JOIN USDear Madam,
My son is in his sixth semester of Mechanical Engineering under VTU and is average at studies. He wants to pursue an MTech degree, specialising in Automobile Design/Machine Design/ General Design in India or abroad. He is adamant to study in a reputed university. Please give me advice on how to get this underway, with details on the competitive exams to write, colleges offering such courses and other details to help us prepare for it earnestly.
Anitha Anil Kumar
Dear Anitha,
Your words reinforce that your son wants to be a designer but is not very clear about the finer classification. It is nice to know that you are supportive of his goals and interest. The field of design requires a creative bent of mind and an eye for detail.
His engineering background will certainly stand him in good stead by helping him combine his engineering skills with creativity. He should ideally apply for courses in India first and then try his luck abroad. Germany is a great country to start with. In India, there are many universities that offer M. Tech degrees in design. To narrow down, here is a sample list of design-related courses:
*PG in Industrial Designing/Automotive Design is offered by many of the IITs. One needs to pass the All India Common Entrance Examination for Design (CEED) conducted in many parts of the country, and clearing the qualifying round through the IDC admission test and interview
*NID-Ahmedabad (www.nid.edu/ ) offers several specialisations in design
*Alternatively, the Maharashtra Institute of technology, Pune(www.mitpune.com), offers a PG Diploma and certification in Automotive Design (PGDAD).
*Explore courses offered by the DSK International School of Design, Pune (www.dsksic.com), DYP-DC Center for Automotive Research and Studies, (www.info@dypdc.com)
Each of these colleges have their own selection procedure, details of which can be obtained on their website which I have mentioned alongside. Make it a team effort along with your son and see what suits him the best. Good luck to you both!
Dear Madam,
I want to pursue a Post Graduation in the UK. I have received an offer from Red Brick University (Russell Group). The duration of the course in the UK is one year. As you know, in the US, it is two years. My question is:
*Will I face a problem finding a job after I graduate from the UK university?
*Is the recognition same for the UK and US degree?
*Do you recommend pursuing a post graduation in the UK?
Student
Dear Student,
Congratulations on having procured an offer from one of the Red Brick universities, as they are premium league universities in the United Kingdom. You need not be apprehensive of the recognition in comparison with the degree awarded by US universities. Both are valid and issued by different countries. Red Brick universities are like the ivy league universities of the US.
Coming to the duration aspect of your post graduate degree — it should not affect you finding a job, since the course is designed to be completed in one year. Scholarships and grants are difficult to find in the United Kingdom. Students are not allowed to work during their student days, which may make it difficult to afford the cost of education. The silver lining is that studies are said to be less expensive when compared to the US.
As the course is short in duration, it may help cut down living and other allied costs. If you are clear about the studies that you have chosen and are convinced about the university and have no restrictions otherwise, there should be nothing to hold you back from studying in a Red Brick University.