Ever wondered how that cool bridge or the awesome gadget you use every day got built? That's the magic of engineering! It is all about using your knowledge of science and math to design, create, and build things. Even though it takes hard work, engineers are pretty amazing. They've been featured in movies and video games, and they solve problems that make our world better. This bugs us with questions like, which is toughest branch in engineering, and why should one choose the hardest engineering courses? We will be answering all these questions along with 10 hardest engineering courses in the world.
Why Choose the Toughest Engineering Course?
Engineering is known for its super tough classes that can be seriously challenging. Most students just follow the regular plan for their major. But some brave engineering students decide to take the hardest classes they can find. Because some of the toughest engineering courses are the most demanding engineering fields in the future 2050! As we overview some of the most difficult engineering courses in the world in this blog, it’s worth examining the key reasons students may choose to take on these intimidating academic challenges:
1. Readiness to Lead in Innovative Areas
The toughest engineering courses often provide critical foundations for the most complex and rapidly advancing subfields of the discipline. This program will give you the knowledge you need to understand the latest research and developments in engineering. By the time you graduate, you'll be prepared to jump right into exciting, innovative engineering jobs!
2. Demonstrating Academic Courage
This aspect refers to tackling the world's hardest engineering degree despite the risk of failure and the immense intellectual effort required. Getting good grades in really tough engineering classes shows that you're a hard worker, super smart, and can handle a variety of engineering challenges. Colleges love to see this on your transcript!
3. Personal Challenge and Achievement
For some engineering students, there is also an element of personal challenge and a sense of achievement associated with successfully conquering one of the hardest engineering subjects. You can push yourself to new levels of critical thinking and problem-solving skills while accomplishing the most difficult engineering branch.
Top 10 Hardest Engineering Courses
Determining the hardest engineering courses is certainly subjective and depends on individual strengths and interests. That said, there are select classes across different types of engineering courses that have rightfully earned reputations for pushing students to their academic and time management limits. Below are the top 10 hardest engineering courses students will encounter:
1. Aerospace Engineering
Ever look up and see airplanes streaking across the sky? Do you ever wonder how those giant machines actually fly? Maybe you've even admired the cool design of a plane and thought, "Wow, how did someone build that?" If you answered “yes” to all these questions, then the hardest engineering branch in the world - aerospace engineering - might be your calling. Though it is the toughest branch in engineering in world, there is a 7% job growth for aerospace engineers between 2022 and 2032.
2. Chemical Engineering
Chemical engineers are essentially tasked with creating systems that are able to produce refined products from raw materials. As one of the hardest engineering courses, chemical engineering usually deals with the construction of tools and design of industry plants and focuses on formulating ways to improve on them. Chemical engineers look after:
- Essential materials: Plastics, polymers, fibres
- Life-saving drugs: Pharmaceuticals, antibiotics
- Everyday products: Food processing, personal care items
- Clean energy solutions: Biofuels and fuel cells
It is often considered the toughest engineering course and is perfect for those who have always been curious about how chemical plants and manufacturing tools work and are constructed.
3. Computer Engineering
Thinking of creating the next big app that everybody uses on the go? Interested in knowing the know-how behind how various software and applications function? Well, computer engineering is the way to go for you. As the toughest course in engineering, computer engineering synthesises various subjects like computer science and electronic engineering to construct computer-related hardware and software.
Computer engineers have your back for everything related to computer-related hardware and software compatibility. If you are keen on this subject, you should brace yourself for rigorous curriculums full of complex technical concepts and challenging problem sets. With an expected 7% job growth in the next 10 years, computer engineering has quite a reputation as the hardest engineering degree and most rewarding career. In fact, even highly successful figures like Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, one of the alumni of Harvard University who studied computer science, have mentioned pulling all-nighters to pass the course.
