We’ve given you an introduction to what it’s like studying Engineering at Western Sydney University, now it’s time to check out the ins and outs of this fabulous degree.
Meet Samantha, a Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) graduate who specialised in Structural Engineering. Samantha is now smashing it in her dream career as a Civil Engineer for Aurecon!
She has provided us with all the positives and negatives of studying WSU Engineering so that you can decide if this degree is the one for you.
Let’s get right into it!
Why should you study an Engineering degree at Western Sydney University?
Top 3 Pros of an Engineering Degree
Top 3 Cons of an Engineering Degree
Mistakes You Shouldn’t Make
Things to Know Before Starting Western Sydney University Engineering
What Makes this Degree Different
Motivations for Studying Western Sydney University Engineering
Potential Career Paths
Why should you study an Engineering degree at Western Sydney University?
Samantha believes that for engineering, there is no better location to be in than Sydney’s west.
“The city is being developed and they are trying to make it more sustainable,” Samantha says, “but you will find that most jobs now are out west, especially now as they start to develop the new airport and metro.”
“The government are trying to make the west its own city and in reality, most of the people living in Sydney live out west,” she adds.
Samantha was working full time in Western Sydney during her studies, which made moving between work and uni super convenient and accessible.Â
Top 3 Pros of an Engineering degree
#1: You get lots of variety
There are so many pathway options for students studying Engineering at WSU. In Samantha’s view, this was always a big bonus and she loved being able to study a variety of ideas and processes.
“One of my favourite parts of the degrees was the hands-on experience you get,” she says. “You learn so many computer skills and the practicals are always really interesting.”
#2: You’ll always have fun
“Every day is a new day. From my experience, you never have two days that are the same,” Samantha says.Â
She believes that although an engineering degree can be challenging at times, you will learn so much and get a lot out of it.Â
#3: Social support and community
“It’s easy to make good friends,” Samantha says. “Studying engineering you’re going to need to have good friends because you’re always working together in teams.”
It’s important to develop a strong community amongst peers in this degree and Samantha says that that was never a challenge for her.Â
“Everyone gets along with one another and you have a great social circle as you study,” she says, adding, “it’s a very collaborative effort.”
Top 3 Cons of an Engineering degree
#1: It can be challenging at times
“There can be long days but that’s pretty normal,” Samantha notes, “I remember so many times going back and forth between uni and work and just having sore feet from working so much.”
“It’s hard work but it’s worth it in the end,” she says.
#2: Exam times can be stressful
“It can get overwhelming around exam time but that’s normal,” Samantha admits.
She adds that when studying for exams everything felt a bit taxing, but she always felt motivated by her teachers and peers and the strong community support that they provided.
#3: That’s it!
Upon reflection, Samantha says, “I don’t really have anything that negative to say. I love my degree and everything I got out of it!”
Any regrets?Â
“I have absolutely no regrets about my degree,” Samantha says. “It was the perfect choice for me and I don’t really have anything negative to say about it!”
What do you wish you had known before starting Western Sydney University Engineering?Â
“In the beginning, I didn’t realise how broad it would be,” Samantha admits. “At times it could be overwhelming studying all of the different aspects and areas of engineering, as the degree is so broad.”
During her studies, Samantha developed a special bond with her thesis professor, Dr Olivia Mirza. She inspired Samantha to pursue her career goals and introduced her to the realities of being a woman in engineering.
“I think in my final year I was struggling a bit figuring out which path I wanted to go down or specialise in,” Samantha says, “but I found that once I started speaking to my thesis supervisor and choosing what I wanted to do for my thesis I found my true passion for structural.”
She adds, “Although it can be broad and overwhelming, a good thing is that you always have the choice to change your path in the future.”
What makes this degree different from the ones offered at other universities?Â
“I would say that your thesis research is a lot more hands-on and you do a lot of work projects,” Samantha says.
“For example, mine was based on an actual bridge in Malaysia. We were investigating a branch that could potentially collapse and be extremely detrimental. Our job was to look at ways to make that more sustainable.”
“When you study at Western you get to have a lot of hands-on experience,” she continues, “There are opportunities in the Engineers Without Borders program, where you can go overseas for your internship and get practical experience in a completely different country.”
“You also can’t go wrong with the tutors,” Samantha adds. “They are all super friendly and helpful.”
What inspired you to choose Western Sydney University Engineering?
“I always had a passion to contribute to society in some way and in engineering you always get to see a little design or something small on paper get developed into a large scale project,” Samantha says.Â
“It’s a really exciting experience to be able to look at that and say that that was something you did.”Â
What are the possible career paths?
When you complete a Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) at Western Sydney University there are a number of fields where you can shine just like Samantha, including:
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- Construction engineering
- Structural design
- Project management
- Manufacturing
- Renewable energy systems
- Robotic and mechatronic engineering
Below is a list of just some of the job titles you can have after graduating from this versatile and hands-on degree:
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- Engineering Manager
- Civil Engineer
- Aerospace Engineer
- Communications Engineer
- Electrical Engineer
- Biomedical Engineer
- Mining Engineer
With a Western Sydney University Engineering degree, you will be given all of the practical, hands-on skills needed for a career in engineering.
Whether that is a knowledge of computer programs, learning how to solve problems both at home or overseas, or even fundamental Mathematics, the versatility and variety of ideas you get to explore in this degree will provide you with all the tools to make a real-world impact!
Kellie Maloney is a driven and passionate writer who likes to flex her creative muscle on the daily. Currently, she also works as a Junior Content Writer at ClassBento, a rapidly growing startup that she is super proud to be a part of. When she is not writing for ClassBento or Art of Smart Education, Kellie can be found writing trashy poetry, cooking (barely) edible food or watching YouTube videos.
