Engineering and Technology in Australia

What you can expect from postgraduate study in Engineering and technology

What you're in for
Engineering is a big, well-established field. At postgraduate level its familiar sub-disciplines (chemical, civil, mechanical) are now complemented by those which relate to emerging technologies, for example, biomedical, telecommunications and wireless communication. Then there are those which look at engineering in specific fields of activity and industries, such as local government, water management, air conditioning, environmental management, pulp and paper production, transport and so on. Engineers are big consumers of further education and training, and the profession has an unusually strong role in its provision. The majority of those enrolled in this field are doing coursework rather than research, typically for a professional upgrade but some choose to learn a new specialisation. This reflects the increasing mobility of engineers between organisations and areas of responsibility. It is not unusual to find engineering research/teaching centres which bring together the efforts of universities and organisations from the private sector. Note too the availability of APA (Industry) scholarships which support research students wanting to work in conjunction with industry. If you are contemplating a research degree you should not just look at research performance of the institution overall but at the activities of academics in your area of interest. Also, where relevant, consider the prevalence of interdisciplinary activity and industry links. However, with a well-established research program you are also more likely to find a critical mass of research students and better access to resources and scholarships. But as always, check out the specifics, including the strengths and weaknesses of possible supervisors. For information about what graduates of various institutions think of their programs and about careers and career prospects, see details below. Depending on where your interests lie within this broad field, you should also browse specialisations in environmental studies, architecture, built environment, computing and information systems, and surveying. If you wish to branch out from engineering into management check out business and management as well.
Who does postgraduate courses in Engineering and technology?
Number of students:14,668
Percent of students over 25 years: 35%
Percent of students with a prior degree: 82%
Percent of students with Non-English speaking backgrounds: 51%
Number of international students: 6,760
Percent studying part-time: 49%
Percent studying externally: 16%
Percent women: 18%
Graduates view of the course experience
Teaching quality: 1 star
Development of generic skills: 3 stars
Overall satisfaction: 1 star
Your prospects
Those who have recently completed postgraduate coursework in this field are not very satisfied with their experience according to the national Course Experience Questionnaire. The generally accepted view, strongly pushed by the Engineers Australia, is that the economies of the future will demand more and more engineers, but currently, the market for engineering graduates is patchy. While employment prospects were below average in 2006, graduates earn first-rate salaries.
What salary can I expect?
Graduate starting salary: $82,274
Will I get a job?
Percentage of people looking for job who did not find full-time work four months after graduation: 26%
Where graduates go when they get jobs
Public sector: 16%
Private sector: 49%
Private practice: 10%
Overseas: 23%
Do institutions differ in how they teach Engineering and technology?

Yes. The following 35 institutions all provide Engineering and technology courses. Click on the University name to see how their Engineering and technology courses rate and compare.
Australian Defence Force Academy
Australian National University
Central Queensland University
Centre for Pavement Engineering Education
Charles Darwin University
Charles Sturt University
Curtin University of Technology
Deakin University
Edith Cowan University
Flinders University
Griffith University
James Cook University
La Trobe University
Macquarie University
Monash University
Murdoch University
Queensland University of Technology
RMIT University
Southern Cross University
Swinburne University of Technology
University of Adelaide
University of Ballarat
University of Canberra
University of Melbourne
University of New South Wales
University of Newcastle
University of Queensland
University of South Australia
University of Southern Queensland
University of Sydney
University of Technology, Sydney
University of Western Australia
University of Western Sydney
University of Wollongong
Victoria University