4. Architectural Engineering
Perhaps a surprise entry on the list, this is undeniably the most difficult engineering branch! Architectural engineers deal with the mechanics behind all the systems that are present in a building. The graduates of architectural engineers focus on the structural viability of a building, its electrical, lighting and heating systems, as well as its environmental and security systems. It may be the hardest engineering courses, but the competitive salary will let you reap the benefits of your effort. In today’s world, where sustainability has grown from an optional benefit to a necessity, architectural engineering, the most difficult field in engineering, provides the avenue to design structures that promote sustainability.
5. Biomedical Engineering
For those who have had the intuition or interest to develop better equipment to facilitate medical processes, biomedical engineering might be your choice. However, it is the toughest branch in engineering. Biomedical engineers are basically behind constructing advanced equipment and systems that help with medical practices, such as artificial internal organs or devices that can diagnose a person’s ailment. With such big implications that follow in the real world in regard to the practice, it is indeed one of the hardest engineering courses in the world. The world of medicine advances in great strides every single day. Therefore, ace this hardest engineering major from the best biomedical engineering schools.
6. Mechanical Engineering
With so many people wanting to do mechanical engineering, how is this the toughest course in engineering? Well, mechanical engineering is a field that analyses objects and systems in motion. As such, this toughest engineering course touches everything that involves mechanical systems. From mechanical components in a machine to the human body, mechanical engineers have expertise in them all. One can refer to them as a jack of all trades! The best schools for mechanical engineering have an acceptance rate of around 4%-5%, making it the toughest branch of engineering.
7. Nuclear Engineering
It can be a bane or a boon, but one thing is clear: nuclear energy and its implications are here to stay. While the nuclear arms race is a commonly known phenomenon, nuclear energy isn’t just used for destruction. Being one of the hardest engineering courses, it encompasses a lot of systems that harness the awe-inspiring powers of subatomic reactions to fuel activities, such as providing the heat required to refine metals, and producing hydrogen as a clean energy fuel.
But this is not all; the toughest course in engineering also equips students with expertise in the following areas:
- Medical Isotope Production
- Radiation Detection
- Nuclear Waste Management
- Navy Nuclear Propulsion
One can complete a B. Tech in Nuclear Science and Technology to dip their toes into this toughest branch in engineering in world. To apply for various nuclear engineering universities, you might want to clear SAT exams, and the undergraduate programs have a specific SAT score for admission.
8. Electrical Engineering
Electrical engineering, one of the hardest engineering courses, is the study of construction and design of systems and devices that use electricity as their main source of power. As it is the hardest engineering degree, it has been a viable specialisation in the field ever since the inception of electricity! Electrical engineers are some of the smartest people you will ever meet. Technical aptitude is vital for engineers, but key leadership skills like interpersonal abilities are equally important.
9. Civil Engineering (Structural)
Civil engineering (structural) is a specialised branch of civil engineering focused on the design, analysis, and construction of the framework or "bones" of structures. Structural engineering is one of the hardest engineering courses, ensuring that buildings, bridges, dams, and other structures can safely endure the forces they encounter. This most difficult engineering branch demands robust mathematical skills, proficiency in relevant software, and strong visualization and spatial reasoning abilities.
10. Advanced Control Systems Engineering
Advanced Control Systems Engineering is a field that involves designing, analyzing, and optimizing control systems to achieve specific objectives under constraints. It plays a crucial role in managing complex industrial processes by monitoring and adjusting numerous variables to improve overall performance. This field is considered the toughest engineering course due to the complexity of the systems involved and the need for precise control. The optimization algorithms, which are integral to these systems, need to solve rather complicated problems to meet the performance specifications systematically. Furthermore, the toughest engineering course in the world requires a deep understanding of various domains, including mathematics, physics, computer science, and specific industry knowledge.
We hope answering these questions can help you gain clarity and confidence in your decision to find your way around the hardest engineering subject. Before you apply to one of the engineering toughest branch, always go through the eligibility criteria and admission process & requirements, and take your SAT test preparation seriously. So, study hard and triumph over the hardest engineering courses!