Skip to content

Studies & Degrees in Engineering Special Studies

Engineering special studies is a heading for engineering programmes that fall outside the standard degree titles. It covers two kinds of study: narrow specialisations inside a main branch of engineering, and programmes in small or new fields that do not fit any established branch. The United States classification of study programmes (CIP) has a category for the second kind, called "Engineering, Other", defined as any engineering programme not listed elsewhere. It also recognises individualised engineering programmes, in which a student builds a personal plan of study.

Most students reach these studies in the later years of a bachelor's degree or at master's level, after a general grounding in mathematics, science and engineering design.

What students learn

The main branches of engineering each contain specialised fields. The Occupational Outlook Handbook of the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) describes the branches, and the CIP lists specialisations within them:

  • Chemical engineering. Chemical engineers apply chemistry, physics and engineering to design equipment and processes for manufacturing products. A specialisation is chemical and biomolecular engineering.
  • Civil engineering. Civil engineers plan, design and supervise the construction and maintenance of building and infrastructure projects. Specialisations include geotechnical, structural, transportation and water resources engineering.
  • Electrical and computer engineering. Electrical and electronics engineers design, develop and test electrical and electronic equipment, components and systems. Specialisations include laser and optical engineering, telecommunications engineering, and computer hardware and software engineering.
  • Mechanical and energy engineering. Mechanical engineers design, develop, build and test mechanical and thermal sensors and devices. Energy systems engineering includes power plant engineering.

The CIP also lists small fields with their own programmes, such as ceramic, textile, paper, forest and ocean engineering. A special studies programme usually combines advanced courses in the chosen field with a design project or a research thesis.

Qualifications and levels

  • Specialisation within a bachelor's degree. In Spain, an official bachelor's degree (grado) has 240 ECTS credits and may include one or more mentions (menciones). A mention is a specific pathway within the degree and must represent at least 20% of its total credits. In the United States, the equivalent is a concentration or track. At Arizona State University, for example, students of the Engineering, BSE degree declare a concentration before the end of the fourth term.
  • Master's degree. This is the usual level for specialising. An official master's degree in Spain has 60, 90 or 120 ECTS credits. ABET, which accredits engineering programmes in the United States, requires a master's programme to include at least 30 semester credit hours beyond the bachelor's level, with topics in a specific field consistent with the programme name.
  • Combined programmes. Some universities link both levels. At Arizona State University, selected students in the robotics, electrical systems and mechanical engineering systems concentrations can obtain a bachelor's and a master's degree within five years.

The title of a programme matters for accreditation. ABET accredits programmes, not universities, and decides which specific criteria apply from the technical specialties named in the programme title. A programme whose title covers two specialties must satisfy both sets of criteria. Accreditation is voluntary in the United States, so students should ask each university which accreditation a specialised programme holds and how the qualification is recognised in the country where they plan to work.

Where to study it

Specialised engineering programmes exist in most countries with engineering schools, under many different names. SpainExchange currently lists one school under this heading, in the United States: the American English and Culture Program of Arizona State University in Tempe. It is the university's English language unit, now called Global Launch, and prepares international students in English rather than teaching engineering itself. Engineering degrees in the United States are taught in English.

When comparing programmes, it helps to look at the exact title, the share of credits devoted to the specialisation, the laboratories and research groups in that field, and the links with employers in the sector.

Careers

A specialisation leads to work in the matching sector: for example, structural design offices, telecommunications operators, energy companies or materials manufacturers. It can also lead to research and doctoral study.

According to the BLS, overall employment in architecture and engineering occupations is projected to grow much faster than the average for all occupations from 2025 to 2035, with about 174,800 openings each year. BLS data for 2023 show how engineering graduates are spread by major: electrical engineering 21%, mechanical engineering 20%, general engineering 13%, civil engineering 11%, computer engineering 10%, and all other majors together 25%. In the same data, 42% of people with an engineering degree hold an advanced degree.

Frequently asked questions

What does "engineering special studies" mean?

It is a general heading, not a single degree. It covers specialised fields inside the main engineering branches and programmes that do not fit a standard branch, including individualised plans of study.

At what level do students specialise in engineering?

Usually in the last years of a bachelor's degree, through a mention or concentration, or in a master's degree. In Spain a mention must represent at least 20% of the credits of the bachelor's degree.

How many credits does a specialised master's degree have?

An official master's degree in Spain has 60, 90 or 120 ECTS credits. In the United States, ABET requires at least 30 semester credit hours beyond the bachelor's level for the master's programmes it accredits.

Are specialised engineering programmes accredited?

Not automatically. In the United States accreditation is voluntary and is granted programme by programme, so it has to be checked for each degree.