline Degrees through AY2006-07 with Near Term Predictions Via Enrollment Data (Report 0208B)

Bachelor's, master's and doctoral degree trends were reported for engineering and fourteen engineering disciplines for the period AY1980-81 through AY2006-07, the latest year for which data are available. The study included aerospace (including aeronautical and astronautical), biological (bioengineering plus biomedical), chemical, civil, computer (science plus engineering), electrical, environmental, industrial, materials, mechanical, mining (including geological), nuclear, petroleum and systems engineering. Enrollment data for both engineering as a whole and for the individual engineering disciplines were used to make predictions on degree trends in the near term (two to four years).

The number of bachelor's degrees awarded in engineering declined slowly in both AY2005-06 and AY2006-07. Increases in undergraduate enrollment occurred in first-year students in fall 2006; second-, third- and fourth-year enrollments declined. Thus, slowly declining degrees should continue for three or four more years. Engineering master's degrees declined significantly in AY2005-06 and AY2006-07 and master's enrollments increased in fall 2006 after declines in the two prior years. Master's degrees should begin to increase again in AY2008-09. Doctoral enrollment increases in the last three years have been significantly lower than in prior years. A reduced rate of doctoral degree growth should begin next year and continue for at least three more years.

Slowly increasing undergraduate enrollments in civil engineering should sustain the past growth trend of bachelor's degrees. The continuing decline of undergraduate enrollments in computer and electrical engineering should continue the past declines in bachelor's degrees in these disciplines. Undergraduate enrollments in mechanical engineering declined in fall 2006 and should begin to influence bachelor's degree in two years. The continuous growth of bachelor's degrees in biological engineering in past years will be influenced in about two years by the lack of growth in undergraduate enrollments in fall 2006.

Significant doctoral degree growth will continue for at least the next three or four years in biological engineering due to significant growth in enrollments. Civil engineering doctorates will also continue to increase for at least three to four years due to slow, but steady, increases in enrollments. Doctoral degree growth rates in chemical, computer, electrical and mechanical engineering will begin to slow in about two to three years since their respective doctoral enrollments remained essentially constant in fall 2006.

Rapid Growth in Bioengineering and Biomedical Engineering Degrees - But, Why Are These Degrees Being Awarded in So Few States by So Few Universities? (Report 0208C)

Bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees in bioengineering and biomedical engineering are awarded in only a small number of states. Within those states, the degrees are awarded by a small number of universities. This report covers the period from AY2000-01 through AY2006-07.

In AY2006-07, the "top 10" states (bioengineering undergraduate) awarded 73.4% of the bachelor's degrees (just 24 universities), but only 54.2% of all undergraduate engineering degrees. The "top 10" states (bioengineering doctoral) awarded 81.6% of the doctorates (just 16 universities), but only 48.3% of all engineering doctorates. Since AY2000-01, universities in eighteen states did not award any bachelor's degrees in bioengineering; doctoral degrees were not awarded in twenty-seven states.

In AY2006-07, the "top 10" states (biomedical engineering undergraduate) awarded 60.8% of the bachelor's degrees (just 29 universities), but only 45.7% of all undergraduate engineering degrees. The "top 10" states (biomedical engineering doctoral) awarded 65.8% of the doctorates (just 28 universities), but only 43.3% of all engineering doctorates. Since AY2000-01, universities in twenty-three states did not award any bachelor's degrees in biomedical engineering; doctoral degrees were not awarded in twenty-four states.

Updated Graphs on the Degrees Since 1945 Page on the Engineering Trends Web Site

All of the seventy-two graphs for engineering and twenty-one engineering disciplines on the Degrees Since 1945 page of the Web site have been updated with AY2006-07 degree data. Graphs for engineering as a whole include gender, ethnicity and foreign national data. These graphs are available to all site visitors. Graphs for individual disciplines include gender and foreign national data.

New Studies Underway at Engineering Trends

Our studies of gender and ethnicity data through AY2006-07 are nearing completion. This effort is aimed at both engineering and individual engineering disciplines. Reports on these studies will be summarized in the next quarterly newsletter and posted on our Web site.

Notice to Engineering Trends Members - New My Membership Page on the Web Site

A new page has been added to the Engineering Trends Web site - My Membership. This page contains the most recent contact information for the member and the membership expiration date. Access to My Membership is via the member's username and password.

Organizational Memberships in Engineering Trends Are Now Available

Organizational Memberships provide two additional memberships in an organization at a reduced rate. The annual fee is $500. The membership holder designates the two additional members online after the membership holder's registration has been processed. Each of the three organizational members receive all member benefits. Further information is available by accessing the Membership Application button on the Web site. Current Primary Memberships can be renewed as Organizational Memberships via the online membership application procedure.

Can We Be of Assistance?

Engineering Trends specializes in client-defined studies comparing engineering colleges and departments at individual universities.  We follow closely enrollment and degree trends for the US and individual engineering colleges.  Our predictions of engineering degree trends have been credible.  We would be pleased to assist you in your activities in this regard.  Engineering Trends has the capability to provide rapid responses and accurate analyses 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 Report Library section of our Web site and reviewed in forthcoming newsletters.  You may contact us via our Web site www.engtrends.com, info@engtrends.com and/or (906) 482-1523.  We look forward to working with you.

Sincerely,

Richard W. Heckel
Founder & Technical Director
rheckel@engtrends.com

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