Continuing Education Programs at Local Schools

by Natalie Varner, EIT, MEng

 

Many engineers’ careers began with eight semesters in a college engineering program followed by passing the FE. While there are no additional education requirements for taking the PE in Massachusetts, ASCE still promotes lifelong learning. They encourage us by offering over 300 seminars and workshops around the country each year on different topics. But there are also many local schools that offer continuing education programs for those of us who would enjoy returning to the classroom without pursing a graduate degree.

 

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Professional Education program offers a variety of classes. Their Advanced Study Program allows professionals to choose from over 2000 MIT semester long classes. Participants take between one and four courses each semester and can build credit towards a certificate degree. MIT also offers short programs, which last two to five days. These classes are on a variety of topics, such as energy and transportation, and are generally held in the summer. While there is a fee, the short programs do have open enrollment. Their Career Reengineering Program is a 12-month part-time program designed to help professionals restart their careers. Students begin by evaluating their weaknesses and taking classes to fill in those gaps. Next, they put that knowledge to use either by a research project or an internship. The program also assists students in finding a job in their chosen field while also focusing on lifelong personal development. MIT offers custom programs which are targeted at companies or groups of 25 or more and can consist of the aforementioned short programs or faculty lectures to improve company issues or goals.

 

Boston University’s College of Engineering offers a certificate program as a way to expand ones knowledge of a certain field without the commitment of a graduate degree. Each track requires three courses to be completed and many can be completed online using its Distance Learning Platform. Students can also use their certificate courses to complete graduate degree requirements if they choose to later.

 

Wentworth Institute of Technology also has a professional certificate program in eight different topics. Each program has a different requirement for the type and number of courses to take for credit, but most of the courses run for seven weeks with one class per week. The project management program can be earned completely online. Participants earn continuing education units (CEU) and Wentworth credit for each class. Wentworth also has many workforce training mini-courses and programs that earn CEU in subjects such as AutoCAD and Welding. Like MIT, Wentworth also offers customizable corporate training programs.

 

Tufts University School of Engineering offers certificate programs designed for the professionals who wish to re-enter the workforce or prepare for graduate school. The program also targets professional non-engineers who are looking to make a career change. The certificate program requires its participants to complete four graduate-level courses in their chosen field. Full-time students can earn their certificates within a year. Tufts also offers an interdisciplinary certificate program called Water: Systems, Science, and Society (WSSS). Previously this program was only available to current Tufts graduate students, but it will soon be open to non-Tufts students. The Tufts Graduate Career Advancement Program (GCAP) is another option for professionals considering graduate school or a career change. GCAP students can enroll for credit or audit one or more of the over 2,000 courses that Tufts offers.

 

Continuing education programs allow professionals to go back to school without the time-consuming demands of a graduate degree. Participants can use these programs to prepare for a graduate degree, to fill in gaps or refresh their knowledge, or to just satisfy a curiosity. Local schools, not just the four highlighted above, are a great resource for busy professionals. One of the best attributes of Boston is its plethora of great schools with many options.